<center>I took my first leap into DNA testing for genealogical purposes back in 2015.
I had already undergone extensive research by then and had built up a large and wide tree, which I would need to use to collaborate with the data I'd get from the DNA results.
Taking a DNA test on its own will give you some indication of whereabouts your ancestors came from, but not *who* they were.
Today I thought I would 'compare apples with apples' as the saying goes, or in other words 'algorithms with algorithms' in regards to DNA testing.
</center>

<center>I have (so far) tested with two different companies - **FamilyTreeDNA** (FTDNA) and **Ancestry**; and uploaded copies of the data taken from FTDNA to **MyHeritage** and **LivingDNA**.
In essence, my DNA will be the same no matter who I test with, it is their *algorithm* for interpreting that data which gives differing results, as you'll be able to see below.
Companies also change and (hopefully) improve their data interpretations continually, so keep this in mind if you choose to have your own DNA tested. The good thing is that the more who take the test, the greater the pool from which to collate data, and therefore better understanding of the results collected.
So naturally I would encourage everyone to do it. :)
</center>

<center>*(Sorry, this is a screenshot of a screenshot I emailed to relatives, showing old data, so not the best quality.)*
From **FTDNA** I got this interpretation of my DNA test results.
![Capture.JPG](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmU6symsJydCmfA2v5ArfzPDo91JavwD4zqG6qnbj7SuFa/Capture.JPG)
*November 2016*
</center>

<center>On their map it looked like this.
![Capture2.JPG](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmdHf6918nF88uobemqLwwrE3X9D3au1mT33cTDbjCtEtZ/Capture2.JPG)
*November 2016*
</center>

<center>Since then, FTDNA changed their algorithm, and my results changed substantially too.
![Capture3.JPG](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUnhutPrzLpejLMkwGnvDYzD6opuZ87vqfCAizGSfSc8v/Capture3.JPG)
*June 2018*
</center>

<center>A very different-looking map.
![Capture4.JPG](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmdSgwJ1XjcL2yJdS9JJbJZCNcnvFgGf8QEurivzhpP2Lb/Capture4.JPG)
*June 2018*
</center>

<center>I am really hoping the company does another 'improvement' to their algorithm because I feel this one is really not showing a great interpretation of my ancestry. The earlier one seemed much more reflective of what I know about groups of my ancestors and which countries they came from.
</center>

<center>These were the results I got after taking the **Ancestry** DNA test.
It certainly shows ethnicity I'd expect, but not in the right %'s for what I know about my ancestors.
![Capture5.JPG](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmajo98dUJhvjJmjanQF3g9Ys1uedH5G3q91bwjEyQAdgZ/Capture5.JPG)
*June 2018*
</center>

<center>Their map of the results.
![Capture6.JPG](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmVhzmDfKa6HtLMhk72kyP25zTTDH11y6tmEEKEkAP9Lk3/Capture6.JPG)
*June 2018*
</center>

<center>I noticed they had an 'updates' button, so after I'd screen-captured the above results, I continued to the update as I was very curious to see whether anything had changed.
![Capture7.JPG](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmXAJYwUxivHPofyFRfGA773zfYBr8Exyws6fVCrvmPs4p/Capture7.JPG)
*June 2018*
</center>

<center>And yes, it had.
I feel that the ethnicity % now better reflects my collated data, although I am surprised the Scandinavian group is now so minimal. I guess that is the luck of the draw with DNA inheritance anyway.
![Capture8.JPG](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmTgYMLJqWwhiSFZHgKTGmU4BsgouBSJdAbeBhUYe3pETH/Capture8.JPG)
![Capture9.JPG](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmca7xk2sUtijnCjTvoxxspods5k5M9m9MaN3hDDbNN31V/Capture9.JPG)
*June 2018*
</center>

<center>The new map.
![Capture10.JPG](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSv2a2U7LRSiqq6BUerzKhxyXmFC2hooFC1Z1GT9TXFNJ/Capture10.JPG)
*June 2018*
</center>

<center>**MyHeritage** does have its own testing service, but while they were first introducing their DNA service we could upload our data from other testers so they'd have a large base-line of data to work with.
So this is how *their* algorithm has interpreted my DNA data.
![Capture11.JPG](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUZm5MHS7gk67c2u74jYz7B1vHJFFkYvm8LMHTHpobrjn/Capture11.JPG)
*June 2018*
</center>

<center>And their map.
![Capture12.JPG](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmS9pZ3KZLFXQ9LHSMt6EMqU7xXxpdEHANW4xuRzdfqWih/Capture12.JPG)
*June 2018*
</center>

<center>The final company I've uploaded data to is **LivingDNA**.
This was to take part in a data-collation scheme, and while I will not be able to see an ethnicity breakdown with it, I will still benefit in other ways, and I am happy knowing that my small contribution of data will help their research project.
![Capture13.JPG](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmST5CNyYhRb6meHtwVqwbQuXcRMMYLJwjQSw4E9SpZX55/Capture13.JPG)
*June 2018*
Once their results are published I may yet choose to test further with them, as they are striving for more detailed, regional breakdowns of ethnicity - so for example, within England I might get more precise estimations of where my ancestors came from.
Great for those stubborn brick walls!
</center>

<center>If we now go back over the data for a quick comparison we can see how similar or different each interpretation has been.
Let's compare our United Kingdom area % as best we can (because each company has either lumped together or separated out countries).
</center>
FTDNA        |   ANCESTRY  |  MyHERITAGE
---------------- | ---------------- | --------------
100  | 64 | 41
British Isles  |  UK & Wales  |  England

<center>(If I had added the Irish/Scottish/Welsh results to the English ones for MyHeritage the % would then be 71.1, and therefore more in line with the other two.)
</center>

<center>I hope this has given you some interesting insight into the increasingly-popular DNA-testing world, and that one day - if you haven't already done so - you'll consider testing yourself for family history research.
![pic.gif](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmVPa9pdsCfXa6Ze2JZeGBzDwxUFT6xBJeiz1NACzfMdzC/pic.gif)
[image source](http://www.chrismadden.co.uk/cartoons/science-cartoons/genetics-cartoons-dna-cartoons/printer-genetic-engineering-dna-cartoon.html)
</center>

The company links:
https://www.familytreedna.com
https://www.ancestry.co.uk
https://www.myheritage.com
https://www.livingdna.com



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(extra tags: #dna #irdp #familyhistory)