Every family has its stories. From tales of migration and hidden heritage to long-held assumptions about where we come from, these stories help shape our sense of identity.
Curious to discover what lay behind our own family narratives, three colleagues took a MyHeritage DNA test. The results confirmed some beliefs, challenged others and left us with a host of new questions about our ancestors and the stories that fuel our families.
Molly's story
Coming from a large family, heritage has always been a consistent topic of conversation and speculation in my life. I predominantly considered myself 'English' simply because I didn't know enough about my roots, although hearing varying stories from relatives has always left me eager to learn more.
I was mostly surprised by the sheer mixture of my results with twelve different ethnicities revealed overall. Even more shockingly, Scottish and Welsh came out higher than English which is something I had no prior knowledge or expectation of. My maternal grandparents have Italian backgrounds, so I thought this would have been higher than the result showed; instead, Italian was trumped by both German and Irish.
I am now even more intrigued to investigate my family's heritage, particularly where the Scottish and Welsh has come from. I will also be encouraging my four siblings to test their DNA so we can compare notes.
Ed's story
I've always perceived myself as half Japanese and half English, with much of my life spent unsure how to fulfil these two identity extremes. Living in the UK, I feel a sense of belonging yet a sense of being out of place, while yearning to connect with a Japanese side I rarely get to explore.
So when the results revealed I was more than half Japanese, and the remainder a mixture of English, German, French and more, I felt strangely validated: finally, my feelings had somewhere to settle. The most surprising thing? I’ve got some Danish and Swedish in me, too.
My results have reignited my desire to reconnect with my Japanese side and explore those Scandinavian influences. It's certainly an easy excuse to book some flights.
Katie's story
My mother’s Irish heritage is no secret. She comes from a large family in Cork who love to talk about the past and keep family stories alive. The mystery lay on my father’s side.
Born in London’s East End, like his father before him, my dad grew up with the family narrative that his grandfather had arrived from Germany in exile, anglicising his Jewish surname to avoid persecution. I was excited to discover just how much of my DNA might trace back to Germany.
The results revealed a predictably large percentage of Irish heritage, but only a tiny amount of German ancestry. Instead of providing answers, the test left me with even more questions. How did this family story develop? Was there some truth to it that had become distorted over time? And what is the real story of my great-grandfather?
Far from closing the book on my family history, the results have only fuelled my curiosity. I've caught the genealogy bug and can't wait to continue the investigation.
Curious? Here's how to take the first step
For all of us, taking a DNA test wasn't only an affirmation of our true heritage but a first step to discovering more about the unexplored parts of ourselves.
The same could be true for you, and a MyHeritage DNA kit is a remarkably easy way to satisfy that curiosity. Our experience of ordering kits, taking the tests and waiting for the results was very smooth.
Now is a great time to test your DNA for less, as kits are available for only £19.90* – down from £79.
Start your genealogy journey with MyHeritage
*Offer subject to availability and may change - please check the website for current pricing and terms.