MyHeritage DNA: Everything You Wanted to Know About the MyHeritage DNA Test 

You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers! We’re dedicating this post to common questions people have about MyHeritage DNA. In this post you’ll learn the basics on how to take a MyHeritage DNA test, how to understand your MyHeritage DNA test ethnicity results, how to upload your DNA results to MyHeritage from another company and more! Also, today is the last day of our amazing Cyber Monday DNA deal — it’s our lowest price of the year, and if you order today, we can guarantee you’ll get your kits in time for Christmas!

What makes MyHeritage DNA tests unique

Privacy

First and foremost, you can trust that your DNA data is safe! We place a strong emphasis on privacy and security, and to date, are the only consumer DNA company to commit never to sell or transfer our users’ data to any third party.

#1 DNA test in Europe

MyHeritage has earned the trust of 92 million users worldwide, and the MyHeritage DNA test is the #1 DNA test in Europe.

Best test to find new relatives

With MyHeritage DNA you get access to a host of resources that will help you find new relatives.

Chromosome browser: MyHeritage’s One-to-many Chromosome Browser allows you to compare shared and triangulated segments of DNA with up to 7 DNA matches at once. Using a color-coded schematic sketch of your chromosomes, you can see which segments you share with multiple DNA matches (also known as triangulated segments) and extrapolate insights that can help you better understand your relationships to your matches — and maybe even identify DNA segments associated with specific ancestors.

AutoClusters: The AutoClusters tool organizes your DNA matches into groups or “clusters” of individuals who match each other as well as you. Using this tool, you can easily see who among your DNA matches is related to whom and therefore likely shares a common ancestor.

Theory of Family Relativity: The Theory of Family Relativity feature analyzes all the family tree data and historical record data on MyHeritage to bring you plausible theories about how you might be related to your DNA matches. This feature can save you a ton of time and effort.

MyHeritage DNA also offers extremely useful filtering and sorting capabilities that help you sort through your matches and focus on the ones most important to you. On your DNA Matches page, you can filter your matches by a wide variety of criteria, such as which matches have a Theory of Family Relativity, shared Smart Matches, shared surnames or places, or a family tree; level of relationship; location; ethnicity; or Genetic Groups. You can also sort your matches by percentage of shared segments overall, largest shared segment, full name, or which matches were most recently added to MyHeritage.

Ethnicity Estimate from 2,114 genetic & geographic regions around the world

MyHeritage offers the highest-resolution ethnicity results on the market today with 2,114 genetic & geographic regions around the world.

MyHeritage’s DNA Ethnicity Estimates are a breakdown of your ethnic origins using the highest standard of DNA sequencing and matching technologies. Every DNA testing company will offer slightly different estimates based on their own research and data on the Founder populations.

Ethnicity Estimates are based on different pools of data. Overlap between populations that live near each other means that one DNA company may identify a certain sequence of DNA as belonging to one ethnic group, while another may associate it with a different, neighboring group. For example, someone from northern England may receive an Irish, Scottish & Welsh result rather than English. The larger the pool of data from a given ethnicity, the more accurate it will be — and MyHeritage’s international reach gives our data an edge.

Another thing to keep in mind is that our models are based on the DNA of individuals whose families have been living in a certain place for at least 6, sometimes as many as 15 generations — but not much more. So if your family was from North Africa 1000 years ago, but moved to France 500 years ago, your DNA results are likely to reflect the time your ancestors spent in France rather than North Africa.

MyHeritage DNA results stay up to date

In terms of DNA matches, new users are purchasing DNA kits and uploading their data to our database all the time, so you are likely to have new DNA matches on MyHeritage on a regular basis.

In terms of ethnicity results, we are always working towards improving our models and giving you a clearer picture of your ethnic origins. In late 2020, we released a groundbreaking enhancement to our ethnicity estimates: Genetic Groups, which increased the resolution of our ethnicity breakdown to 2,114 geographic regions. More enhancements are forthcoming!

Learn more about MyHeritage DNA Genetic Groups in MyHeritage Launches Genetic Groups.

Frequently asked questions about MyHeritage DNA

Where is the MyHeritage DNA lab located?

Our DNA testing lab is located in Houston, Texas.

How long does MyHeritage take to process a DNA test?

We generally process a DNA test within 3–4 weeks of its arrival in our lab.

Can I upload ancestry DNA results to MyHeritage?

Yes! If you have tested with another DNA company such as Ancestry or 23andMe, you can upload your results to MyHeritage and view your DNA Matches free of charge. If you’d like to see your ethnicity results and contact your DNA matches, you can pay a one-time unlock fee of $29.

To upload your DNA data to MyHeritage, simply visit myheritage.com/dna/upload and follow the simple instructions to download your data from the other company and upload it to MyHeritage.

How long does MyHeritage take to process uploaded DNA?

If you upload your DNA data to MyHeritage, we generally process it in just a few days, sometimes as quickly as 24 hours.

Does MyHeritage sell your DNA?

We have never and will never sell our users’ DNA data to any third party. Period.

This is explicitly written into our privacy policy: “PERSONAL INFORMATION PROVIDED BY YOU, INCLUDING GENETIC INFORMATION AND HEALTH INFORMATION, WILL NEVER BE SOLD OR LICENSED BY US TO THIRD PARTIES, INCLUDING INSURANCE COMPANIES, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, OTHER CORPORATIONS OR EMPLOYERS.”

To date, we are the only consumer DNA company that has made this explicit commitment.

Does MyHeritage keep your DNA?

When you take the MyHeritage DNA test, you submit two samples. We only need one to analyze and produce your results, but we ask you to send us two just in case there’s a problem with the first one. We do store your DNA, for your benefit only — for example, if you took a DNA test before we upgraded to the new chip and would like to purchase a Health upgrade, we will use the extra sample you submitted to produce your health reports.

However, you can at any point and for any reason request that we destroy your sample. You are the sole owner of your DNA and your DNA data. You can delete your data completely from our site at any time and we will no longer have any record of it.

Your privacy and the security of your data are paramount to us at MyHeritage.

Does MyHeritage show Native American ethnicity?

Native American is one of the ethnicities supported by MyHeritage. Other supported ethnicities from the Americas include Inuit, Mesoamerican and Andean, and Indigenous Amazonian.

How do I contact MyHeritage by email?

For support-related issues, you can contact us via the email address support@myheritage.com. You can also give us a call using your local number as listed on our Contact Us page.

Purchasing a MyHeritage DNA Test

To give MyHeritage DNA a try for yourself, visit myheritage.com/dna.

If you have any additional DNA questions for us, drop a comment for us here or visit the MyHeritage Facebook Page and shoot us a PM — we will be happy to answer!

The post MyHeritage DNA: Everything You Wanted to Know About the MyHeritage DNA Test  appeared first on MyHeritage Blog.

Source: My Heritage