We have all seen and heard about an ancestry DNA test at this point. But what about them is really worth taking one? It turns out that there are quite a few reasons why someone – or entire families – may want to get in on the trend.
If you have been on the fence about having a DNA test done, here are the five reasons why you should be taking one sooner rather than later.
1- Proving Parentage
Even in situations where there is some reasonable certainty about parentage, it is easy for doubt to come into the equation. Maybe you and your first cousin have always been certain that you are second cousins.
Then it comes into question about who one cousin’s grandfather may be, how can this be resolved? Well, with the ancestry home DNA test kit, they can find out the answer to that question. Even if the conclusion is what everyone assumed it would be, it is still conclusive. Whether it be direct parentage or someone further down in their lineage, there is nothing like the certainty that a DNA test is able to provide.
2- Learning Ethnicity
One of the biggest questions in life is “Where did I come from?” That question can be asked on a more philosophical level, but the truth is that most of us don’t have a solid idea of where our ancestors came from.
But with a DNA test, it is possible to find out where in the world you come from. It comes with an estimate of what percentages your DNA is – 13% Scandinavian, 19% British, etc. – to provide a more defined ethnic profile. Having that information can also help to fill out a family tree.
3- Connecting Family Trees
There are more than a few instances out there where someone sees a family photo and wonders who a stranger in the picture is. But with a DNA test, it means being able to connect family lines that may have been otherwise incomplete.
We all have stories whether we know them or not. Using the right tools to complete that search can be useful to unlocking the genetic records that lay within us. Being able to connect that family tree can be invaluable information, whether it leads to a potential relationship with them or not.
4- Leave a Legacy
Speaking of family trees, there are no doubt a lot of people out there who wished that the generations before would have left something, anything, behind to tell us about their connections. Anything would be helpful in aiding the learning about the depths of those connections.
This is your chance to leave that connective tissue. It can show without a doubt who came before and for those with kids, it can be the chance to leave behind proof of that. Families can have a clearer idea of the branches of their family tree moving forward, allowing for less uncertainty as well.
5- Finding Out Something New
The simplest explanation as to why a DNA test can be so great is that it can unlock something about ourselves that we did not know. There are pieces of information, records out there that can show certain things. A census, marriage certificate, pension records, and so on that can reveal some of that picture.
But it is the DNA test that leaves irrefutable proof about where you come from and who you are. Whether you have a long and distinguished family line or something with a lot less certainty, there is a chance to learn something new throughout the testing process.
