Ancestry Genetic Communities

[Jill Eaton]

For anyone whose been using Ancestry dna for genealogy purposes do you take your allocated Genetic communities seriously or simply treat them as the Ethnicity Estimate - a bit of fun but not of much real use?

I've been allocated 3:

Munster Ireland
Southern England
Northern England & The Midlands


My research confirms that most of my family come from Southern England - Devon and London all the way up to Cambridgeshire

The Northern England and Midlands - I've maternal family from West Yorkshire and Leicestershire

The Munster Ireland is the one that confuses me. I do have Irish ancestry. I don't know where from. It's a brick wall that I can't breach using a paper trail (so far at least) so do I assume that the Genetic Community is a useful avenue to pursue? I have some circumstantial leads which isn't hard evidence that they may have come from County Cork.

I believe that one of the communities allocated on Ancestry is Cork rather then Munster. Does that mean my ancestors didn't come from Cork? Isn't Cork actually IN Munster? I'm confused by why there are two communities that appear to cover the same region.

[mgeneas]

Mine is dead on - southern England, that is where my paper trail is.

[KGarrad]

The island of Ireland is divided into 4 Provinces:
Munster, Connacht, Leinster and Ulster.

Each of these Provinces contains a number of Counties.
For Munster that is: Cork, Clare, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford.

[Jill Eaton]

The island of Ireland is divided into 4 Provinces:
Munster, Connacht, Leinster and Ulster.

Each of these Provinces contains a number of Counties.
For Munster that is: Cork, Clare, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford.

Indeed, which is why I'm confused.

Since I haven't been allocated the Cork Community does this mean

A) That although my family come from Munster they are NOT from Cork?
B) That they do come from Cork but that isn't their DNA's place of origin? So they moved to county Cork from somewhere else in Munster
C) Cork county or city (Ancestry doesn't specify) has a very specific DNA signature that is ONLY found here and no where else in Munster? Hence they have a genetic community all to themselves

[KGarrad]

I think you're trying to read far too much into these ethnicity estimates?

[Jill Eaton]

I think you're trying to read far too much into these ethnicity estimates?

And had I asked the question regarding ethnicity estimates I'm certain you would be correct.

However, My original question was about Genetic Communities

According to the Ancestry website: I quote....

How is this different to the Ethnicity Estimate?
Good question. Your ethnicity estimate shows where your DNA came from hundreds to thousands of years ago, calculated by comparing your DNA to a reference panel of people with deep roots in each of those regions. Think of this like an older picture of where you are from.

Genetic Communities reveal a much more recent picture. They are groups of AncestryDNA members who are connected because they share fairly recent ancestors who came from the same region or culture, determined by their DNA matches. For many of us, that may mean discovering links to Genetic Communities within the UK and Ireland.

Exploring Genetic Communities in the UK and Ireland
Our science team have identified dozens of Genetic Communities within Britain and Ireland.

These branches include Southern English, Northern English, Scots, English Midlanders, The Welsh & English West Midlanders, Ulster Irish, Connacht Irish and Munster Irish. These branches are then broken down even further into specific Genetic Communities for those regions.


And also hence my original question...
"For anyone whose been using Ancestry dna for genealogy purposes do you take your allocated Genetic communities seriously or simply treat them as the Ethnicity Estimate - a bit of fun but not of much real use?"

[heywood]

Hi Jill,
I do not understand it much- or at least I haven’t tried to do so.

I do not have a published tree and just wanted to see what came up when I did the test.

Originally, the test showed 53% Irish which has now been modified by Ancestry to show Ethnicity Estimate 53% Ireland/Scotland/Wales.
Then it shows Connacht, Ireland - Mayo and Sligo.

Looking at various matches, only a few have trees and they are in US, I can see surnames which are to be found in the fairly discrete area of Mayo where my family come from.  Two second cousins and a third cousin are the top ranking and I know the relationship. I also know from my own research that several families from my area emigrated to a certain area in US and the matches show this pattern.
I presume this is the Genetic Communities - the people who have tested and we share the same origins of place. 

I suppose, in answer to your question, in this example I take it seriously because to me it shows some evidence.

Heywood

[Jill Eaton]

Hi Jill,
I do not understand it much- or at least I haven’t tried to do so.

I do not have a published tree and just wanted to see what came up when I did the test.

Originally, the test showed 53% Irish which has now been modified by Ancestry to show Ethnicity Estimate 53% Ireland/Scotland/Wales.
Then it shows Connacht, Ireland - Mayo and Sligo.

Looking at various matches, only a few have trees and they are in US, I can see surnames which are to be found in the fairly discrete area of Mayo where my family come from.  Two second cousins and a third cousin are the top ranking and I know the relationship. I also know from my own research that several families from my area emigrated to a certain area in US and the matches show this pattern.
I presume this is the Genetic Communities - the people who have tested and we share the same origins of place. 

I suppose, in answer to your question, in this example I take it seriously because to me it shows some evidence.

Heywood

Thanks Heywood. That's actually very helpful in providing some evidence that the correlation between the assigned communities and actual research match up and offer real confirmation.

My ethnicity estimate, amongst other information. informs me I'm 3% Southern Europe. Whilst that's very interesting the chances of me ever being able to identify an ancient ancestor from somewhere in the (vary vague) area of Southern Europe is probably impossible. And really isn't worth any effort trying. If I'd discovered I was 60% North American Indian coming from an entirely European background then THAT I would take seriously

However, finding the possible/probable location of a whole branch of ancestors born 200 years ago is of far more relevance.

Since Genetic Communities are supposed to be more recent I'm hoping they will actually be of more genealogical use

[heywood]

I think it will help you because it is more recent.
I also have 7% Iberian peninsula in my ethnicity estimate which, in part,  contributed to my desire to take the test- family colouring and appearance.
There are various historical explanations/stories re ‘Spanish blood’: the Armada and Black Irish etc but I think there have been modern more scientific recent studies into this area of common dna but I haven’t studied them.
I am sure someone on here will put me right.