Waiting for your DNA results to arrive can be exciting, as you imagine all of the new things you might learn about your past and your extended family. If you’re not sure what to expect, here is a quick run-down on several of the features you can look forward to.

Learn what your DNA ethnicity estimate can reveal.

We search your DNA for clues where your ancestors came from centuries ago. People with deep ancestral roots in a region often have similar DNA that can be used to help identify that group. We’ve spent years assembling and analyzing a huge database of DNA samples from around the world to build a “reference panel” of DNA profiles based on those identifiers.

When we analyze your sample in our lab, we look at hundreds of thousands of positions, or markers, in your DNA to find those identifiers. Based on which ones we find, we can tell you around how much of your DNA comes from those different groups and regions around the world. Are you Native American? Scandinavian? North African? Chances are, your DNA can tell you. It’s a new way of looking at your past that often holds a few surprises.

Tracking the migration paths of your ancestors.

Once we have identified groups that your family belonged to, we might also be able to tell you how they might have moved from one place to another over the centuries. Perhaps they sailed across the Atlantic as part of a wave of migrations to the New World. Or maybe they stayed in the Old World, settling in new locations as history unfolded around them.

By combining our patented DNA science with deep historical knowledge, an AncestryDNA^® test delivers a unique and compelling way to visualize your family’s past, with interactive maps and historical context to help tell the story. It may support the narrative you think you know or provide you with new directions to take your research.

Finding new cousins with DNA matches.

With more members than any other DNA test—over 18 million and counting—chances are good that you’re not the only one in your family using AncestryDNA^®. Our advanced science allows us to compare your DNA test results to other AncestryDNA^® members to find family connections, from immediate relatives to distant cousins.

Better yet, if you and your match have family trees on Ancestry, we might be able to tell you exactly how you’re related by tracking down your shared ancestors. You can even reach out and connect with your DNA matches, whether it’s to collaborate on research or invite them to your next family reunion.

Uncovering your genetic traits.

It’s no secret that your DNA helps to determine what you look like, from the color of your eyes to the shape of your earlobes. But there are other personal traits hidden in your genes that may surprise you. Are you genetically predisposed to have detached earlobes? Do your eyes dazzle with especially intricate irises? Have your ancestors bequeathed you an unshakeable aversion to cilantro?

Our new traits experience goes beyond your ethnicity to show you what runs in your family and how it affects you, inside and out. Surveys, interactive content, and scientific insights give you a unique look at how your DNA helps to shape who you are.

A fantastic way to learn more about you.

Whether AncestryDNA^® is your first step exploring your past or a new, exciting addition to your existing research, it always reveals something compelling. It can tell you who your distant ancestors were as well as who your family is today. And no matter where it leads, it’s a story you’ve always carried with you.