MyOrigins name changes make better sense

Family Tree DNA has simplified the names of the population clusters in the myOrigins feature to better match the way we think of those areas. For example, “European Coastal Islands” is now called the more sensible “British Isles.”

NewMyOrigins

my origins: before on the left and after on the right

The full list of name changes is at this URL: https://www.familytreedna.com/learn/ftdna/introducing-new-population-cluster-names-myorigins/

As you can see, European Northlands is now named the more sensible “Scandinavia.” I expected to be 50% Scandinavian as all my Dad’s grandparents were born in Norway, as was his father, so that extra percentage is from my German side. I was also expecting to be 25% Ashkenazi (or 27% as 23andme has it) since I have one German Jewish grandparent married to a Bavarian Catholic. So either there is a dash of Ashkenazi up my Bavarian tree or this is just due to the built in slight inaccuracies of Family Tree DNA’s predictions.

No changes have been made to how these populations are calculated. My full post on the myOrigins feature was published back in May.

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8 thoughts on “MyOrigins name changes make better sense

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  1. Family Tree DNA had me Middle East,Jewish,Adygei to just Middle East Adygei, from all the other Illuminate tests to now European Scandinavia 8% and east Asian northeast Asian. I am just confused.I give up.

  2. Kitty,Ok I went to the link you gave me but I don’t understand
    how it would apply to me.I am not understanding this whole thing.I really wish I understood what I gave family tree money for. Every 2 or 3 years they come up with this stuff and don’t really explain how the old information is no good then they say this new test is right.

  3. Ray –
    I was suggesting that you upload your raw data to GEDmatch and then look at their admixture tools. Sadly at the moment GEDmatch is migrating its servers and is not fully up so you will have to wait on that.

    This is a very very new field and no one really knows all that well what to do with it. Have patience and enjoy the process

    What exactly was your goal in testing? I was assuming it was learning about your ancestral origins.
    Kitty

  4. Thanks Kitty for the answers you have given me. My reason for taking the family finder was to confirm what I thought I knew from coming up. I was of the belief that I had Jewish ancestry.My mother told me when I was very young in age around 10 years old that I had to be circumcised. My mother’s side of the family were just strange or different people according to my father.My mother passed when I was young and my father felt they kept a secrect.My uncle claimed He took a DNA test and it showed Middle East Jewish and my Grandfather did not allow him to discuss it in the family.Then when I take the test it came back Middle East Jewish. I yet believe I have Jewish in me.I have had problems in the past with pranes claiming I look Akennazi written on my home.A Palestian Man who was born in Jerusalem saw me and claims I am a Jew. I went to a Israelite event where there were Jews from Israel there.They gathered around me and said that I was apart of them. These were Jews from Israel they all said it. I have patience to wait.I gave Family Tree my money and I thought they knew.But now I am back to square one. But I am always happy to get your reply.

    • Ray –
      You might also take the 23andme test to get more information which will include your haplogroups.
      If you can find closer cousins, 3rd, 4th; you may be able to prove to your satisfaction that you have jewish ancestry. However it sounds like you know this by now 🙂

  5. Kitty,
    When I took the 1st Affluminate test Family Tree found cousins that they claimed I matched. Two of them were Jewish on both sides of their family from Russia.There was another relative who is of the V haplogroup from his mother.Family Tree claimed the test was flawed and they gave everybody a new test. They took away the Jewish cousins but kept me with the relative with the V haplogroup and they kept Middle East and then added Jewish. On top of all this then they moved Jewish and kept Middle East Adygei and the same relative .Middle East was moved only after the my Orgins results. I will try the 23andme as you have given me.I am not upset.It’s just that from 2010 to 2014 now this.Thanks so much for your attention and reply.I need to get my Raw Data as you have stated.

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