Lucas
08-20-2020, 09:45 PM
I believed they used references from public datasets but no.
https://education.myheritage.com/article/the-founder-populations-project-how-myheritage-estimates-your-ethnicities/
To create our models for DNA ethnicity comparison, we searched our database for users who had family trees going back at least 6 (sometimes as many as 15) generations in the same region or group. We reached out to these users and asked them to participate in the Founder Populations Project. Around 5,000 users responded, and we sent DNA kits to all of them — from Uzbekistan to Fiji, from Greenland to South Africa.
Once we received their results, we analyzed their DNA profiles to identify distinct variations characteristic to each region or group.
This was not always easy. There can be a lot of overlap, especially in neighboring regions without isolating geographic conditions, such as high mountain ranges or large bodies of water. Ultimately, we identified and built models for the 42 ethnicities from which we currently offer results.
Identifying your ethnicities… and the limitations therein
Once your DNA has been analyzed, we compare your variants to those of the models we created for each of the 42 ethnicities. Then, we aggregate the comparison results to create a percentage-based breakdown of your ethnic origins.
It’s important to understand that the Ethnicity Estimate is just that: an estimate. Some people who have tested their DNA with other companies may find that their results differ from company to company. This is because each DNA testing company has built its own ethnicity models based on their own pool of data. Even if they tested the same number of people from the same region, their models will naturally differ from each other. In general, the larger the pool of data for each ethnicity, the more accurate the model will be.
It’s also important to remember that Ethnicity Estimates are based on locations and ethnic groups going back 6–15 generations. It may accurately estimate where your ancestors were located in 1750, but not necessarily in 1350.
Additionally, due to the somewhat fuzzy and sometimes overlapping boundaries between one ethnic group and another, you may receive an Ethnicity Estimate that identifies your DNA as belonging to a neighboring ethnicity. For example, someone with Italian heritage may receive an ethnicity estimate that identifies them as South Italian and Greek, Iberian, North and West European, or Sardinian.
Finally, remember that each child inherits a random 50% of their parents’ DNA. This may create a situation where, for example, you are absolutely certain that your grandfather was half Italian, but you yourself did not inherit any of his Italian genes. If he is 50% Italian and 50% English and your grandmother is 100% Scandinavian, your father may be 25% Italian, 25% English, and 50% Scandinavian — and the 50% you inherit from him could be 50% Scandinavian or 25% Scandinavian, 25% English. In a situation like this, you still have clear Italian heritage, but the ethnicity isn’t reflected in your DNA.
Someone got such kit here? Or heard about such person elswhere?
https://education.myheritage.com/article/the-founder-populations-project-how-myheritage-estimates-your-ethnicities/
To create our models for DNA ethnicity comparison, we searched our database for users who had family trees going back at least 6 (sometimes as many as 15) generations in the same region or group. We reached out to these users and asked them to participate in the Founder Populations Project. Around 5,000 users responded, and we sent DNA kits to all of them — from Uzbekistan to Fiji, from Greenland to South Africa.
Once we received their results, we analyzed their DNA profiles to identify distinct variations characteristic to each region or group.
This was not always easy. There can be a lot of overlap, especially in neighboring regions without isolating geographic conditions, such as high mountain ranges or large bodies of water. Ultimately, we identified and built models for the 42 ethnicities from which we currently offer results.
Identifying your ethnicities… and the limitations therein
Once your DNA has been analyzed, we compare your variants to those of the models we created for each of the 42 ethnicities. Then, we aggregate the comparison results to create a percentage-based breakdown of your ethnic origins.
It’s important to understand that the Ethnicity Estimate is just that: an estimate. Some people who have tested their DNA with other companies may find that their results differ from company to company. This is because each DNA testing company has built its own ethnicity models based on their own pool of data. Even if they tested the same number of people from the same region, their models will naturally differ from each other. In general, the larger the pool of data for each ethnicity, the more accurate the model will be.
It’s also important to remember that Ethnicity Estimates are based on locations and ethnic groups going back 6–15 generations. It may accurately estimate where your ancestors were located in 1750, but not necessarily in 1350.
Additionally, due to the somewhat fuzzy and sometimes overlapping boundaries between one ethnic group and another, you may receive an Ethnicity Estimate that identifies your DNA as belonging to a neighboring ethnicity. For example, someone with Italian heritage may receive an ethnicity estimate that identifies them as South Italian and Greek, Iberian, North and West European, or Sardinian.
Finally, remember that each child inherits a random 50% of their parents’ DNA. This may create a situation where, for example, you are absolutely certain that your grandfather was half Italian, but you yourself did not inherit any of his Italian genes. If he is 50% Italian and 50% English and your grandmother is 100% Scandinavian, your father may be 25% Italian, 25% English, and 50% Scandinavian — and the 50% you inherit from him could be 50% Scandinavian or 25% Scandinavian, 25% English. In a situation like this, you still have clear Italian heritage, but the ethnicity isn’t reflected in your DNA.
Someone got such kit here? Or heard about such person elswhere?