Benefits of Using a Home DNA Test Kit From AncestryDNA^®

Creating a family tree can tell you valuable information about those who came before you, but a home DNA test kit from AncestryDNA^® can also connect you to the places in the world where your story started—from unique regions to living relatives. 

Different from a home DNA paternity test kit that looks only at the Y chromosome, the AncestryDNA home DNA testing kits use autosomal DNA which can provide a rich array of information, including ethnic makeup and family matches. And with AncestryDNA + Traits you can also learn how your genes may influence over 40 personal traits. With that in mind, the following are answers to common questions that you might have when you’re considering using AncestryDNA.  

Can You Do Your Own DNA Test at Home?

Yes, you can use a DNA testing home kit to get accurate results about your genetic makeup. With insight on estimates of ethnicity, DNA matches, and even your ancestors’ migration patterns, a DNA test from AncestryDNA can satisfy your curiosity about where your family has been.

Just purchase a DNA test and follow the provided instructions to register your kit online using the included activation code. Once registered, collect your saliva sample with the included tube and send the sample tube back in the prepaid return packaging provided with the DNA test. After that, you simply enter your activation code into your AncestryDNA account to link the two together.

To ensure your privacy is respected, AncestryDNA separates your identity from your DNA sample by only using your unique activation code to track your sample. Results are encrypted and stored in a secured database with strict control over who can access it. Should you wish to keep your DNA results private, you can control who sees your results and what they can see. You can also request that Ancestry destroy your DNA sample by contacting Member Services. Consult our Privacy Page for more information.

Are Home DNA Test Kits Accurate?

A home DNA test kit from AncestryDNA has, on average, over 99% accuracy for each tested marker. Part of your DNA home test kit’s results will highlight your ethnicity estimate, which is reported as a percentage. For example, you might see 9% English and 23% French in these percentages, which points to places your ancestors lived up to 1,000 years ago.

To do this, AncestryDNA collects the DNA of those with long histories in numerous parts of the world to use as a reference panel against which your information is compared to enhance accuracy. As of 2023, representation has been established from over 80 such regions around the world, including the Arabian Peninsula, the Baltics, Greece and Albania, Japan, and Wales. A full list of regions is available on the AncestryDNA Reference Panel page. The diversity and breadth of the reference panel makes AncestryDNA one of the best at-home consumer DNA test kits on the market. 

How Accurate Are Matches With a Home DNA Test Kit?

Matches made with AncestryDNA are highly accurate, with results noted as parent/child, immediate family, close family, and then cousins from first to fourth. If you choose to use the DNA Matches option, you can explore shared matches to discover other family trees that fit with your own, providing opportunities for expanding your connections. 

How Much Is a Home DNA Test Kit?

Available in 128 countries around the world, AncestryDNA test kits include everything you need to provide a DNA sample. This includes a saliva tube and pre-paid return mailer. Visit our DNA page for the latest AncestryDNA offerings, pricing,  and features.

How Will I Get My Results?

Once AncestryDNA receives and processes your DNA test, it can take roughly six to eight weeks for the results to be delivered to your AncestryDNA account. These results include an estimate of your ethnicity, with unique regions highlighted to help you learn more about the places that shaped your relatives. Also, the result of  your DNA test can show how your family is connected by DNA matches, from close family members you know and love to distant, newfound cousins in far-flung corners of the world.

Discover your roots with AncestryDNA. And get even more of your story by building your family treewith Ancestry^®.