I mentioned in a previous post that I received an AncestryDNA kit for Christmas this past year. The kit was relatively simple to use, just spit in a small tube up to the level of a line, then mix with some sort of a “fixer” that was automatically added when the cap was put in place. After sending it in, waiting for about a month and a half, I got a note that indicated my spit just wasn’t good enough and that I’d need to send another sample in a freely provided second kit. That kit was duly expectorated into, shipped off, and finally, while I was away camping last night with my son, processed and the results placed online.
Now, I’ve got to figure out how best to use the information. According to their analysis, my “Ethnicity Estimate” is approximately:
- 74% Great Britain
- 19% Ireland/Scotland/Wales
- 4% Europe East
- 0% Europe South
- 0% Europe West
- 0% Iberian Peninsula
This is actually a bit of a surprise, but not too far off. I’ve always identified myself as predominantly Irish-German, with a healthy dose of English and a smattering of French. (Before starting my family history journey, I’d never even realized I had French ancestors.) Given movements between the British Isles, as well as between northern France over the centuries, it is no surprise that Great Britain shows up at the top of the list. My German ancestors are probably scattered among the various European regions.
Ancestry hasn’t sorted my connections into their “Family Circles” yet, but I expect that will happen over the next day or so. The first thing I need to do is start grouping and communicating with the various connections Ancestry.com has already found. I see quite a few close relatives already in their database, and I’m excited to see how I’m connected to the people whose names I don’t recognize. I’m also hoping this will prove (or disprove!) some of the more tenuous connections in my family tree. Some pruning of the tree may result.
I’ll also be uploading my data to the Keating Surname Project once I feel a little more comfortable working with the data. I’m also considering GEDMatch.com. The recent arrest of the serial killer from California using data originally provided for genealogical use has brought up some interesting discussion, which I’m still parsing and considering.
Off to play with new tools!
Interesting! You are not as Irish as your name indicates! It will be interesting to compare our DNA on 23andme.
Ah well, guess I’ll have to pay more attention to those British Royals and switch over from my Barry’s tea. I am curious how they differentiate Ireland versus Great Britain, however, given the regular migrations between the islands. I’ve always considered the “ethnicity” stuff to be more window dressing, though. Mostly northern European is what I expected. It would have been more interesting if there had been a significant reading outside that area.
My biggest goal in this is to use possible connections to more distant cousins to break down some of my brick walls. I’m still waiting on a reply, but there was one interesting distant cousin with Keating matches. If that’s the connection we share, it could add weight to a theory on the parents of my immigrant ancestors.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t look as if 23andMe accepts AncestryDNA results. I did upload to FamilyTreeDNA, but I don’t see my kit number in the Keating project results as yet. Not sure if Kathy has to manually add my results.
When I first visited Ireland – in 1974 or so. I was in a pub in Dublin and a fellow thirsty (no doubt) patron asked if I were of Irish lineage. I said yes – he said I’ll buy you a Guinness. When he returned and asked my name – Keating. He replied I’ll buy you but one. The Keatings he told me were invaders from William The Conqueror’s 1066 band who then invaded Ireland in the later 1000’s. He went on to detail pushing the Irish as far from tillable land as possible to Galway/Connemara. He mentioned tinkers and their caravans, too.
So – the Keatings are Normans Else, that Irish guy in Dublin was wrong.
Kevin –
A pair of fine Irish names you have there, old and new(ish)!
The earliest Keating I’m aware of is Halis, who came over with William. Here’s a story that was told of old Halis within a short biography of the historian, Geoffrey Keating.
The name is definitely associated with the Norman invaders of Ireland, although the family quickly became one of those known as “more Irish than the Irish”.
Personally, my mind is still open on the history of the Keatings pre-Ireland. Obviously, there’s little documentation of the time, primary or otherwise. I expect, as the stories go, they were probably Normans who originally came over with William, but wouldn’t put it past them to be wily Welshmen who could tell which way the wind was blowing to join up with the invasion force.
Though “our” Keatings came directly from County Clare to the environs of Newtown, Fairfield County, Connecticut, our family tree on ancestry.com includes many Keatings that we have not found to be related (as yet). Our tree is open. Here are the 737 Keatings in our list (most are not found to be related to us – but the search continues):
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/tree/55280387/listofallpeople?ss=false&usePUBJs=true&ln=Keating
I think you can access it.
Eileen Keating here, roots are Tipperary , there are quite a few of us scattered around the globe, but still comparatively rare name in some parts