There's a lot of buzz being generated over the terms genetic genealogy and ancestry.  Several television shows and numerous websites claim to be able to tell you where your ancestors came from and how you came to live where you live today.  For many people who spend a lot of time tracing their family origins, these tests can provide valuable information and help to fill in some of the "gaps." 

The most basic of these genetic genealogy tests involve a simple cheek swab from which your genetic Haplogroup can be determined.  A haplogroup is a group of similar genetic types that share a common ancestor.  Historically, all of the great human migrations involved large groups of people who split into smaller groups and went their separate ways colonizing the world.  Everyone on the planet belongs to a haplogroup and these haplogroups have been mapped to show the migration routes over many thousands of years.

Other types of genetic genealogy tests claim to be able to tell tested individuals what percentage European, Indigenous American, Sub-Saharan African, and East Asian they are.  These tests are based on similar haplogroup typing as mentioned above and give a percentage makeup of your ancestry. 

All genetic genealogy DNA tests are based on collections of data taken worldwide and as the databases grow the tests become stronger and will be able to further break down the different nationalities within the four main categories.  These tests are currently being developed.

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