MyHeritage Overview
MyHeritage provides an ancestry test that, with just a cheek swab and some DNA testing, claims to be able to identify your ancestral ethnic groupings as well as the regions from which you originated. This ancestry test is a dependable alternative for individuals who are seeking an accurate and thorough understanding of their heritage as it makes use of a large array of reference populations that encompass 42 ethnicities and 2,114 genetic categories.
One of our researchers willingly submitted themselves to the ancestry DNA test in order to verify the accuracy of MyHeritage’s statements. We conducted a thorough investigation and analysis of the reports that were generated, as well as thought about aspects such as pricing and support.
In a nutshell, the ancestry test comes highly recommended. It provides a complete analysis of your ethnicity and also delves deeper by identifying specific genetic groups connected with your history. In addition, it provides a detailed breakdown of your background. In addition to this, you will be given DNA matches and access to superior family tree software, both of which are completely free for you to investigate.
However, despite its many positive qualities, MyHeritage is not without its flaws. We were dismayed to learn that you cannot use this test to determine the haplogroups inherited from either your mother or father. Instead of looking there, you may try your luck with AncestryDNA if that’s what you’re after.
A Single Test that Ships Across the World
MyHeritage ships all around the world, including the United Kingdom and the United States, with the exception of countries or regions where local laws prohibit the selling of DNA testing kits.
The MyHeritage test does an analysis of your DNA to identify the locations and ethnic groups from which your ancestors originated. It also gives you the possibility to make new connections with others who may be related to you.
This is included in the DNA test:
- Ethnicity Estimate – Learn more about your family history by obtaining a breakdown, in percentage terms, of your various ethnic backgrounds.
- Genetic Groups – Find out where your recent ancestors lived in particular parts of the world and how they may have moved around throughout the course of history.
- DNA Matches – Discover possible ancestors based on the DNA you share by searching a database containing over 6.5 million different DNA samples.
- Advanced DNA Tools – Utilizing the Chromosome Browser and AutoClusters, you can gain an understanding of your links to the people whose DNA you share.
You will be required to register your kit before you take the test. In order to do so, you will need to establish an account and input the unique code that is associated with your test kit. It is important that you do not skip this step because it gives the lab the ability to determine who the test belongs to. In addition, by creating an account, you will be able to monitor the progress of your kit from the time the laboratory receives your sample until it is finished.
The DNA kit comes with a leaflet that contains the instructions. Take note of the fact that you are instructed not to consume any food or liquids in the thirty minutes leading up to the test in order to eliminate the possibility of contaminating the results.
5 Standout Features of MyHeritage DNA – Learn Where You Come From and Make New Connections
Ethnicity Estimate
Your ancestry DNA results from MyHeritage include something called an Ethnicity Estimate. This estimate is a percentage breakdown of your ancestral roots from 42 different ethnicities, including Irish, British, Jewish, Italian, Japanese, and a lot of other ones.
People who have lived in the same place for many generations have provided the genetic material for MyHeritage’s unique reference populations. These individuals were chosen because the genetic makeup of their ancestry was considered to be genetically representative of their region.
You may find out more about your ancestry and how the genetic markers of different ethnicities may have made their way into your DNA by exploring the interactive map and selecting any of the places that are highlighted on it. In addition to this, you’ll notice some of your DNA matches who also come from this ethnic background.
Even if you get to find out where your DNA came from, it would have been wonderful to have some information on my maternal haplogroups, which may be found by examining mtDNA. This information could have been helpful. This would demonstrate the migrational patterns of my maternal ancestors stretching back thousands of years. However, using genetic groups might provide you with some insight into the migration patterns of your ancestors across the world.
Genetic Groups
Taking the next logical step beyond the Ethnicity Estimate. From a total of 2,114 genetic groups, your family tree can be broken down into the precise parts of the world where your ancestors came from using genetic groups. They are distinct from estimates of ethnicity due to the fact that a single group may be made of members of more than one ethnicity.
The founding populations are made up of groups of people who have lived in the same region for hundreds of years, exclusively marrying within their own group, and either migrating as a group or remaining there. This results in the formation of distinct genetic signatures that can be identified through the use of the MyHeritage DNA test. When it comes to genetic groups, there are no percentages; you are either a member of a group or you are not.
Your genetic group can also provide you with information regarding the migration patterns of your family from one place to another over the course of time. You can play with the interactive map, which includes hotspots and a chronology, to show how a Genetic Group is believed to have moved around the globe over the course of hundreds of years.
Even membership in a genetic group with a low confidence rating is interesting since it indicates more remote ancestry, and these ratings range from low to high. These ratings are awarded to each genetic group, and the ratings range from low to high.
The Genetic Groups feature wasn’t added to MyHeritage’s heritage DNA test until late 2020; however, if you took the test before that time, it will be added to your ethnicity findings at no additional cost. Additionally, anyone who has uploaded DNA data from another provider is eligible to make use of it.
DNA Matching
After analyzing your DNA, MyHeritage will look through its user database to see if there are any other people whose DNA is a match for yours. You can find DNA matches not only with other MyHeritage users but also with people who have uploaded their DNA data from other suppliers to the MyHeritage database. This means that you are not limited to merely finding matches with other MyHeritage customers. This increases the size of your pool of prospective matches, which in turn makes it feasible to find even more probable relatives.
MyHeritage is able to provide estimated relationship ranges for each of your DNA matches by utilizing sophisticated algorithms and advanced analysis of shared DNA. This information may be of great assistance to you in locating possible relatives and constructing a family tree, both of which are important endeavors.
The estimated relationship range that is supplied by MyHeritage can contain a wide variety of potential connections, such as a great-grandparent, a second cousin, or a half-sibling. You can also get a feel of how certain the website is about the relationship estimate by looking at the accompanying “Confidence Level” that is listed alongside each projected relationship range. This can be very helpful for identifying potential relatives who may not appear in your family tree as well as for confirming existing links between members of your family.
The capability to estimate relationships between people does not end there with MyHeritage. In addition, the website provides a chromosomal browser tool that may be used to investigate and evaluate the similarities and differences between your DNA and those of your matches. You can acquire further insight into your genetic relationship with a match by analyzing the particular sections of DNA that you and your match have in common. You will have a better understanding of your own lineage as a result of this, and you may even find some new branches on your family tree.
The cM ExplainerTM from MyHeritage is a really cool tool that can assist you in gaining a deeper comprehension of the DNA matches you have found on the site. It does this by calculating the percentage of DNA that you and your match share and then interpreting what that figure signifies in terms of the genetic connection between the two of you. It is easy to obtain a better understanding of the likely relationship you have with your match thanks to the fact that there is a variety of possible relationships based on the amount of DNA that is shared between the two of you. This is especially helpful due to the fact that different connections can share comparable amounts of DNA. Some examples of these relationships include half-siblings and pairs consisting of grandparents and grandchildren.
Family Tree Software & Historical Records
MyHeritage provides its users with high-quality family tree software that enables them to construct a family tree consisting of up to 250 individuals at no cost.
Amazing photo features can be found on MyHeritage, such as the @AI Time MachineTM, LiveStory, Deep NostalgiaTM, and MyHeritage In ColorTM applications. It contains photo capabilities that allow you to colorize, enhance, and animate old family images. Additionally, it allows you to organize albums and share them with other members of the family.
It is quite easy to add new family members to the tree, and you may provide as much information as you wish about each new family member that has been added to your tree. You’ll notice that Smart Matches to relatives who show up in the trees of other users or in historical records are denoted with an icon, and you have the option to learn more about them.
However, while a subscription is not required to view matched relatives in other family trees, you will need to pay for the Complete plan in order to view matches to historical data. Viewing matches to other family trees is free.
If you sign up for the genealogy service and pay for a subscription, you will receive several additional perks, including the following:
- Smart Matches to other family trees and record matches between historical records and persons in your family tree are both available through FamilySearch Family Tree.
- SuperSearch is a search engine that allows you to learn about your ancestors by utilizing its 19.4 billion historical documents, 62 million family trees, and other features.
- Instant Discoveries makes it possible for you to add new branches to your family tree with just the click of a button.
Reading Your Results
The web dashboard is simple to access and makes effective use of visuals to explain your results at a glance, making it easy for you to interpret the data. After logging in, you will be presented with a summary of your estimated ethnicity as well as DNA matches.
When you click on your matches, you will be presented with a comprehensive list of all of your DNA matches that are stored in the MyHeritage database, which comprises more than 6.5 million samples. Listed alongside each potential DNA match are:
- A percentage that indicates how much of each person’s DNA you share.
- The amount of DNA segments that are shared, along with the length of the segment that is the longest shared by both parties
- Your estimated familial connection, such as a third cousin
- Whether or not your potential match has a family tree and whether or not you share any ancestral locations.
In the process of reviewing your matches, you will come across some extra information, such as ancestral surnames and the chromosomes on which your shared DNA is located. You will need to upgrade to a paid subscription in order to access shared ancestral sites, a full list of shared DNA matches and ethnicities, or their family tree. Free users are only able to view a limited number of shared DNA matches.
MyHeritage is convenient because it notifies you through email on a regular basis whenever new DNA matches to your profile are discovered. This is a wonderful resource for anyone who is compiling a family tree, searching for new family connections, or who is simply curious about the extent to which their ancestors’ DNA has spread around the globe.
Low Starting Price, Until You Add a Subscription
The starting price of the Ancestry test is only $89, which is significantly less than the retail price of a wide variety of other genealogy tests. In addition to this, I’d argue that they provide fantastic value for the money, as they provide a wealth of fascinating ancestry insights, DNA matches, and the opportunity to get your family tree started without spending a dime.
However, if you add the cost of a genealogy subscription that enables you to build an extensive family tree and access records for prospective matches from MyHeritage’s historical database, the total price would increase by a sizeable amount.
However, if you are serious about constructing a family tree that goes back generations, you are likely to profit from a subscription to MyHeritage, which provides you access to 19.4 billion historical documents, 4 billion people profiles, and 62 million family trees. If you are serious about building a family tree that goes back generations, you are likely to benefit from a subscription to MyHeritage.
The DNA tests offered by MyHeritage are available all around the world, with the exception of territories in which local laws prohibit the distribution of DNA testing kits. You can pay for the tests in your country’s native currency using PayPal, a credit card, a wire transfer, or a check.
Ancestry Search Results Available for a Low Price, or Subscribe to Create Your Own Family Tree
MyHeritage provides a wealth of information that can be useful in tracing your family tree back through time.
Using 2,114 reference populations, you are given a breakdown, in percentage terms, of your ethnicity as well as insights into the genetic groups to which you belong.
You also obtain matches to others in the MyHeritage database who share portions of your DNA. This information is really useful. You will learn how you are linked to each other and have the opportunity to get in touch with your newly discovered family relatives.
MyHeritage provides high-quality genealogy software, which you can try out for free to construct a family tree with up to 250 people if you’re interested in finding out more about the history of your own family.
You will be required to join up for a paid subscription, which can be quite pricey, in order to access its enormous database of more than 19.4 billion historical entries and any of its other premium services. However, in order to determine whether or not this is the family tree builder that best suits your needs, you may test out the full subscription for free for a period of thirty days.
MyHeritage’s only shortcoming is that it does not provide a more in-depth ancestry analysis. Since they only look at your autosomal DNA, you won’t gain any information about your maternal or paternal ancestry from the results. On the other hand, genetic groups provide some insight into the possible routes that your ancestors took as they moved throughout the world over the course of the past few hundred years.
Having said that, MyHeritage does provide one of the most comprehensive ancestry DNA testing that can be found. It gives you plenty of interesting insights into your past and serves as an excellent beginning point for your adventure via genealogy.
Build an Extensive Family Tree with MyHeritage
Genealogy software is one of MyHeritage’s most well-known offerings, and the company also maintains one of the most extensive collections of historical documents available from any vendor.
However, it is not all that the family tree builder can do for you. Your genealogical research may easily be advanced with the help of automatic clues to potential matches to family trees and historical records, superb photo editing facilities, and multiple chart alternatives that can be quickly shared with family members. All of these features make it simple.
You can construct your family tree using the software that is available for both Mac and Windows computers, or you can do it directly online.
Better better, you may construct a family tree with as many as 250 relatives without paying a dime, or you can pay for a subscription to gain access to historical information and other premium services, such as viewing the family trees of people whose DNA you share. In addition, all of MyHeritage’s paid subscriptions come with a free trial period of 14 days that you can use to evaluate the service without incurring any costs.
What’s the Difference Between the Family Site and Family Tree Builder?
When I first started doing research on how to build my family tree using MyHeritage, I was perplexed because there are two different ways you may go about doing it.
You don’t need to take a DNA test in order to create your family tree on MyHeritage; all you need is an account, and you can do it right on your ‘Family Site’ online. You also have the option to download the Family Tree Builder, which is desktop genealogy software offered by MyHeritage. This software is compatible with both Windows and Mac computers.
The question is, therefore, what is the difference?
Family Site
Your Family Site, in its most basic sense, functions as a gathering spot for your family on the internet. It is the location from which you may initiate a project to create a family tree or synchronize an existing tree from the MyHeritage genealogical program. You should let your family know about your website and invite them to join you in expanding your family tree and researching your ancestry together.
Creating a Family Site does not require any prior expertise with genealogical software and can be done in a flash and with little effort. If you want access to more advanced features, you may subscribe to either the Premium or PremiumPlus version of the Family Site. The basic version of the Family Site is free.
Your Family Site can be accessible once you have logged into your account at MyHeritage.com, where you will also discover your family tree under the ‘Family Tree’ page. Additionally, you have the choice to upload an already-completed genealogical project in the form of a GEDCOM file.
Family Tree Builder
MyHeritage offers a piece of genealogy software known as the Family Tree Builder, which users can download at no cost. It is an excellent option for quickly and aesthetically constructing a family tree. You may quickly tag family members in new pictures by adding photos and using facial recognition software.
In addition to being able to view interactive maps on your Family Site, you also have the ability to generate a variety of charts and reports, obtain Record and Smart Matches, and do a great deal more.
The family tree that you construct using genealogical software can be synchronized with the tree that already exists on your Family Site, allowing you to work on your genealogy project regardless of where you are.
Family Tree Software – Simple to Use, Packed with Numerous Extras
MyHeritage features undoubtedly one of the most user-friendly interfaces, whether you build your tree using the Family Site or the Family Tree Builder. It also has an easy-to-grasp and straightforward system for inputting relatives, which makes it simple to get a handle on.
The fact that it is so easy to use makes it an excellent starting point for novice genealogists like myself, and there are plenty of advanced capabilities available for professionals to make use of, like the capability to upload an existing GEDCOM file while maintaining a high level of accuracy.
The process of entering data is both quick and simple, and you have the ability to add an almost endless number of information to each relative. These facts will then be sorted into a convenient timeline. Include vintage photographs and bring them back to life by altering them with modern software. The following are additional features:
- SuperSearch – Explore the more than 13 billion historical records, family trees, and other related resources that are searchable here.
- Smart Matches – Receive automatic matches to 4 billion user profiles stored in over 52 million family trees contributed by users of MyHeritage.
- Record Matches – You will receive automatic pointers to probable matches between the members in your family tree and historical documents.
- Instant Discoveries – With only the press of a button, you may add a whole branch to your family tree.
The compatibility between devices is excellent. You have the option of using the desktop version of the software on your Mac or Windows computer, or you may access the online family tree builder on any of your portable devices, such as your smartphone, tablet, or laptop computer.
5 Standout Features
If you subscribe to either the Complete or the Data plan, you will have access to more than 13 billion historical documents and the information contained in 52 million family trees.
Conduct a search through the census and voter registration lists, as well as birth, marriage, and death data, military records, and images. You can just submit the information you already know about a family relative, such as their name, approximate birth and death dates, and the location where they may have resided, and you will be provided with a list of possible historical records.
The best part about SuperSearch is that when you search manually, you don’t need to know certain information in order to do so.
SuperSearch Through 13+ Billion Documents
If you subscribe to either the Complete or the Data plan, you will have access to more than 13 billion historical documents and the information contained in 52 million family trees.
Conduct a search through the census and voter registration lists, as well as birth, marriage, and death data, military records, and images. You can just submit the information you already know about a family relative, such as their name, approximate birth and death dates, and the location where they may have resided, and you will be provided with a list of possible historical records.
The best part about SuperSearch is that when you search manually, you don’t need to know certain information in order to do so. For instance, the only information I had for one of my Great Grandmothers was her married name and the possibility that she had lived in Newcastle at some time in her life. That was all I needed to know to locate additional information, such as her birth and death dates, as well as marriage records, using the extensive collection of historical records that MyHeritage provides. In the end, this lead me to knowledge about my great-great grandfather and the children they had in common with other families.
I was unhappy that I couldn’t find any matches to any of the images, but I believe that if I spent a few hours digging, it’s likely that I would find anything. This is especially true if I proceeded to unearth additional relatives and ancestors.
Grow Your Tree with Smart Matches
The Smart Matching technology from MyHeritage compares the persons that you have defined in your family tree to people who have been defined in other family trees that have been generated by MyHeritage users located all over the world.
It does this by comparing the names, links, and facts in your family tree to millions of other family trees all across the world to see if any of them overlap. This technology is able to produce extremely exact matches since it can take into account variations in phonetics, spelling, and family links.
You have a great chance of getting Smart Matches, just like I did, presenting you with valuable new information about your family thanks to the fact that there are billions of family tree profiles available. You are able to look over your matches, add any new information you find to your tree, and even get in touch with other people who own family trees to locate even more new connections.
Learn More About Your Relatives with Record Matches
The Record Matching tool of MyHeritage searches through various historical records in the hopes of finding information that could potentially match your family tree and be added to it. Because of advancements in translation technology, this should work even if the records being inspected are written in other languages.
In the event that a possible match is discovered, a symbol will display next to the name of the relative in your family tree. If you have the appropriate subscription, clicking on the icon will lead you to a list of the records that match, which you can examine to verify whether or not the item in question is, in fact, a match.
Get Started for Free, but Research Costs Extra
It is crucial to note that in order to use the family tree program, you do not need to pay for a DNA test; nevertheless, in order to make use of the historical data and other premium features, you will be required to purchase a membership. To our great fortune, the cost of the initial year of a subscription is typically significantly lower than the cost of the following years. In addition, you may test out the genealogy service risk-free for a full two weeks before deciding whether or not to subscribe to it.
In addition, there is a free basic plan that you can use, which enables you to add up to 250 members to a family tree. Even while there are some great features available, such as the photo colorizer, the free plan is really only a taste of what’s available with the paying plans.
The Premium subscription grants you access to the Smart Matching technology, allowing you to investigate potential matches and expand the size of your tree to include as many as 2,500 individuals. The PremiumPlus subscription gives you access to MyHeritage’s consistency checker and allows you to add several branches to your tree with just one click. This plan also ensures that your tree is free of any faults that might have been caused by human error. In addition to that, you are able to add an endless number of entries to your tree.
MyHeritage also provides a Data subscription, which enables you to browse through and study the site’s more than 13 billion data. However, this plan restricts the size of your family tree to only 250 people. The Complete plan, on the other hand, grants access to everything, including the whole database, all of MyHeritage’s matching algorithms, and customer service, and it also enables you to add an infinite number of members to your family tree.
Final Thoughts
You will obtain access to the same features regardless of whether you construct your tree through the online version of your Family Site or with the downloaded Family Tree Builder.
Working online through my own Family Site is much more convenient for me personally than traditional methods. I was able to immediately review my DNA matches and link my DNA test to my tree. The images were more appealing to me. I was able to readily ask relatives to work on your tree. I found the interface to be overall simpler and easier to use.
In addition, you can transition between different family trees with the simple click of your mouse, even if you are maintaining more than one family tree at the same time. In addition, you may access your family tree through your Family Site from any computer in the world and work on it there.
In general, regardless of the version of MyHeritage’s genealogy software you choose, you will be able to make use of its advanced features and gain access to more than 13 billion historical records (provided that you have a subscription). In addition, you have the opportunity to switch back and forth between the two platforms because Family Tree Builder allows you to synchronize the tree you create there with the one you keep on your online Family Site, and vice versa.
