Ancestry Launches Family History DNA Testing Service in Canada

DNA test pinpoints genetic ethnicity and helps people discover family origins going back thousands of years

• AncestryDNA studies a person's entire genome at more than 700,000 different locations
• Results detail a person's ethnic origins across 26 regions worldwide
• Service can help users discover and connect with new relatives, linking DNA results to a network of more than 16 billion historical records

TORONTO, June 9, 2015 /CNW/ - Ancestry, the world's largest family history resource, today launched AncestryDNA in Canada. AncestryDNA allows individuals to learn about their genetic heritage and discover new family connections in Canada and around the world.  

When coupled with Ancestry's database of more than 16 billion historical records, AncestryDNA will enable family history enthusiasts and novices alike to discover even more about their own past, including the ability to find entire new cousin matches around the world.

"Historical records on Ancestry.ca provide an insight into one's recent past, but usually go around 200-300 years, so it's incredibly exciting to be able to offer DNA testing that takes your family history experience back many hundreds and even thousands of years," said Christopher Labrecque, Country Manager for Ancestry Canada. "AncestryDNA enables users to learn more than ever about where they came from and discover new family lines and relatives. It really is the ultimate family history experience."

AncestryDNA details the breakdown of one's ethnic origins, predicting the likely locations of a person's ancestors across 26 worldwide populations, providing a glimpse into one's ancestral past that goes back to a time before historical records began to be kept.

The service also introduces users to new family members through DNA member matches which identifies unknown relatives pulled from more than 850,000 people who have previously taken the test. Many users can expect to be connected with 3^rd and 4^th cousins, allowing them to further grow their family trees and discover family members they may not have known existed.

In a recent survey, more than three-quarters of Canadians stated they would consider having their DNA tested to discover more about where their ancestors came from. Many said they know very little about their own family history, with 42 per cent indicating that they do not know where their grandparents were born, and 30 per cent stating they do not know where their ancestors lived before coming to Canada.

How AncestryDNA Works
The test uses microarray-based autosomal DNA testing to look at more than 700,000 locations across an individual's entire genome through a simple saliva sample.  The AncestryDNA approach provides a much more detailed look at one's family history than other existing Y-chromosome and mitochondrial DNA tests that only look at specific branches of a person's family tree.

AncestryDNA kits are now available for purchase for $149 plus shipping at dna.ancestry.ca. 

ABOUT ANCESTRY.CA
Ancestry.ca was launched in January 2006 and is part of Ancestry, the world's largest online family history resource with more than 2 million subscribers across all its websites. More than 16 billion records have been added to the Ancestry.com sites and users have created more than 70 million family trees containing more than 6 billion profiles. In addition to its flagship site www.ancestry.com, the company operates several global Ancestry international websites along with a suite of online family history brands, including Archives.com, Fold3.com, Newspapers.com, and offers the AncestryDNA product, sold by its subsidiary, Ancestry International DNA, LLC, all of which are designed to empower people to discover, preserve and share their family history.

SOURCE Ancestry.ca

For further information: For interviews: Caitie Wallman, [e-mail], 416-342-1823; Karolina Olechnowicz, [e-mail], 416-342-1822