At last, your DNA results are in. If you are like most people, you will rush to the Ethnicity Estimate section to see where your family is from. It is important to know what this Ethnicity Estimate represents. This information is based on an algorithm (designed by a particular company) which determines how to classify your DNA. The algorithm is unique to the individual company, so you might see differences across companies. It is important to understand the process behind the development of the algorithm. How do they determine where you come from based on your DNA? The algorithm is based on research data they obtained from targeted people in specific regions. Ancestry.com uses a reference panel, (Reference Panel Information) or database of people who have been classified according to their documented familial occupation in a specific region. If you share DNA with a lot of people whose family has been present in Ireland for hundreds of years, it is likely that you have ancestors from Ireland. Every company has different algorithm data and they choose the populations they believe are most representative of the past populations in a given area. Additionally, our DNA changes over time and the parts of your DNA that might have indicated a connection to a particular region, may have dropped off. For more information about this visit: Ancestry Blog-Ethnicity Estimate