Ancient DNA

Real legends rest in your DNA. Explore how genetic testing reveals the truth behind vampires, fear, and the families who inspired the myths.

Real mummies walk among your DNA results. Explore how genetic testing uncovers links to ancient remains in our Genes and Screams series.

From Haplogroup L0 to the Malagasy Motif, uncover the African maternal lineages that shaped humanity—and still live on in your mtDNA.

Your maternal line holds secrets from across centuries and continents. See how mtDNA connects modern testers to ancient individuals around the world.

Explore the intriguing survival of haplogroup C, one of the world’s oldest Y-chromosome lineages.

Read about the latest in ancient DNA research with new insights from Mayan, Neolithic, and Late Roman periods, integrated into FamilyTreeDNA Discover.

Jim Brewster provides an overview of how dating methods work for ancient DNA samples, and what that information means for genetic genealogy.

The third part of the Globetrekker series reveals parallels in ancient history and DNA migrations.

Explore the Caribbean's genetic past with ancient DNA studies that unveil settlement patterns and ancestral contributions, shaping the region's rich heritage.

Explore the latest research on ancient DNA from the Xiongnu Empire, Paleolithic Iberia, and a Central Asian deer tooth. Discover the diversity of these lineages and how they fit into your genealogical research through FamilyTreeDNA's Discover™ tool.