The DNA Results Are...(drum roll please)

According to the test, my genetic pie cuts up like this:
79% Scandinavian
19% Southern Europe (Italy, Spain, Portugal)
2% Uncertain

Uncertain means "...small traces of a specific population may have been found in your DNA, but the probability levels were too low to pinpoint it to a specific ethnicity. This is not uncommon and as more genetic signatures are discovered with a higher confidence level, we may be able to update this percentage over time."

I was in a bit of a dither for a spell - where's Scotland, Ireland, France?! I know people came from there.

Here's what Ancestry says:
"So if you look at your family tree, it may indicate a pedigree-based ethnicity of 30% English, 20% Scandinavian, and 50% Italian (based on birth locations of your great-great-great grandparents). While this is one valid way to look at ethnicity (and in fact has been the only way until recently), DNA analysis can reveal the actual percentage of your DNA that is reflected by these ethnic groups. So your genetic-based ethnicity might reveal you are 40% British Isles, 15% Scandinavian, and 45% Southern European. Both measures are accurate and informative—but they are measuring different things."

Huh?!

I found the explanation  at The Genetic Genealogist to be more helpful than Ancestry's:   

"Remember that “Everyone Has Two Family Trees – A Genealogical Tree and a Genetic Tree.” Your Genealogical Tree is the tree containing ALL of your ancestors.  However, only a tiny subset of these individuals actually (randomly) contributed DNA to the genome that you walk around with today.  These ancestors are the only individuals in your Genetic Tree.  It has been estimated, for example, that at 10 generations, only about 10-12% of ancestors in your Genealogical Tree are actually in your Genetic Tree!

Accordingly, even if a decent percentage of your ancestors at 10 generations originated in the British Isles, there is possibility that your DNA – and thus your Genetic Ethnicity Prediction – could include very little or absolutely no British Isles ancestry, simply because of the rules of genetics."

Back to Ancestry: "Ancestry.com defines the “Scandinavian” with the modern day locations of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, but explains in their FAQ that it can mean much, much more:

Ethnic groups moved around. Because people move over time, (and when they do they take their DNA with them), a group may contribute DNA to other groups at different times. So ethnic groups can be defined by time and place—not just location. For example, if you have German or British ancestors in your family tree, it’s a possibility that your genetic ethnicity may be partly Scandinavian. The Viking invasions and conquests about a thousand years ago are likely responsible for occurrences of Scandinavian ethnicity throughout other regions. And there are similar examples for other ethnicities. With your results, we provide historical information describing migrations to and from the regions to give you a broader picture of the origins of your DNA."

How crazy it that?!

As soon as I have a bit of extra cash, I'm going to do the National Geographic DNA test too; this is fascinating stuff.

And those Vikings got around!