Your parents each gave you half of your DNA, which connects you to your DNA matches and, through them, your ancestral journeys. With journeys by parent, you can see which parent connects you to those journeys—even if your parents haven’t taken AncestryDNA® tests.
Viewing your journeys by parent
- From any Ancestry® page, click the DNA tab and select Origins.
- Click the By parent tab.
- Choose View journeys by parent.
How we split up your journeys by parent
You get ancestral journeys based on the number of DNA matches you share with others in a journey. The more DNA and matches you share with other journey members, the more likely you’ll be connected to it.
To figure out which parent you inherited an ancestral journey from, we use SideView™ technology. This groups your DNA matches by the parent they’re related to. If you have more matches in a journey from one parent, that journey likely comes through that parent.
- If neither of your parents has taken an AncestryDNA test, you’ll see:
Who is parent 1, and who is parent 2?
- If one or both parents have taken an AncestryDNA test, you’ll see:
- Maternal for your biological Mother’s side.
- Paternal for your biological Father’s side.
If you have many matches from both parents in a journey, you probably have ancestors from that journey on both sides of your family, so we show “Both sides.” This doesn’t mean your parents are related. They could both be connected to the journey’s ancestors through different DNA.
Sometimes, we don't have enough matches to tell which parent a journey came from. If we can't figure it out, we label it "Unassigned." However, as we get more data and science advances, we might be able to assign these unassigned journeys to a parent in the future.
Frequently asked questions
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Can I be connected to an ancestral journey through both parents?
Yes. If both your parents have ancestors from the same place and time, you could inherit DNA from both parents that connects you to the same ancestral journey.
Why don’t my results tell me which parent is which?
We can separate your DNA by the parent it came from and find journeys linked to each side, but we can't tell which parent is your mother or father. For help figuring this out, see Strategies for Labeling Your Parents in DNA by Parent.
Why don’t all of my relatives have the same journeys?
There are two reasons why your relatives may not have the same journeys. First, some of your relatives have ancestors you don't, like cousins’ whose other grandparents aren't related to you. They may have journeys from those other grandparents that you don't, and vice versa.
Second, DNA is inherited randomly. Full siblings only share about half of their DNA, so you might have a journey your sibling doesn’t, and vice versa. (Read more about how DNA is passed down and inherited.)
What are “common journeys of my closest matches”?
Because DNA is inherited randomly, and your matches have ancestors you don’t (like your cousins’ other grandparents), your closest matches might have journeys you don’t have. “Common journeys of my closest matches” are the journeys your close matches have that you don’t have. We highlight these for you to explore because you and your ancestors could still be connected to these journeys in ways we can't yet detect.
How can I have a journey neither of my parents has?
Journey assignments are based on how many DNA matches you have with other journey members. Your parents might not share enough matches with other journey members to be assigned a specific journey, but you could have inherited enough DNA from both parents to meet the requirements and be connected to that journey. Read more about the science behind journeys by parent.
How can my parents have a journey I don’t have?
Your parents each gave you half of their DNA. This also means you didn’t inherit half of their DNA or some of the connections to their DNA matches (especially the more distant ones). Since journey assignments rely on having enough DNA matches with other journey members, your parents can have journeys you don't. Read more about the science behind journeys by parent.
