Forebear guide
Upload your raw DNA for a free ethnicity breakdown
If you have tested with AncestryDNA, 23andMe, MyHeritage or FamilyTreeDNA, you already own a raw data file with hundreds of thousands of DNA markers. Forebear reads that file and estimates your ancestry across eleven regions, from British and Irish to Indigenous American.
You do not need a new test, and your raw file never leaves your computer. Only the finished percentages are saved to your account.
How the estimate is made
Some DNA markers are far more common in one part of the world than another. Forebear compares the markers in your file with how often each one appears in reference groups from the 1000 Genomes Project and the gnomAD database, then works out the mix of regions that best explains your DNA.
Broad regions such as West African, East Asian or Indigenous American separate cleanly. Neighbouring European groups share a great deal of history, so the split between British and Irish, Germanic and Scandinavian is always less certain than the split between continents. That is true of every DNA company.
- British and Irish
- Germanic European
- Scandinavian and Finnish
- Southern European
- Ashkenazi Jewish
- Middle Eastern
- South Asian
- East Asian
- West African
- Indigenous American
How to download your raw DNA file
Each company lets you download your raw data for free from your account settings. The file usually arrives by email as a zip within a few minutes to a few hours.
| Company | Where to find it |
|---|---|
| AncestryDNA | DNA, then Settings, then Download DNA Data |
| 23andMe | Settings, then 23andMe Data, then Download your data |
| MyHeritage | DNA, then Manage DNA kits, then the three dots, then Download |
| FamilyTreeDNA | Family Finder, then Download Raw Data |
Questions people ask
Is it really free?
Yes. The ethnicity breakdown is free. The paid Indigenous American DNA Report goes further on that one region, and the other reports cover your family tree and passport routes.
Why are my results different from Ancestry or 23andMe?
Every company uses its own reference groups and its own region names, so percentages always differ between companies, especially between neighbouring European regions. Continental-level results such as European, African or Asian should broadly agree.
Can I upload a file from a test I took years ago?
Yes. Older AncestryDNA, 23andMe, MyHeritage and FamilyTreeDNA files all work.