By Es Best

Copyright standard

If you’ve ever thought about taking a DNA test to see where your heritage stems from, or to see if you have a long-lost, ideally famous, cousin you didn’t know about, then there’s no better time than the present.

MyHeritage DNA makes the process super simple. A quick cheek swab sent off in a prepaid kit is all it takes to unlock your genetic story. Within weeks, the results appear in your private online dashboard, ready to explore.

What exactly do you learn? MyHeritage DNA goes beyond a percentage breakdown. Its advanced technology analyses your genetic markers, comparing them against one of the world’s largest DNA databases. The result is a detailed picture of your heritage, including regional ethnicity estimates, migration paths and even unexpected connections that may have become lost over generations.

The real game-changer in MyHeritage DNA is its DNA-matching feature. As MyHeritage has a global network of 7.7million users, it can connect you with those relatives you never even knew existed – be it across the country or on the other side of the world (just think of all the couches you may soon be able to surf on).

Each match comes with varying degrees of closeness, from distant cousins to immediate family, and the platform makes it easy to reach out and connect safely.

Just take Cathy, for example. She and her mother took DNA tests for insights into their ancestry, but she discovered her nephew Michael instead, the son of her late brother, whom she didn’t know anything about. She said it felt like getting “a piece of my brother back”.

Then there’s Wanda, who went looking for her biological father. It was only after DNA testing that she was connected to her birth father, now a 91-year-old man living in Florida. “He is the complete opposite of the father I had as a child: doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke. Hugging, loving, caring,” Wanda says. “We talk almost every day on the phone, and he always starts the conversation with ‘What’s new today, sweetheart?’”

Privacy is another cornerstone of MyHeritage. All data is encrypted, and with strict privacy policies to ensure your results are yours alone. You’re in control of how much you share, making it a trusted choice for those taking their first step into genetic testing.

The service also integrates seamlessly with MyHeritage’s family tree platform. Once your DNA results are in, you can map them directly onto a visual family tree, adding names, dates and stories along the way, if you like.

What makes MyHeritage especially appealing is its accessibility. The test is easy, non-invasive, and cost-effective. Whether you’re buying it for yourself, gifting it to a loved one or simply curious to uncover more about your roots, it’s an opportunity to find out more about yourself and your family tree.

You can find out more about MyHeritage DNA tests here.