Have you ever heard stories about your family’s famous ancestry?
For me it was that we were related to famous Irish pugilists like John Al Sullivan and Kevin McBride—as well as prominent Ashkenazi Jewish scientists like Albert Einstein or Jonas Salk.
However, precious little evidence was there to back it up, besides old family stories and scattered records, which proved only vague links to these towering figures.
So, how can you prove famous ancestry for certain? Until recently, the only way to do so was with direct ancestral records, which are frequently lost or destroyed over time, and rarely go back farther than 5 generations. That means that it gets even harder to trace famous ancestors the farther back you go—and makes it almost impossible to verify links to famous historical figures.
That is, it WAS impossible until recently. Thanks to the rise of at-home DNA testing, it’s becoming more possible to verify famous ancestry, thanks to a little-known trick that only a few are using.
You see, the more people take DNA tests, the more people exist in DNA databases. That means that they can be linked by genetic ancestry. One of the best ways to do this is through their maternal haplogroup, determined by using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA).
You may remember mitochondria from biology class as being the so-called “powerhouse of the cell.” Mitochondria is ALSO a source of DNA—DNA that is passed directly from mothers to their children, without any interaction from the father’s DNA. That means that mt-DNA can be used to trace ancestry back much farther—and to establish kinship across farther distances.
That means that you can use your mtDNA profile to match yourself with famous celebrities and prominent figures throughout history—some of whom have had their DNA tested today, others whose descendants or remains were tested.
Many of CRI’s customers are using this technique to discover incredible things—in fact, nearly everyone has a famous family member in their maternal haplogroup. 27% of Americans are from Haplogroup H, meaning they related to Napoleon and Queen Victoria—plus modern world-movers like Warren Buffett and Dr. Oz! There’s no telling what you can discover with a Famous People Report from CRI. Click here to learn more.
Here’s just one celebrity relative our customers have found with CRI’s exclusive “Famous People Report!”
If you’re still looking to trace your ancestry by hand, there are numerous free resources with which you can do so. Our research team just put together a list of the Top 50 Best Free Genealogy Sources. These include all major American ancestries, such as Irish & English, German, Jewish, African-American, American Indian, Asian-American and many more. Enter your name and email to receive our Free Guide.
