At Ancestry®, we leverage the latest cutting-edge DNA science and technology to deliver detailed historical insights that empower you to uncover more about your family’s origins.

Today, we released over 225 new AncestryDNA® communities to help our members who have ties to France, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, empowering them to unlock even more discoveries about their family history. Utilizing our DNA network of over 15 million people, our vast collection of public family trees, and our patented Genetic Communities™ technology, AncestryDNA is able to identify groups of people with shared DNA and determine where their ancestors likely lived over the past 75-300 years.

French American and Canadian Communities

We’ve added 35+ new French American communities and 120+ new Canadian communities, with greater insights about British Canadian, French Canadian, and Acadian settlers. As one example, members with ties to Acadian settlers may learn that their Acadian ancestors played a significant role in Nova Scotia or Louisiana history. Acadians, who once resided in Nova Scotia, fell under British governance in 1713, and between 1755 and 1764, nearly all Acadians were expelled from Nova Scotia and migrated as far south as Louisiana. Many Acadians, or “Cadiens” as they coined themselves, decided to establish new lives in areas near the Mississippi River and New Orleans. It was in these new communities that some Acadians flourished as cotton, wheat, sugar, and tobacco farmers.

United Kingdom Communities

With 73 new United Kingdom communities, you might discover a link to family near Greater London and learn where your ancestors lived during the bustling Industrial Revolution, which began in the late 1700s. Game-changing advances in agriculture and technology spurred countless countryside merchants, bakers, butchers, brewers, tailors, and other rural workers to relocate to opportunity-filled cities, like London, laying the foundation for some of England’s great modern cities.

Australian and New Zealand Communities

We’ve added 14 new communities for descendents of primarily British settlers in Australia and New Zealand. During the late 1700s, Great Britain’s population was skyrocketing. Prisons were reaching capacity and agricultural resources were stretched thin. As a solution, in 1787, 11 ships sailed from England to Australia to establish a new colony. Despite limited resources and drought, British settlers were able to attract a continuous flow of migrants as they founded new communities, cities, and cultures throughout Australia and New Zealand.

We encourage you to view your DNA story again, as you may notice a new community waiting to be explored and shared with your family and other loved ones.

With 15 million people tested, AncestryDNA has the largest consumer DNA network in the world. As new people continue to join our AncestryDNA network and science and technology continue to evolve, we expect that the number and granularity of communities offered will continue to increase. This latest update is just one of many that you can expect on your journey of personal discovery.

A list of all regions can be found here.