Your odds of a match in the Ancestry DNA online database keep increasing

If you’ve ever wondered about where you came from, and I mean an answer more substantial than Hoboken, then you’ve probably at least played around some with family history. We’ve all seen some old pictures, asked grandma a couple of questions, perhaps even dug in a little deeper.

There are many avenues to explore, from local archives, historical societies and libraries to cemeteries and online records. A more modern way to gain a head start is with DNA testing, a procedure that has quickly gained mainstream traction.

While several entities provide it, Ancestry seems to be a little ahead in the market, at least for those looking for ancestral info more than medical. Now the company behind one of the largest collections of online historical records is claiming a milestone in its DNA database.

The company is announcing it has surpassed 15 million DNA customers in its database. Once you've submitted your test and waited about six weeks you’ll receive a lot of info breaking down your lineage and you will also begin receiving information on those tested who have a genetic match to you. Many will be distant, but sometimes there are surprises.

"As the AncestryDNA network grows, Ancestry scientists can refine and discover more communities using Ancestry’s patented Genetic Communities technology -- a proprietary technology that can connect people through their DNA to the places their ancestors lived and the paths they followed to get there over the past 75-300 years. Ancestry recently released 94 new and updated AncestryDNA communities for customers of African American and Afro-Caribbean descent, with even more communities launching soon", the company says in its announcement.

To get started head over to Ancestry DNA. Currently, the cost is the full price of $99.99, but you can frequently get deals that knock quite a bit off of that.