Which DNA test is best for African Americans?

Matt Baker set out to identify the best DNA tests for African Americans. Having personally tested with 10 DNA companies and uploaded his genetic data to five additional services, he recognized that his own almost entirely European ancestry offered limited insight into how well these companies serve people of African descent.

Baker partnered with Jabari Walker, creator of the African History Channel, to evaluate five DNA-testing companies. Walker agreed to take four tests and upload his existing genetic data to a fifth service, allowing the comparison to focus on actual African American results rather than marketing claims.

The five companies examined were AncestryDNA, MyHeritage, FamilyTreeDNA, Living DNA, and African Ancestry. The comparison considered African regional detail, ethnic-group identification, maternal and paternal lineages, relative matching, genealogy tools, pricing, and the usefulness of each company's results.

DNA-testing companies generally have more detailed reference classifications for European ancestry than African ancestry. Baker argued that this produces an inequality in the specificity of ancestry reports, even though genetic testing has significantly improved the information available to African Americans.

The historical legacy of slavery makes African ancestry identification particularly valuable. Many African Americans descended from enslaved people know that their ancestors came from Africa but lack reliable information about their ancestral regions or ethnic communities.

Baker contrasted his own family knowledge with that of a Black childhood friend. Before commercial DNA testing became widely available, Baker already knew that most of his ancestors came from Germany, Great Britain, or Ireland, whereas his friend knew only that his ancestry was probably African.

Most North Americans have ancestry from multiple populations, regardless of race. Baker emphasized that African Americans, like Americans of European descent, frequently have complicated ancestral backgrounds that cannot be described accurately using one broad geographical category.

Three principal forms of genetic information are used in ancestry testing: autosomal DNA, mitochondrial DNA, and Y-chromosome DNA. They answer different genealogical questions and have different limitations.

Autosomal DNA is inherited from both biological parents and provides an overview of relatively recent ancestry. Individuals receive approximately 50% from each parent, with expected ancestral contributions averaging 25% per grandparent, 12.5% per great-grandparent, and 6.25% per great-great-grandparent.

A single European great-great-grandparent could produce an autosomal estimate of approximately 6% European and 94% African ancestry. Baker used this hypothetical example to explain how DNA tests can detect contributions from different ancestral populations, although actual inheritance and ethnicity estimates vary.

Autosomal ancestry testing can identify geographical origins within Africa rather than merely reporting African ancestry as one category. Baker considered the number and specificity of African reference regions a central measure of each company's usefulness.

AncestryDNA was the first service Walker used, beginning in 2017. Walker had previously discussed his results in several videos, allowing the new comparison to build on his existing experience.

AncestryDNA divided sub-Saharan Africa into 14 ancestry regions at the time of the comparison. Its classification system provided geographical estimates but generally used modern country names rather than individual African ethnic communities.

Walker's three largest AncestryDNA estimates were Nigeria at 22%, Cameroon, Congo and Western Bantu peoples at 22%, and Mali at 16%. These results pointed primarily toward West and Central African ancestry.

Modern African national borders frequently fail to correspond to historical ethnic and cultural boundaries. Baker criticized country-based DNA classifications because many modern borders reflect European colonial decisions rather than the distribution of indigenous populations.

Nigeria illustrates the limitations of country-level ancestry reporting. Its population includes hundreds of ethnic communities, among them Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, and Fulani, but an ancestry estimate labeled Nigeria does not establish which of those peoples contributed to an individual's ancestry.

AncestryDNA's major advantage was its ability to identify African American ancestral communities within North America. Beyond its 14 African regions, the company distinguished 96 African diaspora communities in North America.

Walker used AncestryDNA to identify Southern American regions associated with his ancestors. Although he lived in Ohio, the company's results helped him locate ancestral connections to the American South.

AncestryDNA offered relative matching through a particularly large American customer database. Users who opted into matching could identify genetic relatives, making the service useful for building family trees and investigating undocumented relationships.

Walker was unsurprised by the predominance of West and Central African ancestry in his results. He explained that most Black Americans descended from the Atlantic slave trade have ancestral connections to those regions rather than primarily to North or Southern Africa.

Walker considered the broad label African American insufficiently specific for understanding ancestry. Africa contains many distinct peoples and civilizations, and he regarded identifying the particular regions connected to his family as a meaningful improvement over simply knowing that his ancestors were African.

Walker emphasized the historical importance of recovering ancestral identity through his motto, “We don't come from nothing.” His interest lay in connecting African Americans to identifiable historical communities and societies.

AncestryDNA cost approximately $100 at the time of the review. Baker noted that promotional sales could substantially reduce the price and that the company's ancestry product provided autosomal results rather than dedicated mitochondrial or Y-chromosome analysis.

MyHeritage offered a similar general ancestry service at approximately $80. It provided autosomal ancestry estimates and genetic relative matching, while using a cheek swab instead of AncestryDNA's saliva-collection tube.

Baker disclosed that MyHeritage had sponsored some of his earlier videos but was not sponsoring this comparison. He presented the relationship before evaluating the company's results.

MyHeritage divided sub-Saharan Africa into only eight regions. Its African ancestry classification was therefore less geographically detailed than AncestryDNA's 14-region system.

MyHeritage supplemented its African classifications with approximately 100 diaspora regions. This allowed users to investigate more recent geographical connections despite the company's relatively broad African ancestry categories.

Genealogist Jarrett Ross considered MyHeritage to have the strongest genetic genealogy tools among the five companies reviewed. Baker distinguished the usefulness of those research tools from the precision of the company's African ethnicity estimates.

MyHeritage was particularly useful for investigating possible Jewish ancestry. Baker highlighted its ability to recognize genetic connections associated with Ethiopian Jewish communities and Sephardic Jewish populations from North Africa.

MyHeritage estimated Walker's Nigerian ancestry at 54%, compared with AncestryDNA's 22%. Baker suggested that MyHeritage's broader classifications could have absorbed ancestry that AncestryDNA assigned to neighboring regions such as Benin or Ghana.

MyHeritage identified 8% Kenyan ancestry in Walker's results, which AncestryDNA had not reported. This difference demonstrated that ethnicity percentages depend on company-specific reference populations and classification methods rather than representing exact measurements.

MyHeritage also identified a small amount of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry in Walker's DNA. Baker highlighted the finding as another difference between the results produced by the testing services.

Walker defended modern national borders as imperfect but sometimes practical categories for African genetic ancestry. Although he agreed that colonial boundaries often ignored indigenous political and cultural geography, he believed country-based labels could still provide a useful rough framework given the continent's genetic diversity.

The Senegal–Gambia region demonstrates why genetic ancestry categories can cross national borders. Walker noted that the two countries share historical and genetic connections, including the presence of the Wolof people.

Ghana and Ivory Coast provide another example of overlapping ethnic geography. Walker identified the Akan as a major population extending across both modern countries and connected them to the historical Ashanti Kingdom, whose territory crossed boundaries now separating those states.

MyHeritage allowed customers who had tested with AncestryDNA or 23andMe to upload their existing DNA files for a free ancestry breakdown. The reverse arrangement was unavailable with AncestryDNA, meaning users could not upload MyHeritage results there to obtain its equivalent report.

FamilyTreeDNA distinguished itself by offering mitochondrial and Y-chromosome testing alongside ordinary autosomal ancestry analysis. These additional tests investigate direct maternal and paternal lineages that conventional autosomal ethnicity estimates cannot isolate.

Mitochondrial DNA is inherited almost entirely through the maternal line. A person generally receives mitochondrial DNA from their biological mother, who inherited it from her mother, allowing researchers to trace a continuous line of maternal ancestry.

Mitochondrial DNA changes relatively slowly over generations. Baker explained that major mutations arise over thousands of years, making mitochondrial DNA useful for studying ancestry much deeper in time than ordinary autosomal ethnicity estimates.

Mitochondrial DNA lineages are organized into haplogroups. These groups represent branches of shared maternal ancestry, allowing researchers to place an individual's direct maternal line within a wider history of human populations.

Y-chromosome DNA follows the direct biological paternal line. A son inherits his Y chromosome from his father, who inherited it from his father, allowing researchers to investigate a continuous father-to-son ancestral sequence.

Y-chromosome lineages are also organized into haplogroups because mutations accumulate relatively slowly. A Y-DNA test identifies the paternal genetic branch to which the tested individual belongs.

People without a Y chromosome cannot obtain a direct paternal-line result from their own DNA. Baker explained that women seeking information about that lineage could instead test an appropriate male relative, such as a brother, father, or paternal uncle.

FamilyTreeDNA's autosomal ancestry test cost approximately $80 and included genetic relative matching. Its African ancestry report divided the continent into 19 regions, offering more regional categories than AncestryDNA or MyHeritage.

FamilyTreeDNA charged separately for maternal and paternal lineage testing. The mitochondrial DNA test cost an additional $160, while Y-chromosome testing cost an additional $120.

Walker's FamilyTreeDNA autosomal results again emphasized Nigeria and other West African populations. This broad agreement with earlier tests established a consistent regional pattern despite differences between companies' detailed estimates.

FamilyTreeDNA identified Walker's mitochondrial haplogroup as L1. Baker explained that L1, alongside L0, L2, and L3, belongs to ancient maternal lineages associated with Africa.

Baker connected the mitochondrial haplogroup L3 to ancient human migration out of Africa. He described people who left Africa approximately 60,000 years ago as belonging to L3-related lineages, from which the mitochondrial branches M and N subsequently developed.

Baker associated L1 particularly with West Africa and L2 with Bantu populations in Central and Southern Africa. These were presented as broad historical population associations rather than definitive identifications of individual ethnic groups.

FamilyTreeDNA identified Walker's Y-chromosome haplogroup as E-M2. Baker described this paternal lineage as strongly associated with West Africa.

Walker's maternal L1 and paternal E-M2 results were consistent with his predominantly West African autosomal ancestry. The two lineage tests provided separate evidence about his direct maternal and paternal ancestry rather than measuring his complete ethnic background.

FamilyTreeDNA offered direct maternal-line and paternal-line relative matching. This allowed advanced researchers to investigate connections along specific ancestral lines that ordinary autosomal matching might not distinguish.

Baker regarded FamilyTreeDNA's specialized lineage reports as relatively difficult for beginners. He recommended their more technical features primarily to people with substantial experience in genetic genealogy.

Living DNA was a British company whose ancestry services traditionally emphasized British regional ancestry and British genetic relatives. Baker said this focus would ordinarily make it a less obvious choice for North American customers.

Living DNA introduced a major African ancestry update in 2020. The update divided sub-Saharan Africa into 62 reference regions, far more than the other general-purpose companies included in the comparison.

Living DNA's most important distinction was its use of African ethnic-group names rather than primarily modern national labels. Baker regarded this as a substantial improvement for customers seeking connections to particular African communities.

Living DNA identified Walker's largest ancestry component as Esan, estimated at 31%. The Esan are an ethnic community associated with present-day Nigeria.

Living DNA also estimated that 14% of Walker's ancestry was Yoruba. The Yoruba are another major Nigerian ethnic community, meaning the company's results gave him a more detailed picture of ancestry previously reported under the broad category Nigeria.

Living DNA estimated 12% Mandinka ancestry. Baker connected the Mandinka to the historical Mali Empire, giving the result additional cultural and historical meaning beyond geography.

Living DNA identified approximately 10% Mende ancestry. The Mende are associated particularly with Sierra Leone, adding another identifiable West African population to Walker's ancestry profile.

Walker found the Esan identification particularly interesting because he knew relatively little about the community. His previous research had exposed him to references to the Esan in connection with the Kingdom of Benin, one of his favorite African civilizations.

Walker connected the Esan historically and culturally to the Edo people associated with the Kingdom of Benin. The finding encouraged him to investigate a population he had previously encountered only briefly while studying African history.

Walker described the Living DNA results as more intriguing than surprising. Earlier tests had already suggested Nigerian ancestry, but Living DNA provided specific ethnic names that could guide further research.

Walker had previously been told by African viewers and acquaintances that he looked Nigerian, particularly Igbo. He observed that the Igbo and Esan are geographically close and suggested possible genetic connections, although these appearance-based observations were not presented as genetic proof.

Living DNA charged approximately $100 for a new test and used a cheek-swab collection method. Its pricing was broadly comparable to AncestryDNA, although its African classification system was considerably more detailed.

Living DNA accepted genetic data uploaded from tests performed by other companies. Its ancestry breakdown cost approximately $25 for an upload, allowing customers to access its African ethnic classifications without purchasing another physical testing kit.

Baker considered Living DNA's $25 upload particularly worthwhile for African American customers. It provided access to 62 African reference regions and named ethnic communities while avoiding the expense of repeating the entire testing process.

African Ancestry was the only company in the comparison designed specifically for people investigating African American ancestral origins. Its approach differed fundamentally from the four general-purpose ancestry services.

African Ancestry did not provide autosomal ethnicity percentages or genetic relative matching. Instead, it focused exclusively on mitochondrial and Y-chromosome lineages to investigate direct maternal and paternal ancestral origins.

African Ancestry charged approximately $300 for each lineage test. Customers seeking both direct maternal and paternal ancestry information therefore faced a combined price of approximately $600.

African Ancestry claimed to use a larger database of indigenous African genetic samples than competing services. Its business model emphasized comparing lineage markers with DNA collected from African populations to identify specific ancestral communities.

African Ancestry attempted to identify ethnic groups rather than simply reporting broad haplogroup classifications. Whereas FamilyTreeDNA might identify a lineage as L1 or E-M2, African Ancestry sought to connect that lineage to a named African population.

African Ancestry identified Walker's direct maternal lineage with the Tikar people of present-day Cameroon. The result referred specifically to his mother-to-mother ancestral line, not to the ethnicity of all his maternal ancestors.

African Ancestry identified Walker's direct paternal lineage with the Yoruba people of Nigeria. This traced his father-to-father ancestral line to a named population rather than identifying only his Y-chromosome haplogroup.

The company's detailed ethnic identifications came with an important methodological limitation. Baker explained that African Ancestry compared relatively small portions of a customer's DNA against its reference database, using fewer genetic segments than the other testing companies examined.

Some genealogists consulted by Baker questioned the accuracy of African Ancestry's ethnic-group assignments. Their concern was that identifying a specific population from a small number of genetic markers could produce greater certainty than the underlying evidence justified.

African Ancestry's large African reference database and limited genetic sampling represented competing strengths and weaknesses. A large collection of comparison samples could help identify populations, but the specificity of a result also depended on how much genetic information was analyzed.

Walker's African Ancestry results broadly agreed with his other genetic tests. His Tikar maternal and Yoruba paternal connections were geographically compatible with the West and Central African ancestry repeatedly identified by the other companies.

Agreement between the companies supported Walker's broad African geographical origins more strongly than any one precise ethnic assignment. The tests repeatedly pointed toward West and Central Africa, while differing considerably in the specific populations and percentages they reported.

The five companies served different genealogical purposes rather than offering interchangeable tests. AncestryDNA emphasized American relative matching and ancestral communities; MyHeritage emphasized research tools; FamilyTreeDNA specialized in deep maternal and paternal lineages; Living DNA provided detailed African ethnic classifications; and African Ancestry concentrated on identifying named populations along two direct ancestral lines.

Baker ultimately recommended beginning with AncestryDNA. Its large American customer database, accessible interface, relative matching, and North American ancestral-community information made it his preferred foundation for African American genealogy.

His recommended second step was to upload AncestryDNA data to MyHeritage for free. This gave users another interpretation of their ancestry alongside additional genealogy tools without paying for another test.

His recommended third step was to upload the same data to Living DNA for approximately $25. He considered its detailed African ethnic classifications the strongest available among the reviewed services for identifying more specific African ancestral populations.

The recommended combination cost approximately $125 at the prices quoted. AncestryDNA's approximately $100 test, free MyHeritage upload, and $25 Living DNA upload provided three sets of results while requiring only one original DNA sample.

Baker did not recommend African Ancestry or FamilyTreeDNA as necessary starting purchases for most beginners. Their specialized lineage information could be valuable, but additional expense, technical complexity, or methodological uncertainty made them less suitable as universal first choices.

Ethnicity percentages should be treated as estimates rather than exact ancestral measurements. Walker's Nigerian estimates of 22% from AncestryDNA and 54% from MyHeritage, alongside the Kenyan ancestry reported by only one service, illustrated the substantial differences that testing methodologies can produce.

More detailed classifications do not automatically establish greater scientific accuracy. The comparison showed that region counts, population labels, reference databases, and the amount of DNA examined all affect the conclusions a testing company can reasonably support.

Direct maternal and paternal lineage tests cannot reconstruct a person's entire family history. They investigate two narrow ancestral paths, while autosomal testing captures contributions from many additional ancestors across the family tree.

Genetic testing can recover ancestral clues that conventional family records may not preserve, but it does not eliminate the need for documentary research. Ethnicity estimates, haplogroups, relative matches, and historical records provide different types of evidence that become more useful when examined together.

Genealogist Jarrett Ross had begun independently investigating Walker's family tree. Baker directed viewers to Ross's GeneaVlogger channel, where Ross had published initial findings and explained the research methods used to investigate Walker's ancestry.

Ross's investigation offered a practical continuation of the DNA-testing comparison. By documenting his genealogy methods, he demonstrated how genetic evidence could be combined with family-tree research to investigate African American ancestry beyond the information supplied by commercial ethnicity reports.