Podcast Summary: Family Tree Magazine Podcast

Episode: The Latest Updates at AncestryDNA – An Interview with Diahan Southard

Host: Andrew Cook, Family Tree Editor
Guest: Diahan Southard, DNA Q&A Columnist & Founder of Your DNA Guide
Date: January 15, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the recent major updates to AncestryDNA's ethnicity estimates, which have been billed as the platform’s largest update ever. Host Andrew Cook is joined by DNA expert Diahan Southard, who breaks down what these updates mean for test-takers, why ethnicity estimates change over time, and how these advancements impact genealogical research. The episode also touches on similar updates from other major DNA companies and offers practical tips for getting more actionable insights from your DNA results.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Scope and Significance of AncestryDNA’s Latest Update

• Largest Update Ever?
  • AncestryDNA added 60 new regions, impacting 90% of users ([02:23]).
  • “If you're measuring biggest update ever by who was affected, then probably, yes, this update did affect so many people.” — Diahan ([02:06]).
• Annual Updates as a Unique Value
  • Diahan highlights the unique nature of free, recurring updates:
    “Do you know of any other product that you own that like, you get an update every single year for free? It's actually a pretty good deal.” ([01:56])
• Driving User Engagement
  • These updates are both scientifically valuable and serve as a marketing tactic to entice users to revisit their results.

2. Introduction of Macro Regions and Granular Regions

• Dual Perspective:
  • Ancestry introduced both more refined regions and new broader “macro regions” ([03:38]).
  • Macro regions offer a high-confidence, broad-strokes look at ancestry, while the refined regions attempt to pinpoint more specific origins.
  • “It's almost like they're now giving you both views, both your 2016 view and your 2025 view.” — Diahan ([08:47])

3. Technological Advances in Reference Panels

• How Reference Panels Work:
  • Historically, only users with robust family trees could be included in reference panels ([05:02]).
  • The latest update leverages genetic clusters: individuals without family trees are now included by association with those who have well-documented trees ([07:14]):
    “It really just reflects the hugeness ... the massive amount of data that ancestry has.” — Diahan ([07:16])
• Result:
  • Enormous expansion in reference populations leads to more accurate, detailed regional assignments.

4. Interpreting Ethnicity Estimates: Then and Now

• From Coffee Table Ornament to Actionable Insights
  • “These ethnicity results, they're like a coffee table piece. They're beautiful to look at, but they're not going to teach you very much... And then, you know, I had to change my tune because that's just not the case anymore.” — Diahan ([10:45])
• Macro vs. Granular Regions:
  • Reminds listeners that the macro regions are highly accurate, while the granular ones offer developing, more detailed insights ([09:41]).
• What Should Test-Takers Do?
  • Embrace the increasing specificity but understand that broad estimates are the most dependable ([09:41]).
  • Use both the maps and the labels for regional assignments, as names can sometimes be misleading ([12:35]).

5. Updates from Other DNA Testing Companies

• MyHeritage and 23andMe:
  • Both rolled out significant updates, adding more specific regional data ([11:56]).
  • Challenge: As granularity increases, region names become more confusing.
    • “It's really important when you're looking at these results across all of these companies to not just read the, the name of the region, which might mislead you, but go look at the map...” — Diahan ([12:35])
  • Modern geographical names may not reflect historical population movements or genetic boundaries.

6. Practical Tips and Takeaways

• Look Beyond Labels:
  • Don’t get hung up on the specific words used to describe ethnic origins; always check the geographic maps ([13:00]).
• Awareness of Historical Realities:
  • Modern country borders rarely align perfectly with ancestral genetic boundaries ([13:45]).
• Continuous Evolution:
  • Both the science and the databases are actively evolving, so further improvements and changes should be expected ([11:56]).

Memorable Quotes & Notable Moments

• “Do you know of any other product that you own that like, you get an update every single year for free? It's actually a pretty good deal.”
  — Diahan Southard ([01:56])

• “What scientifically made this update really important is that for the first time, they're creating reference panels in a different way.”
  — Diahan Southard ([03:50])

• “It's almost like they're now giving you both views, both your 2016 view and your 2025 view... And now we've just spent time drilling down and they want to bring us back to this really solid, confident, grounded place.”
  — Diahan Southard ([08:47])

• “I remember saying ... these ethnicity results, they're like a coffee table piece... And then, you know, I had to change my tune because that's just not the case anymore.”
  — Diahan Southard ([10:45])

• “It's really important... to not just read the... name of the region ... go look at the map because they're, they're doing their best to name something in a way that kind of reflects our modern geography. But these places are not based in modern anything. They're based in our ... genetic heritage.”
  — Diahan Southard ([12:35])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:55–01:27 — Intro to episode and guest
• 01:29–03:23 — The scale and intent of AncestryDNA’s update
• 03:23–06:03 — Macro regions and regions explained; science behind the updates
• 06:03–08:29 — Technology shift: using all users, not just tree-builders, in reference populations
• 08:29–10:45 — Then vs. now: How to interpret ethnicity estimates and macro regions
• 10:45–11:56 — Results becoming increasingly actionable; history of ethnicity features
• 11:56–13:45 — Updates at other companies & the challenge of region names
• 13:45–14:22 — The fluidity of European regions and challenges in mapping DNA to modern countries
• 14:28–15:00 — Where to find Diahan’s resources and further reading

Additional Resources

• Diahan Southard’s website: yourdnaguide.com ([14:28])
• Related articles by Diahan: In Family Tree Magazine’s Nov/Dec issue and a web exclusive on the Ancestry Journeys feature ([14:40])

Summary

This episode provides a highly accessible yet detailed look at how advances in DNA testing and analysis by AncestryDNA — and similar companies — are making ethnicity estimates both more accurate and more useful. Listeners are encouraged to revisit their results with fresh eyes, keep up with ongoing updates, and leverage new tools and insights in their family history research, with the expert advice to always “go look at the map” and take region names with a grain of salt.