23andMe Adds 43 More Genetic Groups

23andMe has added finer detail for customers to improve our Ancestry reports and features. This update is part of our continuing effort to improve Ancestry reports and features. 

It will also allow customers with ancestry from those regions to see connections back to 43 genetic groups – 29 in Spain (including the Canary and Balearic archipelagos) and another 14 in Portugal (including the Azores and Madeira archipelagos). The update will affect about 10 percent of our customers who tested on our latest genotyping chip.

Spain and Portugal’s long colonial history means that many individuals with roots in the Americas may also see how those trace back to the Iberian Peninsula. Spain and Portugal have distinct and rich cultures and histories, but their histories also intertwine. Part of that history includes centuries of exploration, colonization, and trade, including the slave trade.

Iberian Peninsula

Bordering the Atlantic and at the mouth of the Mediterranean, the history of the people of the Iberian Peninsula is marked by their ocean-going explorations and influences in North Africa. The Moors ruled the peninsula for almost 800 years, and this influence can still be seen in both Spain and Portugal. But even older influences from the Greeks, Phoenicians, and Romans are apparent. Each of these cultures have left a distinct imprint on the culture and history of the Iberian Peninsula.

Regions in Spain and Portugal

In this update, the new methodology and algorithms use data from groups of people of Spanish or Portuguese ancestry with grandparents from specific regions in the Iberian Peninsula, and some of these regions overlap. Using this method we can connect customers with Portuguese or Spanish ancestry to those regional genetic groups through their shared DNA.

For 23andMe customers with Portuguese ancestry, the update most commonly includes matches to the regions of Porto Minho, and Via Real, as well as Central and Southern Portugal and Madeira. The least common regions for matching are Terceira, Santa Maria and Flores, Corvo and Graciosa in the Azores.

For customers with Spanish ancestry the most common matches will be Western Andalusia (near Huelva, Seville, and Badajoz), and Southern Andalusia (near Cadiz), as well as to the Canary Islands. The least common regions are Galician and Basque associated regions in northern Spain.

More on Matching

Among customers on the latest genotyping chip, V5, who have more than 95 percent of their ancestry from the Iberian Peninsula, about 40 percent will receive a match to at least one of the Portuguese genetic groups. While about 40 percent of customers on the latest chip, who have more than 75 percent of their ancestry from the Iberian Peninsula, will be matched to at least one Spanish genetic group.

Matching to one of these genetic groups means that you share a high genetic similarity with people in that group. While some regions overlap, we’ve distinguished each geographically and descriptively the names of these genetic groups also attempt to indicate the geographic regions.

While customers may receive a likely or highly likely match to one of these genetic groups, this update does not provide more breakdowns for customers’ Spanish and Portuguese ancestry percentages.

Your ancestry matters for your health

Many people find value in learning about their cultural roots but understanding your ancestry can also help you understand your health. Your health and your likelihood of developing certain conditions involves several factors – your environment, family history and lifestyle – but your genetics also plays an important role. 

In some cases, that can be specific to the unique history of our ancestral groups.

So, for example, V30M, a genetic variant associated with TTR-related hereditary amyloidosis is more common among people of Portuguese ancestry, as well as people of Northern Swedish and Japanese ancestry. The conditions causes a buildup of a protein called transthyretin (TTR) in the body’s tissues and organs, which can damage the nerves, the heart, or other organs in the body.

People of Iberian descent have a higher likelihood of having one of the genetic variants linked to alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency, a genetic condition that can lead to liver disease.

Related Articles On FamilyTree.com:

23andMe Updates Carrier Status Report on Sickle Cell Anemia

23andMe Adds Ancestry Composition For People Of Ashkenazi Ancestry

23andMe Updated Report for People with Asian Ancestry

< Return To Blog