DNA testing has exploded in popularity over the last few years. With different agencies now using it to help people discover their ancestral background, individuals from all over the globe have turned to genetic screening to peak into their backgrounds to try to find out a little more about themselves and their previous relations.

Genetic analysis does more than just give names and dates.  For many, it has reunited them with long lost family and answered questions that have up until now, gone unanswered.

DNA testing is a very personal journey and everyone who signs on for genetic testing, does it for their own individual understanding of past and present family relationships. The most common reasons for submitting a DNA test include:

1. General Curiosity

Lots of people sign up for genetic checks out of general curiosity. The technology has opened a whole new door to the past. Many people send their swabs to testing companies because they are curious about the ancestral past. History is fascinating and for many, the path of their ancestors is often shrouded in mystery. Discovering your roots can give you a better understanding about general information like your hair colour, body shape, skin tone, facial features, and other unique traits that are you.

2. Family Tree

Before testing became commonplace, people could only utilize old records, family stories, documents, and other paper trails to find out more about their family. The search for past relatives was for many, a painstaking, difficult, time consuming and often incomplete process. Nowadays, individuals are able to get a better glimpse of the path their ancestors took through the centuries to get to where they are now with DNA tests.

3. Biological Family Search

Millions of people know nothing about their biological families. For those who were adopted, only know one parent, or were taken from their families at a young age, the journey to finding information about their biological relations is a very personal one. DNA screening can help answer a lot of questions and connect them to loved ones. Where past searches often led to dead ends for many, DNA checks help people find their biological kin and in lots of cases, reconnect with parents, siblings and other unknown relatives.

4. Medical History

Tracing a medical history is now easier with DNA testing. Numerous medical conditions and ailments are passed from one generation to another. Certain cultures are more prone to specific conditions than other populations. For those inflicted with hereditary conditions, where the medical issue originated and who was affected can be unclear. If you have a chronic condition or illness and want to know if anyone in the family also suffered from the same circumstances, DNA checking can help you when all other investigations have failed. For those seeking a medical history of their family, DNA can help solve their dilemmas and give them a better understanding of why they have the condition they do.

5. Glimpse Into The Past

The lives of people before us has always been a fascinating topic. DNA testing connects us to that past, giving everyone a glimpse into the journey of their ancestors.

DNA testing has come a long way in recent years and has opened a whole new world to discovering past information about ourselves and our families. Using this format to trace your clan’s steps is very beneficial in helping those who are generally curious about their ancestral past discover nuances about themselves, find lost relatives, discover more about the family tree, and answer previously unanswered medical and personal questions.