At 79 I remain an adoptee with a birth certificate with father line blank. I have had DNA hits for a group that I match that match no one else that I have figured out. I suspect they are from my parental side but they are 4 generations back. Sure wish I could know so I can tell my children their heritage. It always seem like a pipe dream. My maternal line goes back to Mayflower and that may have to suffice.
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Free DNA kits have been shipped out to participants who were selected to take part in our second round of DNA Quest.
Launched in March 2018, DNA Quest is a pro bono initiative to reunite adoptees and their birth families through genetic testing. The international community of adoptees welcomed the project with open arms and spread the word about this unique opportunity. We donated thousands of DNA kits to eligible participants, and we continue to receive inquiries about the project on an ongoing basis.
Following the phenomenal success of the original initiative, in March 2019 we extended DNA Quest and pledged to donate thousands of additional MyHeritage DNA kits, for free, to eligible participants.
Demographics
In the second round of DNA Quest, we received over 4,000 applications from people in 69 countries around the world. Most of the applications were from the United States (1,838), followed by Canada (349), the U.K. (162), Australia (161), Chile (157), and Brazil (107). We also received applications from Argentina, Spain, Ireland, and Denmark, and smaller numbers from other countries, including Vatican City, Yemen, Mauritius, Zimbabwe, and the United Arab Emirates.
70% of the applications we received were from adoptees searching for their biological families. 16% were from close family members searching for adoptees, while the rest were people who described their situation as “Other.” Interestingly, 77% of the applicants were women, and 23% were men.
Past Successes
We’ve been thrilled to learn of DNA Quest participants who have been blessed with the fulfillment of their lifelong dream and have reunited with their families thanks to the free DNA tests we gave them.
Here are some of the heartwarming stories:
- Mitch Yurkovich, a Michigan resident and father of four, reconnected with his birth parents, who were still together, and who had married and had two more children.
- Susan received a free MyHeritage DNA kit through DNA Quest and discovered a half-brother, Terry, previously unknown to her.
- Kim Prather from Oklahoma never knew her biological family, and she was at last able to locate her birth family and reunite with her sister thanks to MyHeritage.
- Carlos Canas from Texas always knew he was adopted. He grew up as an only child, never knew who his birth parents or brothers and sisters were until he received a match to his biological half-sister.
New reunions continue to emerge as our DNA database grows.
Next Steps
For participants of the new round of DNA Quest, DNA results can be expected as early as August 2019. Participants will discover their DNA Matches from the entire MyHeritage DNA database, which currently comprises over 3 million people. As that number grows rapidly every day, their chances of finding family members increases.
If you’ve already tested with another DNA company, you can upload your DNA data to MyHeritage for free. Once your data has been processed, you’ll receive DNA Matches that might lead you to find the family you’ve been searching for.
We hope to continue harnessing the power of genetic genealogy to reunite family members who yearn to find one another. We look forward to sharing their stories with you in the coming months.
George Graham Green
July 30, 2019
After 74 years I have found brothers and sisters in the USA. All thanks to the DNA test. My wife and I will be going to meet them in September 2019.