Ghosts of Christmas Past – How ancestry kits lead to revealing family secrets
Ancestry kits are gaining in popularity as a Christmas gift, encouraging people to be curious about their heritage and bond over their findings during the festive period. Yet for some families, this activity could unearth more than they bargained for!
New research from Identilab discloses almost half (47%) of Australians have tried to find their biological family, with one in five (20%) having used a DNA ancestry kit to find out more about their family history, either discovering an unexpected relative in the family (7%) or uncovering a family secret (2%).
For Aussies who undertake ancestry testing, the results unveil their ethnicity estimate, individuals they may have potential connections with, and fresh insights into their distinctive family history. Depending on the level of shared DNA with people in the database, it’s possible to discover previously unknown cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, siblings or even a misattributed parent.
That is the case for a myriad of Aussies who have uncovered family secrets and ghosts from Christmas past that they weren’t expecting. For Aussies who have tried finding their biological family, over a third (35%) have actually connected with them. Going one step further, DNA testing can prove the relationship between proposed family members after connection.
In the lead up to Christmas, Kate Pippia, Forensic Scientist and Founder of Identilab, a leader in DNA relationship testing, is shedding light on the good, the bad and the challenging when discovering the truth about one’s family.
“We know according to our research that for a third of Australians who have tested to find out more about their ancestry, it has changed their life for the better,” Kate says.
Regardless of family of origin, the holidays provide a unique opportunity to spend extra time together as a family, connecting and reconnecting with family members new and old, and create holiday memories that can help build stronger families.
Acknowledging that not all Australian families will want to connect after unravelling a secret, the organisation hopes to highlight the support available for those in sensitive situations, particularly due to the psychological impact this can have on all family members.
“For a small proportion of the population, unfortunately the discovery of a secret has torn their family apart. Understandably, family secrets being revealed can be a difficult situation to unpack, often changing a family’s life forever and creating complex relationships for multiple parties within the family unit and their mental wellbeing.”
“We often recommend to people that they get in contact with their trusted support system, which could be a friend, GP, or counselling service, to help them process the information and move forward,” says Kate.
With Christmas right around the corner, receiving an ancestry kit can be seen as a meaningful and thoughtful gift, particularly as a way to connect with one’s roots and heritage during a time traditionally associated with family and celebration.
As we head into the holiday season, Identilab is encouraging Australians who have a ghost of Christmas past they want to turn into an angel of Christmas future, to seek answers about their family dynamic through a DNA test.
For those who have had an unexpected result from an ancestry test, they can contact Identilab for confirmation of the relationship. For more information about DNA testing, please visit https://identilab.com.au/