AncestryDNA region data

Ancestry's chromsome painter shows 'the regions' they associate the test taker's DNA.
Their current regions:

• Ancestry article - Ancestral Regions
• The map of Ancestry's region list

Ancestry also updates it's regions over time. The last update was 10 Oct 2025.

How can I use this information to support my research?

The information might:

• show locations of interest for segments where there is no MRCA mapped.
• be evidence that supports or contradict conclusions where MRCA is uncertain.

Can I add the region data to GDAT's segment map?

2026-02-08

I didn't get it to work this time, so reverted to DNA Painter. Maybe next time.

I am using DNAPainter, but wanted test how I might add the information to GDAT for easier referencing.

• Created the csv file following DNA Painter's instructions.
  • DNA Painter csv filename: ~#~2026_01_30_Ancestry_acp-segments.csv~#~
  • There is no cM totals. Later realised GDAT needs these totals.
• Tested adding the region names to GDAT as relatives. (This worked).
  • Created a csv file of the list of unique region names:
    • Added 'segments_as_relatives' to the filename.
    • Copied the group column from the DNA Painter csv file and removed duplicates.
    • Created groupID column with unique identifier for each region name (as a substitute for the relative primary key in GDAT).
  • Added the region names as relatives to GDAT
    • In GDAT, create an Import Template.
    • Forget to add instructions, so had to start over again.
• Tested adding chromosome data for GDAT to map (I didn't get this to work)
  • In the DNAPainter csv file, added a groupID column and used an XLOOKUP function to add the groupID from the segments_as_relatives csv file.
  • In GDAT, created an Import Template.
  • Original import attempt failed as the cMs was below the minimum required.
  • To fix, in Preferences (F10), changed minimum cM level to 0
  • Second import attempt worked, but 16 segments skipped because 'No Segment Endpoint'
  • Reset minimum cM level in Preferences (F10).
• Reviewed relatives page for each group an assigned Paternal or Maternal.
• After looking at the Chromosome Browser (F7), finally realised the impact of cMs=0.
• Tried a fix:
  • In Preferences (F10), run Relative Data Routine: 'Recalculate the Total cMs and Segments by Profile'
• Realised that this doesn't make data appear when there is none 🙃 and decided to try again another day.