As a Puerto Rican, I have known for decades that my ethnic makeup consisted of a mix of Spanish, Taino, and African ancestry. However, I did not know the actual makeup of my Puerto Rican blood until now. In December I sent away for my DNA results from Ancestry.com. The company noted results would be ready in six to eight weeks but mine was completed in four weeks. I, of course, am still Puerto Rican, but now that means more to me than just being Spanish, Taino, and African.
I primarily wanted to find out the exact percentage of my Native American and African heritage and more specifically I wanted to know where in Africa my ancestors came from. While I waited for my results, I conducted research online and was surprised to find out that most Puerto Ricans who tested their DNA had traces of Italian and Greek ancestry. I also saw many Puerto Ricans had some heritage from Great Britain. Prior to this research and my DNA results, I never really thought of being anything other than Puerto Rican.
Here is a summary of my Puerto Rican DNA results:
- 26% Iberian Peninsula (Spanish)
- 20% Native American (Taino)
- 18% African (16% Nigeria, 1% Africa North, 1% Ivory Coast/Ghana)
- 13% Great Britain
- 10% Italy/Greece
- 8% European Jewish
- 2% Ireland/Scotland/Wales
- 2% Finland/Northwest Russia
- <1% Middle Eastern
I was informed that my great-grandmother on my mother’s side was from Spain, so I thought I would be more than 26% Spanish but happy to finally know the exact percentage. I am very excited to learn that I am 20% Native American and 18% African, which includes 16% Nigerian, 1% North African (Morocco, Western Sahara, Algeria, Libya) and 1% from the Ivory Coast/Ghana.
What I found most amazing is that I am 8% European Jewish (Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Hungary, Israel) and 2% from Finland/Northwest Russia. I also now gladly embrace being 13% from Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales), 10% from Italy/Greece (Europe South), 2% from Ireland, and less than one percent from the Middle East.
(This blog post has been updated.)