Which kit to buy to trace route ancestors took

[anshah]

Hi all,

I only want to find out which route my ancestors took (both paternal and maternal) and whether I share any DNA with people from the middle east/Iran/Afghanistan as I am originally from India but don't look very Indian at all. Also my last name is something that could be found in middle eastern countries like Iran for e.g.. My parents and grand parents have no clue why and how this could've happened.

Which kits should I buy that will show me if I have any DNA that people from say Iran/Afghanistan..

Thank you

[Jim Barrett]

Take an autosomal test somewhere. All of the companies will give you a different answer. The higher percentages will usually be from the same area. Check for sales between now and Jan. 1, 2023. If you buy kits from 23andMe and Ancestry you can download your raw data from either company and then upload the data to GEDmatch, FTDNA (Family Finder) and MyHeritage (no charge for the uploads).

[blanko]

The confusing thing about doing DNA tests for ethnicity is that each company has a different algorithm and use different populations for reference. So you will get different estimates as Jim Barrett said. The best thing is to look at your matches to see where they come from. Its better than relying on the estimate, though some feel Ancestry and 23andMe have the best estimates.

You could also upload your file to Gedmatch.com and use one of their tools to get another estimate. This sheet describes the populations for each calculator there https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...82Hcf/pubhtml# Some include Middle East, Iran or Indian.
As for why your last name is middle eastern, you would need to research your family history as far back as you can on your paternal line. Certainly further back than your grandparents. Seek out records of great grandparents and further back if you can.