Paternal side Ancestry Origins 2026

Ancestry Origins for KDJ. Oct 2026.

As with last year, I'm separating my review of the annual AncestryDNA update into several posts. Looking at my Dad's 2026 update in comparison with last year's nine regions, his results now show 21, a dramatic difference from 2024 when the results shows just four regions. His macro-regions cover the following areas for 2026:

• England 37%
• Celtic/Gaelic 35%
• Western Europe 27%
• French Canada (New) 1%

French Canada is a surprise, and yet we have a brick wall on my Dad's maternal side in my 4th-great-grandfather Asa Putnam Smith. He was born in Nova Scotia in 1783. When I look at my Dad's current maternal line journeys in common with closest matches, I see one for Montérégie, Quebec and Northern Vermont French Settlers. Very interesting.

Within the macro-regions, there's some new areas. Switzerland, not a surprise, is new at 12%. We have several documented Swiss lines on his side of the tree. Central Scotland and Northern Ireland have been split into Ulster, Ireland and Scottish Lowlands and Central Belt. North East Scotland now appears as 2% (that's John McIntosh). Dad's 5% Belgium could be the Du Trieux line. Leinster, Ireland went up from 8% to 17%. Connacht, Ireland is new at 2%. Northwestern Italy at 1% is a bit of an odd sight in his results, but perhaps proximity of this area to Switzerland accounts for some of this connection. France and Brittany are in at 1% each.