I took the $99 AncestryDNA genetic test — here's what the process is like and what you can expect from the service

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• If you're thinking of taking a genetic test, you're probably considering AncestryDNA, which is the most popular because it offers twice the geographic detail than others and a database of 10 million+ users.
• I took the AncestryDNA test to show what the process is like, and what you can expect from the service.
• You can take one for yourself by picking up a $99 test on Amazon or AncestryDNA.

Whether it's to finally settle the score on the elusive 3% Italian ancestry your father claims, to learn more about your health and history, or to connect with relatives across the globe, genetic tests are an increasingly popular tool.

The trend isn't surprising. If every human is their own inimitable genetic snowflake, and there are billions upon billions of unique human snowflakes in our history on earth, it's no great wonder that people want to unlock the details of who they are when given the chance. From the Stone Age to mapping our genome across the globe, an impossibility is now possible with $99 and access to the internet. 

There are practical concerns that drive millions to genetic tests — like health and long-lost family — but it seems the biggest incentive is a basic curiosity about who we are, and how we relate to other people.

Some tests can show you how much of your history can be traced back to Neanderthals. Others can connect you to a second cousin in Lithuania you never knew existed.

Of the tests out there, AncestryDNA is the #1 consumer option according to a company report. It is autosomal (meaning it traces all of your family lines, rather than just your paternal or maternal), and provides the most comprehensive look into your ancestry. The latter is largely due to its community of 10 million+ users, the industry’s largest DNA reference panel, and offering two times more geographic detail than other tests.

A common concern for prospective genetic test users is privacy. At a baseline, AncestryDNA does not claim ownership rights over any DNA submitted for testing, so you own your DNA. If you want more information, you should check out their Privacy Center. 

Recently, I took my own AncestryDNA test. Here's what the process looks like:

Order a kit and send your saliva sample to the lab in a prepaid package.

Order an AncestryDNA kit from Amazon or AncestryDNA. When it arrives, follow the instructions inside to fill a small vial (included) with about a teaspoon of saliva. 

Then, return your saliva sample to the lab in a prepaid package. 

Your test results should show up 6-8 weeks from the time that the lab receives your DNA sample. But make sure to remember you have to activate your DNA kit online so it can begin processing.

After 6-8 weeks, your results will show up online. Ancestry calculates your ethnicity and breaks it down into percentages and infographics.

When your results come in, you'll see a map like this with your ethnicity broken down into percentages. Splotches on the map show the scope and concentration of your specific DNA.

In the lab, Ancestry uses its advanced micro-array technology to detect thousands of your DNA markers and genes, and then maps them for you to easily reference (pictured above). 

Because each child gets a unique concoction of DNA from their mother and father, you may find that you got slightly more Irish genes than your brother, who may have received more of the Italian genes. If just one sibling takes the test, you'll get a great overview of your family history, but your own individual breakdown will vary. 

As the site's algorithm improves (and its DNA reference panel grows), you may see your results grow more precise with time. 

AncestryDNA plots your DNA on a world map with emphasis on the regions where your DNA is highly concentrated. You can click on them to see your results narrowed to localized sections. You might also see the option to view the DNA matches of potential relatives on the site for that region.

Your Ancestry map plots where in the world your DNA is from, with a higher concentration of color and tighter circles on the regions you are most deeply linked to. 

You can click on any ethnicity percentage for a zoomed-in look at the regions your DNA is from. For me, my higher percentages correlated with the most specific information, allowing me to narrow my results from "Ireland and Scotland" down to Munster, Ireland and then down to a more localized region of Southern Ireland. The sections enclosed by dotted lines provide your "deep dives" and the greatest wealth of information.

When I clicked on the dotted areas and zoned in on my map's most specific results, AncestryDNA also gave me the option to see the 1,000+ DNA Matches on the site that shared this region of Southern Ireland. Among them, I found the names of siblings and other relatives I knew had taken the genetic test, and possible 4th, 6th, and so on cousins I didn't know. 

Not all of my ethnicity percentages showed specifics aside from the general region my DNA is from, but the site is collaborative, and as you build out your Ancestry trees, the more personalized this overview will become.