The ethnic origins data from three DNA tests offer interesting—and sometimes surprising—differences. While our roots are clearly European, with a predominance of Eastern European ancestry, several unexpected elements invite deeper exploration.
Eastern European Roots
My brother Jeff’s 23andMe DNA test produced a major surprise. Through the fifth generation, our known ancestors immigrated from the Czech Republic and Austria to the United States in the late 1800s. The DNA results, however, reveal a far more diverse ancestral background.
Anatolian Ancestry
Quoting 23andMe:
“You most likely had a third-great-grandparent, fourth-great-grandparent, fifth-great-grandparent, sixth-great-grandparent, or seventh-great- (or greater) grandparent who was 100% Anatolian. This person was likely born between 1700 and 1820.”
Anatolia—also known as Asia Minor—constitutes the Asian portion of modern-day Turkey. I once referred to my Turkish Facebook friends as “surname buddies” because we share the Elcik surname. In the eBook My Cousins, they are now simply cousins. Even more striking: there are significantly more people with the Elcik surname in Turkey than anywhere else in the world.
French Canadian Connection
The presence of French ancestry—particularly connections to French Canadians in Quebec—appears in two DNA tests. Given the long-standing ties between Quebec and Maine, especially in coastal areas such as York and Old Orchard Beach, this result suggests promising avenues for future research.
Other Findings
Scottish, Irish, Jewish, and Iberian results appear with lower confidence and suggest the need for additional testing and documentary support.
Ancestry.com — John P. Elcik, IV
| Region | Estimate | Range / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Europe & Russia | 43% | Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania (41–57%) |
| England & Northwestern Europe | 20% | 18–22% |
| France | 18% | 0–34% |
| Scotland | 12% | 0–12% |
| Baltics | 6% | Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania (0–14%) |
| Ireland | 1% | 0–5% |
| Community | — | Southeastern Quebec French Settlers |
MyHeritage — John P. Elcik, IV
| Europe (Irish, Scottish, Welsh) | 40.9% |
| East European | 30.0% |
| Balkan | 17.9% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 8.0% |
| Iberian | 3.2% |
| Community | French Canadians (Quebec & Maine) |
23andMe — Jeffrey Lee Elcik
| Northwestern European | 49.5% |
| Eastern European | 41.9% |
| Southern European | 4.3% |
| Broadly European | 3.6% |
| Western Asian & North African | 0.5% |
| Unassigned | 0.2% |