Can an Ancestry DNA Test Show You Your Blood Type?

A test from AncestryDNA can show you a great many things including your ethnicity estimate and any cousins you may have who are also users of this product. There even was for a very brief period an Ancestry health test which could give you medical information.

Given that the test shows your DNA the question we are looking at today is whether or not we can determine our blood type based on our results. In this post we will talk about how blood type is determined, if Ancestry results can tell us our type, and if there are other options for testing.

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Why We Need to Know Our Blood Type

We often underestimate the importance of knowing this simple bit of information about ourselves but we really should learn our blood type. This is the kind of information which can quite literally save our lives. Here are just a few reasons why we should find out our blood type.

  • In case we need an emergency blood transfusion
  • In case we want to become a blood donor
  • To know if we have a rare blood type
  • It can help us be aware of potential health risks related to our blood group
  • It can help us choose a healthy diet

Who Are Secretors?

You may be wondering what this question has to do with the topic but trust me this is an important factor in determining blood type. Approximately 80% of people are secretors which means that they release the blood group antigens into other bodily fluids.

Generally speaking blood testing is the best way to determine your blood type. Secretors however release the blood type antigens into bodily fluids such as saliva, sweat and mucus. This means with the right testing you can determine blood type with the use of Saliva.

How Does Ancestry Test Your DNA?

If you have previously taken an AncestryDNA test you likely already know the answer to this but for those yet to do so let me explain. You will receive a package in the mail which contains a small plastic vial which you simply have to fill to the appropriate level with saliva.

So the AncestryDNA test is a saliva test meaning that potentially 80% of the people who might take it would be secretors. This also means that 20% of the people who take it would not be supplying a sample of their blood type antigens.

Does Ancestry Test Your Blood Type?

The simple answer here is no, they do not test your blood type. This would require a very specific test which is not at all inexpensive. Also because their testing uses saliva there would be no guarantee of a result even if they did.

As mentioned they did briefly try to offer a health screening test but even that would not have been a reliable test of blood type. So essentially if you want to get your blood type from your AncestryDNA test you wont get it from the company itself. This does not mean it is not possible, so read on for some tips on getting your blood type.

External Testing Companies Who Can Use Your Ancestry Results

The beauty of AncestryDNA is that it allows you to download your DNA results into a special digital file that you can upload onto other sites. This is handy because there are a few commercial companies who claim to be able to use this raw DNA data to help determine your blood type.

One of the most reputable because of its connection to MyHeritage is a company called Promethease. This is a trusted site that can produce a health panel using your DNA results for around twelve dollars.

As mentioned however this may only work for about 80% of people who do so because it is still data from a saliva test. If there are no blood type antigens in the sample you gave to Ancestry then Promethease will not be able to determine your blood type.

There are multiple other sites that claim to be able to use your Ancestry results to give you a medical report, some who are reputable but others not so much. If you decide to take this route do your homework first. Also remember that if you are not a secretor then the only way you can determine your blood type is an actual blood test.

The Ancestry Test Is Not Always Accurate

Just another warning here, let's say you are a secretor and there are blood type antigens in your AncestryDNA sample. It still may be the case that you cannot get an accurate result from one of these sites.

The reason for this is that Ancestry only tests a small sample of your genome. These testing sites will be looking for specific markers in your DNA to help predict your blood type. If the results of your test do not have all of the needed markers then you might not get an accurate result.

This may lead to an estimate of you being for example type A or B while in fact you are actually B+. The simple fact is you cannot beat a blood test for determining your blood type. Saliva tests are hit and miss so don’t let CSI fool you. It's not that easy to get a blood type from a spit stain.

Other Free Ways to Get your Blood Type

Donate Blood

Interesting piece of trivia because I grew up in England during the 1980s. I am not allowed to donate blood in the United States. It’s true, look it up. If however you are permitted to donate blood this is a great way to get a free test of your blood type.

As part of the process they have to determine your blood type so just make sure to ask them what it is once they test. This is also just an awesome thing to do because your donations may save someone's life one day. I wish I was allowed to donate blood but rules are rules.

Earn Money and Get a Result

There are some places which will actually pay for you to donate your blood plasma. They also have to determine your blood type and the beauty here is you make a little cash for doing this. Just make sure the plasma center you visit is a reputable one.

How Else Can You Find Out Your Blood Type?

You may already have your blood type documented somewhere. Talk to your parents, they may know the answer or perhaps they still have your medical records from childhood. Your blood type may be written on some document stored in a box in the basement so do some digging before spending money.

Ultimately though if your parents do not know or there are no documents available go and see your doctor. They can either tell you your blood type if they have it on file or just very easily test your blood for you.

Conclusion

There are many reasons we may need to know our blood type, some of which are life saving. When it comes to testing a blood sample is best although with 80% of people a saliva sample may work.

We cannot learn from Ancestry itself what our blood type is but we might be able to use their results of our test to have a third party company find out. As mentioned however this is hit and miss and may not produce any results at all.

You can donate blood or sell your plasma to receive a free or even lucrative answer to your blood type question. It is also possible the answer is in your parents basement in a box of old medical records. Failing all of this your best off just going to your doctor who may already know the answer or who can do the definitive blood test to give you your blood type.

Neil Edwards

Neil Edwards

Genealogist and family-tree research specialist

Neil was born in Shropshire, England surrounded by centuries of living history. His interest in the past has been a lifelong passion leading to undergraduate degrees in both Economic History & Geography and History & Politics.

This interest in history quickly translated to family history when he moved to the U.S. in 2010. It was here that he began working on his own family tree as well as that of his American wife. That research allowed him to gain a wealth of experience working with both U.S. and European genealogical documents and studying their best uses in researching family history.

Following 9 years of honing his genealogical research skills, Neil was proud to have earned a certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University in late 2019. Neil also took part in the research process for a Duke University study into the families of 19th Century UK Members of Parliament.

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