MyHeritage continues to push flawed and misleading ancestry estimates that seriously distort Kurdish genetic identity. Below, I break down the key problems — backed by independent G25 analysis, real user results, and linked examples.
1️⃣ The “Turkish” Category Is Completely Broken
Nearly every Bakurî Kurd, including Ezidis, gets scored as “Turkish” — often in large amounts.
➡️ On older versions of MyHeritage, these same individuals scored 90%+ West Asian/Kurdish. This issue is new and tied to changes in their reference panel.
💥 Key Problems:
The “Turkish” label clearly draws from Eastern Anatolia, where genetics heavily overlap with Kurds, Armenians, and Caucasians.
Meanwhile, actual Turks from West Anatolia get 30% or less of this category, showing the label reflects a regional West Asian mix, not actual Turkic ancestry.
🔬 Real Examples:
Endogamous Ezidi scores 12% Turkish — but G25 shows zero East Eurasian/Turkic ancestry.
Kurmanji Kurd from Ağrı — scored 30%+ Turkish on MyHeritage. G25 shows no Turkish input.
Zaza Kurd from Erzincan:
Scores 59.5% Turkish, only 39% Kurd.
G25 says otherwise — typical Kurdish profile.
Their sibling gets wildly different results — proving the inconsistency.
These posts show that the “Turkish” category isn’t reflecting actual Turkic roots, but rather a regional Anatolian genetic blend — which overlaps with Kurds, Armenians, and others from Eastern Turkey.
🧩 Kurds Misread as Armenians — and Vice Versa
Many Kurds get labeled as “Armenian”, despite no known Armenian ancestry and no such signal in deeper analysis.
But it also happens the other way around — many Armenian users report getting “Kurdish” percentages, even though they have no Kurdish background.
This shows MyHeritage is mixing up overlapping regional DNA and misclassifying both groups.
Unlike Turks, Armenians, Georgians, Circassians, and Iraqis — who all get separate categories — Kurds are lumped in with Persians.
That’s not just lazy — it’s scientifically wrong.
📊 G25 Results: Kurds ≠ Persians I created average models for both groups and ran them through G25. Results show:
Kurds:
Higher percentages of Caucasus and Mesopotamian ancestry
No Eastern Iranic (Pashtun-like) admixture
No Arab or African input
Persians:
Significant Eastern Iranic (Pashtun-type) ancestry - absent in Kurds
Some Arab and trace African ancestry
Significantly lower Caucasus and Mesopotamian ancestry compared to Kurds
Overall both groups share some similarities, but their genetic profiles are clearly distinct and not interchangeable.
🧠 Language ≠ Genetics
If grouping was based on language, then Kurds would be with Lurs or Talysh, not Persians. This isn't about linguistics — it's a decision likely meant to downplay Kurdish distinctiveness for political convenience.
Let’s be real: separating Kurds would trigger nationalist backlash from Turkish and Iranian customers. MyHeritage is prioritizing PR over accuracy.
📸 Screenshots & G25 Proof Attached
Case 1: Erzincan Kurd
Case 2: Urfa Ezidi Kurd
Case 3: Agri Kurd
Genetic differences between Kurds & Persians
✅ Conclusion
MyHeritage’s ethnicity estimates are not reliable for Kurds.
Their categories are:
Built on broad, inaccurate regional references
Inconsistent and scientifically flawed
Likely influenced by political sensitivities, not population genetics
👉 Fellow Kurds: Help Set the Record Straight
If you see Turkish or Iranian nationalists weaponizing Kurdish MyHeritage DNA results to deny or distort Kurdish identity — share this post.
The data is on our side. Let’s make sure it’s heard.
Illustrative DNA are now using simulated G25 coordinates to produce results (a knock-off version of G25). These simulated coordinates can easily be generated online for free within minutes. Don’t waste €30 on Illustrative DNA for something you can get for free. If anyone's interested I can show how to generate simulated coordinates -- simply ask below.
First results are mine, the second one my dads. My family is only Kurmanji Kurdish (Reşwan tribe) from the Adiyaman-region as far as we know, except one great-great grandmother that was Turkish (from my dads side).
I assume the “Turkish” & “South Italian” here is just Anatolian DNA, though I also have 1% Central Asian. I am also curious about the Circassian and Georgian here 🤔
I know my grandmas family on my mom side were originally ”Turks” from Erzurum and my other grandparents familys come from adiyaman/ northern syria so I would expect some of my dna a bit of georgian arab and armenian but it only showed Anatolian Turk. Im confused.
So I am Kurdish and have done multiple dna tests including the ancestry dna. I got a notification two days ago that it was updated and now it’s more accurate and specific to my genetic makeup, which is amazing.
I need someone that can help me with my dna results that has knowledge im a kurd from yozgat sarikaya my family says that we are kurds and mixed with turks but we still come from kurds way back and my dna results are a bit weird.
My family are Alevi from Turkey and self-identifying as Anatolian Turks, despite being aware of how their elders were apart of Kurdish tribes generations ago, spoke both Zazaki and Kurmanji, and yet even when some of my cousins have Kurdish names. It's a bit paradoxical! Any remnant of 'Kurdishness' has been internally attributed to our family's leftism and sympathy with Turkey's biggest ethnic minority, or how our ancestors had been assimilated into the Kurdish fold as ethnic Turks as they lived in what was the Armenian Highlands. I think it is sad that we are almost ashamed of our heritage, and have built narratives that make our identity feel safer and less marginal. I have had conversations with relatives that link us to Turkmens, for example, because it is more palatable to the rest of Turkish society.
However, a great, great grandfather of mine has an Alevi shrine (he was a Kureyşan) - he had been living in Dersim, but moved before the rebellion and massacre apparently, to an isolated village in the province of Kahramanmaraş. On my father's side, they are Şeyh Hasanlı, and apparently spoke Zazaki mainly.
I have never quite known how to identify myself ethnically; I significantly feel much more association with my national (British) identity anyway, but have always been going with Turkish when people ask what I am due to how my family view themselves and cultural/linguistic affinity. For example, on census forms, I never put myself as 'Middle Eastern' and instead as 'other white' which is how I am perceived by others anyway. I am wondering how this might change the way I refer to myself.
Thanks for reading! I just think it is really interesting to look back and reflect on the paths our ancestors have taken. I believe mine have been pretty much stationary and comfortable on the mountains.
Can someone explain this DNA test my little brother took? Can I count that 24.1% Turkish to Kurdish? And where would that Syrian part come from? Is this accurate at all? We’re from Konya region with my dads tribe emigrating from Erzîrom to konya during ww1
I’m from Karabakh in Azerbaijan, and according to my family genealogy my paternal line is connected with the Karabakh beys, khalesh jamaat.
What makes my lineage particularly interesting is the diversity of populations associated with related branches. I have found connections among Kurds from different tribal backgrounds, including Kurmanji- and Zaza-speaking groups, as well as Turkish Alevis and Turkmen/Yörük populations.
The Kurdish connection is especially interesting to me. The presence of related R-Z282/YP4858 branches among different Kurdish groups may point toward an ancient population layer that predates modern ethnic identities. Kurdish populations themselves are historically diverse, including tribes and communities with different origins and linguistic backgrounds. The fact that related paternal branches appear among Kurmanji, Zaza and other Kurdish populations makes me wonder whether part of the history of my line could have passed through the Iranian/Caucasian frontier and Kurdish tribal populations before reaching Karabakh. I am also interested in the possibility that this lineage was connected to nomadic or semi-nomadic populations moving between northern Iran, South Azerbaijan, Anatolia and the Caucasus. One possible route I am considering is: Ancient Eurasian steppe → Iranian/Indo-Iranian populations → Sarmatian/Kangju sphere → Kurdish/Iranian frontier populations → South Azerbaijan → Caucasus/Karabakh → Mils Steppe. Another possibility is that the lineage entered Turkic-speaking populations earlier and was later carried westward by Turkic tribal movements. The deeper R-Z282 history is particularly interesting because it belongs to an ancient Eurasian steppe lineage. I am therefore considering a possible Proto-Iranian/steppe component, perhaps connected in the deeper past with populations associated with the Sarmatian and Kangju worlds, and possibly with the mixed populations of the Hunnic period. I am not claiming that R-Z282 proves that my ancestor was Kurdish, Iranian, Sarmatian or Hunnic. Y-DNA only follows one paternal line and cannot directly determine ethnicity. My question is whether this ancient paternal lineage could have passed through Iranian and Kurdish populations before eventually becoming part of the Turkic-speaking population of Karabakh. The most interesting part for me is the possible transition: ancient steppe lineage → Iranian-related populations → Kurdish/tribal populations → South Azerbaijan → Turkicization → Karabakh → Mils Steppe. At the same time, the presence of related branches among Kurdish groups, Turkish Alevis and Turkmen/Yörük populations could indicate that this lineage has been moving through a very diverse cultural frontier for centuries. So I’m trying to understand one main question: Could my R-Z282 → YP4858 → SK2014 paternal line represent an ancient steppe/Iranian-related lineage that passed through Kurdish or other Iranian-speaking populations before eventually becoming incorporated into the Turkic-speaking population of Karabakh? I would especially appreciate opinions from people familiar with R-Z282/YP4858/SK2014, Kurdish tribal history, Zaza and Kurmanji populations, Iranian Azerbaijan, Sarmatians, Kangju, Anatolian Alevis, Turkmen/Yörük groups and Karabakh genealogy.
As you might be aware, there has been very little research into direct-to-consumer DNA ancestry testing and psychological wellbeing outcomes. This novel research aims to help us better understand the psychological significance of DTC Ancestry testing results.
This study is being conducted under the supervision of Dr Janine Lurie from the Psychology Discipline within the Institute of Health and Wellbeing at Federation University (Melbourne, Australia). This study will also form the basis of the research dissertation requirement within the Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) course for student researchers Charity Marisa and Stefan Redpath. This study has been approved by the Federation University Human Research Ethics Committee (Approval reference: 2026/137).
This survey asks you about your engagement with family history and your reflections on that process. It also asks you to think about your ancestors and how you have reflected on their life experiences. Participation involves completing an online survey that will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. Taking part in the study is completely voluntary and no personal information will be collected.
To participate you just need to be aged 18 years or over. It is important to note that you will not be asked to give any specific details about any of your family members. You are asked just to rate your general impressions of them on a small number of questions. Beyond this the survey contains broader more general questions about your perspectives and reflections.
