UAE: How To Trace Ancestors Dating Back Centuries Using One's DNA, Saliva

Ancestry testing has been a long-standing practice, and now in the UAE, RAK Hospital has expanded the service with the addition of novel Y-DNA testing that analyses one's DNA or biological blueprint using saliva to uncover family origins, ethnic background, and lineage.

"By comparing an individual's DNA with populations worldwide, it helps identify ethnic composition, admixture (interbreeding), relatives, and family history within roughly five to seven generations," RAK Hospital said in a statement to Khaleej Times on Thursday.

The Y-DNA testing analyses the Y chromosome found only in males. Scientists have increasingly used it to study human migration, evolution, and population spread. Its unique mutations remain fixed over generations, allowing researchers to trace exact sequences and map paternal ancestry in detail.

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Y-DNA testing can determine familial connections between male relatives - such as father-son, brothers, or cousins - and estimate the number of generations since a shared paternal ancestor. When combined with Ancestry testing, it provides a comprehensive view of both paternal and overall lineage.

How Y-DNA testing works

RAK Hospital combines next-generation sequencing (NGS) with its proprietary bioinformatic algorithms, and with just a simple saliva sample, it opens a window into paternal lineage.

Passed exclusively from father to son, Y-DNA allows men to explore male migration patterns across thousands of years. (The analysis) zooms in on paternal lineage, showing where one's father's ancestors came from and how they journeyed through history. The report also includes a link to a real-time interactive map, tracing the footprints of ancestors as they migrated across the globe.

Dr Hafiz Ahmad, head of molecular division at RAK Hospital and microbiology chairperson at RAK Medical & Health Sciences University, said: "Ancestry testing is not just science - it's a journey into your past. With Y-Haplogroup testing, we can trace paternal roots, explore migration paths, and connect people to their historical heritage in a way never done locally before."

"Based on several years of ancestry data from our NGS Lab, Haplogroup J1 (J1-P58) has emerged as the major Arabic haplogroup, predominantly found across the Arabian Peninsula, accounting for 40 to 75 per cent of the population in certain regions. Approximately 34 per cent of UAE males tested at RAK Hospital belong to this haplogroup, along with other Haplogroups J2, E1, and R1 also found among the local UAE population, highlighting that the DNA of people in the UAE shares significant similarities with populations across the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia," he added.

"The ancestral genetic signatures identified in Emiratis are also found in individuals from countries such as Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and India. This overlap underscores the UAE's long history as a crossroads of trade, migration, and cultural exchange, stretching back centuries," Dr Ahmad further explained.

"There's something profoundly exciting about connecting with your past," added Dr Raza Siddiqui, executive director at RAK Hospital. "Discovering where your ancestors came from, understanding the journeys they undertook, and seeing how their stories continue in your DNA. Our combined Ancestry and Y-Haplogroup tests let people experience this personal journey of discovery, making history feel alive and deeply personal."

"Humans have always been curious about their origins, but today technology allows us to explore this curiosity like never before," noted Dr. Ashendu Pandey, CEO of RAK Hospital. "We can uncover detailed insights into lineage, migration, and genetic heritage that were impossible to access a decade ago. This is a leap in making the science of ancestry accurate, accessible, and meaningful for everyone in the UAE."

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