Utilizing iGENEA DNA Test to Illuminate Personal Identity: A Focus on the Surname Conn
Family name Conn
Navigating my heritage through the iGENEA DNA test has not only confirmed my Irish lineage tied to the surname Conn, but also revealed a more diverse European heritage. It has greatly impacted my perception of selfhood, familial identity, and connection to my surname.
Discovering my genetic heritage through the iGENEA DNA test has deeply affected my sense of personal identity. I’ve always felt a strong connection to the surname Conn, feeling the weight of generations, history, and identity tied to just four letters. However, the results from my DNA test layered on intricate details and expanded my understanding and connection to my surname.
Born and raised in the United States, I always knew that my roots extended beyond this country. This manifested itself mainly through the family stories passed down from generation to generation and the surname Conn, which was always said to hark back to Irish origins. But, this connection felt obscure and elusive—something kept at arm's length by the passing of time, the vast ocean, and a lack of concrete evidence.
Through the iGENEA DNA test, it suddenly became indisputably real. My DNA was a testament to my Irish heritage. However, the results also revealed an unexpected diversity, exhibiting traces from across Europe. Discovering this expansive genetic diversity fascinated me and challenged my monolithic notions of familial identity. I learned it was normal for our genes to tell stories of numerous migratory events and relationships. My connection to the name Conn no longer felt singularly Irish but was now a symbol representing my multi-layered heritage.
The name Conn has always symbolized family, traditions, and ancestral pride for me. Now, it carries a more profound meaning—rich in history and diversity. I see myself not just as a representative of the Conn lineage, but as a vibrant tapestry of genes carrying multiple cross-cultural narrations within me.
This journey into my ancestral past with iGENEA has shifted my perspective of selfhood. It has provided a more inclusive approach, an understanding that I am part of a wider, interconnected human family. While the surname Conn remains central to my identity, the meaning has now evolved. It is an identity enriched by the personal discovery of the diversity within me.
I now know that we carry our past in our genes—a past that stretches far beyond what we can visibly see or definitively track. Enriched with complex strands of DNA, I now engage with my personal heritage with a renewed, encompassing vision. More than ever, I feel a strong sense of belonging to the Conn family and the lineage it represents, but also, I perceive my identity as inseparable from the broader human tapestry.
A. Conn