Journey Into My Past: An Emotional exploration of my Ancestry with iGENEA
Family name Hermann
My iGENEA experience was a profound journey of self-discovery. It provided ground-breaking insights into my Eastern European ancestry, whilst unveiling the deep-rooted German origins that lie behind my surname, Hermann. A newfound sense of belonging and a surge of gratitude were among the many emotions experienced during this journey.
My journey with iGENEA was not just a simple DNA test, but a profound exploration into the depths of my ancestry and a profound emotional experience. Swabbing cells from my mouth, packing them, sending them off and waiting anxiously for the elaborate analysis to unfold was exactly like embarking on a deeply personal journey of self-discovery.
The first revelation about a significant share of my DNA being of Eastern European origin was ground-breaking. It aligned with the stories I had heard throughout the years, of distant family members on my mother’s side hailing from the Slavic regions. Suddenly, those stories were now substantiated and connected to my genetic makeup.
The revelation that touched me the most was uncovering the roots of my surname, Hermann. Over the years, it had seemed almost ordinary. However, the DNA test illuminated its origins and its evolution. My surname turned out to have deep-rooted German origins, carrying stories of forefathers who had braved battles, survived adverse conditions, and contributed to cultural shifts.
iGENEA revealed that the Hermanns were amongst the German settlers who migrated East during medieval times. The test findings even suggested a possible link to a medieval noble lineage. Discovering this mesmerising historical lens to look at my family's past entities was not only a leap into the past, but also a considerable impact on how I perceive my present and future.
Looking back at my experience with iGENEA, it provided a unique sense of belonging and a surge of gratitude. I feel a deepened respect and emotional attachment to my family, their journeys and notably to the surname Hermann. Every letter that makes up Hermann carries the weight of an exciting ancestral past, and now every time I use it, I'm filled with an elevated sense of pride.
V. Hermann