ancestry
noun
an·ces·try
ˈan-ˌse-strē 
Synonyms
Examples of ancestry in a Sentence
They claim to be of noble ancestry.
a person of unknown ancestry
She claims to be able to trace her ancestry all the way back to the earliest settlers.
Recent Examples on the Web
Dearborn, where 55% of residents have Middle Eastern ancestry, is believed to be the first city in the history of the U.S. to close government offices for the holiday.
—
Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 10 Apr. 2024
But Rainsy, who has Chinese ancestry, dismisses these attacks against his character as planted by the Cambodian government.
—Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Still, hundreds of thousands of Americans date their ancestry back to Midwestern black settlements.
—Sandra Dallas, The Denver Post, 2 Apr. 2024
Contextualizing her own place among storied ancestry, Sayet also recounts eye-opening parables involving such Mohegan figures as the tribal leader Uncas, the Presbyterian cleric Samson Occom and the medicine woman Gladys Tantaquidgeon (the performer’s great-aunt).
—Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024
Williams’ appearance on Maher’s podcast touched on the beginning of his career and how acting opportunities were scant because of his race (Williams is Black with Native American ancestry).
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024
Detectives were able to compare DNA found at the crime scene with what was available on popular ancestry websites and build a family tree, according to previous Statesman reporting.
—Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 5 Apr. 2024
Current eligibility is open to U.S. citizens with minimum one-quarter tribal ancestry, which follows the blood quantum once federally mandated of Native Americans.
—Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 30 Mar. 2024
And a new option will be available for the first time allowing respondents to identify as part of a new category, Middle Eastern or North African ancestry.
—Michael Wines, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024
Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 10 Apr. 2024
But Rainsy, who has Chinese ancestry, dismisses these attacks against his character as planted by the Cambodian government.
—Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Still, hundreds of thousands of Americans date their ancestry back to Midwestern black settlements.
—Sandra Dallas, The Denver Post, 2 Apr. 2024
Contextualizing her own place among storied ancestry, Sayet also recounts eye-opening parables involving such Mohegan figures as the tribal leader Uncas, the Presbyterian cleric Samson Occom and the medicine woman Gladys Tantaquidgeon (the performer’s great-aunt).
—Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024
Williams’ appearance on Maher’s podcast touched on the beginning of his career and how acting opportunities were scant because of his race (Williams is Black with Native American ancestry).
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024
Detectives were able to compare DNA found at the crime scene with what was available on popular ancestry websites and build a family tree, according to previous Statesman reporting.
—Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 5 Apr. 2024
Current eligibility is open to U.S. citizens with minimum one-quarter tribal ancestry, which follows the blood quantum once federally mandated of Native Americans.
—Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 30 Mar. 2024
And a new option will be available for the first time allowing respondents to identify as part of a new category, Middle Eastern or North African ancestry.
—Michael Wines, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ancestry.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near ancestry
Cite this Entry
“Ancestry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ancestry. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ancestry
noun
an·ces·try
ˈan-ˌses-trē
1
: line of descent
2
: one's ancestors
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