ancestry

noun

an·​ces·​try ˈan-ˌse-strē 

1

: line of descent : lineage

especially : honorable, noble, or aristocratic descent

2

: persons initiating or comprising a line of descent : ancestors

Synonyms

• birth
• blood
• bloodline
• breeding
• descent
• extraction
• family tree
• genealogy
• line
• lineage
• origin
• parentage
• pedigree
• stock
• strain

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

Customers send vials of their saliva to 23andMe for results on ancestry and health. —Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2025

In Kevin Nguyen’s gripping novel, the U.S. government sets up internment camps for citizens of Vietnamese ancestry following a wave of terrorist attacks. —Meg Zukin, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2025

Gaia then takes this assumption and merges it with both modern locations and genetic structure to create a dynamic picture of ancestry. —Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025

New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont and Rhode Island have the highest rates of residents claiming Irish ancestry, according to the Census Bureau. —Jennifer Borresen, USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

ancestry

noun

an·​ces·​try ˈan-ˌses-trē 

1

: line of descent

2

: one's ancestors