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 of ancestry

• lineage
• genealogy
• origin
• pedigree
• descent
• family
• breeding

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

Arenado’s mother, Millie, is of Puerto Rican and Cuban ancestry. —Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 25 Feb. 2026

The sheriff's office confirmed investigators are looking into investigative genetic genealogy, a relatively new forensic tool made possible by the rise in popularity of consumer genetic testing, where people can send their DNA to find out about their ancestry and locate potential relatives. —Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 22 Feb. 2026

And Knight notes that people of European ancestry are more likely to be in public genealogy databases than other groups, which can affect the strategy's reach. —Bill Chappell, NPR, 19 Feb. 2026

That’s my crime, is my ancestry. —Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 19 Feb. 2026

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