Taking a DNA test with MyHeritage can help you discover relatives and better understand how you are connected to your family. One of the most common questions people have after receiving their results is how maternal and paternal DNA are passed down, and what each can reveal about different branches of their family history. Understanding the difference starts with knowing what “maternal” and “paternal” DNA actually mean, and how DNA is inherited from both sides of your family.
What do “maternal” and “paternal” DNA mean?
Every person inherits DNA from both their mother and their father, but not all DNA is passed down in the same way. Understanding what is meant by maternal and paternal DNA helps explain why different DNA tools can reveal different parts of your family history.
Maternal DNA refers to DNA inherited through your mother. All people receive maternal DNA, and one specific type of DNA — called mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) — is passed from a mother to all of her children. This DNA follows a direct maternal line from generation to generation.
Paternal DNA refers to DNA inherited through your father. While everyone inherits DNA from their father, one specific type — the Y-chromosome — is passed only from father to son. This makes it possible to follow a direct paternal line through male descendants.
It’s important to note that these terms describe how DNA is inherited, not who can explore it. “Maternal” does not mean “only women,” and “paternal” does not mean “only men.” Instead, they refer to distinct inheritance paths that exist within human DNA.
Most of your DNA is a mix from both parents and is reshuffled in every generation. Other parts follow a single parental line with very little change over time. This difference is why some DNA tools are better suited for exploring recent relatives on both sides of your family, while others focus on a single maternal or paternal line stretching much further back.
What is maternal and paternal lineage tracing?
Tracing a maternal or paternal line means researching one direct line of your family, rather than all branches at once. In everyday language, maternal and paternal are often used to describe a mother’s or father’s side of the family in general. In genealogy and DNA research, however, lineage tracing is more specific and focuses on a single direct line, also known as a matrilineal line (through mothers) or a patrilineal line (through fathers).
For example, tracing your maternal line follows your mother, her mother, her mother’s mother, and so on. Tracing your paternal line follows your father, his father, his father’s father, and so forth. Each approach looks at one continuous line, rather than the many branches that make up a full family tree.
There are many reasons someone might choose to research their family this way. For some, it’s a practical decision: as each generation adds more relatives, focusing on one line can make research more manageable. Others are interested in traits, identities, or traditions that are passed down specifically through the mother or the father, such as certain cultural or religious affiliations, naming traditions, or historical titles.
Whatever your reason for focusing on a maternal or paternal line, DNA testing can be especially helpful. However, not all DNA tests work the same way, and understanding which types of DNA follow matrilineal or patrilineal lines is key to choosing the right test.
Different types of DNA tests and what they tell you
There are several types of DNA tests available commercially today. The three most common types are autosomal DNA, Y-DNA, and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA).
An autosomal DNA test examines only the autosomes — that is, the chromosomes in your DNA that are not sex chromosomes. These chromosomes contain DNA code that was inherited from both of your parents in random combinations. So an autosomal DNA test won’t necessarily tell you which parent passed on a particular DNA sequence. However, because it covers a much wider range of DNA than the other types, it is the only kind that provides a comprehensive list of DNA matches from both sides of the family. Autosomal DNA identifies relatives from both sides up to ~5–7 generations.
While everyone inherits 50% of their autosomal DNA from each parent, other types of DNA follow more specific inheritance paths.
A mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA test examines the genetic code located in the mitochondrion. Most of our DNA can be found in the nucleus, or center, of a cell, but some of it is located in a different part of the cell called the mitochondrion. This part of the cell is almost exclusively passed from mother to child. This means that a mtDNA test can give you information that is specific to the maternal line in your family. mtDNA tests trace only the direct maternal line, and are useful for deep maternal ancestry research, including haplogroups and ancient migrations.
A Y-DNA test examines the genetic code located on the Y chromosome, which is only found in biological males. Since this chromosome is inherited exclusively from the father and never from the mother, the DNA analyzed on this type of test will give you information that is specific to the paternal line in your family. Of course, one downside is that this test can only be done on people who are biologically male.
Y-DNA tests trace the direct paternal line, which makes them useful for surname projects (in cultures where the surname is passed down through the father’s line) and deep paternal research.
DNA test type comparison: autosomal vs. mtDNA vs. Y-DNA
| Test type | Inheritance route | Best for | Limitation |
| Autosomal | Both parents | Finding recent relatives | Fades after ~5–7 generations |
| mtDNA | Mother → all children | Deep maternal ancestry | Limited close matches |
| Y-DNA | Father → son only | Deep paternal ancestry | Only in males |
Can a woman trace her paternal DNA?
Yes — even though a person who is biologically female can’t take a Y-DNA test, she has two options for researching her paternal line through DNA:
- Autosomal DNA test: As mentioned above, autosomal testing casts a wider net and is not restricted by biological sex
- Y-DNA test for a male relative: They can test a male sibling or cousin who has the paternal lineage they are researching (the son of her father’s brother, for example)
What type of DNA test does MyHeritage offer?
MyHeritage offers an autosomal DNA test, as this type of test provides the broadest view of your genetic connections and is the most versatile for people who want to explore their genealogy and family history.
When developing the MyHeritage DNA test, our Science team considered the different types of DNA testing available. While Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) tests can offer valuable insights into direct paternal or maternal lines, they focus on a single line and typically identify a smaller number of matches. Autosomal DNA testing, by contrast, looks across both sides of your family and makes it possible to connect with relatives from many different branches.
For many genealogists, this wider matching capability is especially useful. DNA matching often helps confirm relationships, uncover new connections, and move past research roadblocks, particularly when combined with family trees and historical records.
For this reason, MyHeritage chose to offer autosomal DNA testing.
When you take a MyHeritage DNA test, you’ll receive an Ethnicity Estimate and a comprehensive list of DNA Matches from our global database. You won’t see an automatic breakdown showing which DNA came from which parent.
That said, autosomal DNA testing can still help you learn about your maternal and paternal lines. By using DNA Matching together with MyHeritage’s advanced DNA tools — such as the Chromosome Browser, AutoClusters, and the Theory of Family Relativity™ — many users are able to determine which ancestors they share with a match and which side of the family those connections likely come from.
Using MyHeritage’s advanced DNA tools to identify paternal or maternal DNA
Identifying whether a DNA match comes from your mother’s or your father’s side often relies on triangulation: comparing your DNA with that of known relatives to see which DNA segments you share in common.
If you recognize one or more relatives in the MyHeritage DNA database, you already have a strong starting point.
Step 1: Compare your DNA with known relatives
Use the Chromosome Browser to compare your DNA with that of a relative whose place in your family tree you know. For example, if you compare your DNA with a first cousin on your father’s side, the DNA segments you share are likely to have been inherited through your paternal line.
These shared segments can help you identify which parts of your DNA came from your father and, by extension, which of your DNA matches are likely related on that side of the family.
If you don’t yet have close relatives in the database, consider inviting family members to test. Having even one known relative can make it much easier to separate maternal and paternal DNA.
Step 2: Use triangulation to confirm shared inheritance
It’s important to keep in mind that shared DNA doesn’t always come from a recent ancestor. In some cases, especially in endogamous populations such as Ashkenazi Jews or Low German Mennonites, shared DNA segments may come from a common ancestor much further back.
To increase confidence that a shared segment was inherited through a specific parent, compare your DNA with more than one relative from the same side of the family. If multiple relatives share the same DNA segment with you, the likelihood that it came from a more recent maternal or paternal ancestor becomes much stronger.
Step 3: Group matches using AutoClusters
Another helpful tool is AutoClusters, which automatically groups your DNA matches based on shared DNA. Each cluster represents a group of people who are genetically related to one another.
If an unfamiliar DNA match appears in the same cluster as a known maternal or paternal relative, this provides a strong clue that the match belongs on the same side of your family. You can then return to the Chromosome Browser to compare DNA segments and explore the connection further.
Step 4: Use record-based clues with Theory of Family Relativity™
The Theory of Family Relativity™ feature can also help identify whether a DNA match is related on your mother’s or father’s side. By combining DNA data with historical records and family trees, it suggests how you may be related to a match, even if you don’t immediately recognize them.
These theories can provide valuable context and help point you in the right direction when working to separate maternal and paternal DNA matches.
Step 5: Label and organize your DNA matches
Once you’ve identified whether a DNA match belongs to your maternal or paternal side, you can make future research much easier by labeling your matches in MyHeritage. Adding notes or tags lets you record which side of the family a match belongs to, along with any relevant details you’ve uncovered.
Over time, this simple habit helps you recognize patterns more quickly, keep your research organized, and distinguish maternal and paternal matches at a glance.
Can I figure out which ethnicities I inherited from each of my parents using MyHeritage DNA?
While there’s no way to tease out exactly what percentage of each ethnicity you inherited from which parent using an autosomal DNA test, looking at your DNA Matches can give you some valuable clues. When you visit your DNA Match list, you can filter your results by ethnicity. Take a look at which matches show up in your list when you filter by a particular ethnicity. Are they mostly on your father’s side or your mother’s side? Or does there seem to be fairly equal representation from both?
Combining DNA with genealogical information
At MyHeritage, we believe that the most accurate and valuable way to learn about your family is using a combination of all the tools at your disposal. That’s why we have integrated the data from your DNA test with the rest of the information you can learn via MyHeritage tools: the family trees and historical records. By using these tools in combination, you can get much farther in your research than you’d be able to using each of them on their own.
For example, when you’re looking at a particular DNA Match and trying to figure out how you may be related, the most straightforward answer would come from a family tree that that DNA Match (or whoever is managing that person’s kit) has built on MyHeritage. By looking at their tree, you can easily identify ancestors you have in common and trace your relationship path. Historical records can help you confirm these relationships and verify that the other person’s tree is accurate.
Understanding how maternal and paternal DNA are inherited gives you a clearer picture of where your DNA matches fit, and helps turn raw DNA results into meaningful family connections.
Order a MyHeritage DNA kit today to start your journey of discovery!
FAQs about maternal and paternal DNA
What’s the difference between autosomal DNA and mtDNA or Y-DNA?
Autosomal DNA comes from both sides of your family and helps find relatives from all branches. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is passed down only from your mother, while Y-DNA is only passed from fathers to sons.
Can I trace my mother’s side if I’m a man?
Yes, everyone can trace their maternal ancestry even using mtDNA because both men and women inherit mitochondrial DNA from their mothers. This DNA changes very slowly over time, which helps track your direct maternal line far back through history, regardless of your own gender.
Why can’t women see their paternal line with DNA?
Women can actually trace their paternal line using autosomal DNA testing — they just can’t take a Y-DNA test, because they don’t inherit the Y chromosome, which is passed only from father to son. However, a woman who’d like to trace her Y-DNA can ask a close male relative — like a father, brother, or paternal uncle — to test for that part of the family.
How far back can mitochondrial or Y-DNA go?
Mitochondrial and Y-DNA can trace your direct maternal or paternal line back thousands of years. These DNA types change very slowly, which makes them great for looking deep into ancient ancestry, showing connections to early human migrations and even prehistoric roots.
Can two siblings have different mtDNA or Y-DNA results?
Siblings of the same sex will have the same mtDNA or Y-DNA, since it’s passed down unchanged along gendered lines. However, a brother and sister will differ: they both have the same mtDNA, but only the brother has Y-DNA. So results vary depending on which line you’re looking at.
Does tracing just one line tell my whole ancestry story?
No, tracing one line — maternal or paternal — shows only a small part of your ancestry. Those lines follow just one branch each, while autosomal DNA covers all your recent ancestors. Combining all types of DNA testing gives the most complete view of your family history.
Can MyHeritage tell me which parent I inherited a DNA match from automatically?
Not automatically. MyHeritage uses autosomal DNA testing, which doesn’t label matches by parent. However, by comparing your DNA with known relatives and using tools like the Chromosome Browser, AutoClusters, and the Theory of Family Relativity™, you can often determine whether a match comes from your mother’s or your father’s side and label it accordingly.
