Final answer:
Ancestry estimation relies on analyzing a person's DNA fingerprint, which must include markers from both parents. Paleodemographic studies utilize skeletal remains and transition analysis for age estimation, with new methods improving accuracy over traditional ones.
Step-by-step explanation:
To provide an ancestry estimation, a typical method involves analyzing a person's DNA, which includes genetic markers that can provide information about their lineage. In the case of a child, their DNA fingerprint must contain a combination of genetic markers inherited from both their mother and father to establish a biological relationship. Assessing ancestry through genetic testing can lead to insights into one's collective history and feelings of racial belonging, as noted in the research by Jada Benn Torres and Gabriel Torres Colón.
In the field of paleodemography, adult age estimation is often carried out by examining skeletal remains to determine ages at death. Traditional methods have used known-age-at-death reference samples, although newer, less biased methods have been developed to improve accuracy and limit the underestimation of ages, especially in older adults. Information such as the one from the Largest Ancestry: 2000 census data can also provide context about ancestral groups over time and their patterns of descent.