Can You Get DNA From Cremation Ashes?

Almost always, no. DNA is destroyed by the heat of cremation, which the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) says usually runs between 1400 and 1600 degrees Fahrenheit. What is left is mostly calcium phosphates, not tissue, so DNA testing of ashes is very unlikely to work.

If you need a genetic link to someone who has been cremated, because of a family question, a medical history gap or a legal matter, there are better places to look. This guide explains why ashes rarely work, what a specialist lab can and cannot do, and what to try instead.

Why does cremation destroy DNA?

DNA is a fragile molecule, and bone protects it only up to a point. In forensic research on burned bone, the pattern is consistent: the hotter the fire, the less DNA is left.

• A 2011 study of burned remains (Schwark and colleagues) found DNA analysis was reliably possible from well-preserved and semi-burnt bone, but that DNA in black burnt bone was highly degraded and the most heavily burnt (blue-grey-white) bone barely gave reliable results.
• A 2024 study (Emery and colleagues) found that DNA recovery fell as burning increased, and that long bones, hand and foot bones, and teeth exposed to temperatures below 350 degrees Celsius were the best sources. That is about 662 degrees Fahrenheit, well below cremation temperatures.
• A 2025 PLoS One study of modern cremated remains notes that temperatures up to 1000 degrees Celsius and above destroy most organic matter, and says obtaining reliable DNA from such intensively burned remains is extremely difficult.

The 2011 and 2024 studies looked at forensic burned remains, not cremation chambers. The 2025 study looked at modern cremated remains directly. Cremation sits at the hot end of the same trend.

What are ashes made of?

CANA says cremated remains are mostly calcium phosphates with some minor minerals, white to gray in color. After cremation, a machine grinds the bone fragments until they are less than 1/8 inch in size, and the remains of an adult average four to six pounds. There is no soft tissue in them. See what happens during cremation for the full process.

You may have read that DNA hides in a dense skull bone called the petrous bone. It does survive better than other bones in unburned remains, but a 2017 study (Hansen and colleagues) found no measurable authentic human DNA in petrous bones from ancient cremated individuals. Bone that has been through cremation and then ground down is not a promising sample.

Can you use AncestryDNA or a similar kit?

No. Ancestry's own FAQ describes its test as one that uses a simple saliva sample, collected by a living person who spits into a tube. Ashes are not a sample these companies can process, and sending them would only waste money.

Can a forensic lab test ashes?

Some forensic and ancient-DNA laboratories may be willing to try, using specialized methods. Results depend on how burned the bone was, and cremation is at the extreme end, so success is unlikely.

If you want to try, treat it as a long shot:

• Ask the lab, before you pay, whether they have tested cremated remains and what they would count as a success.
• Get the price and what happens if the test fails in writing. We could not verify a typical price, so do not rely on figures from other websites.
• Ask the lab how it wants the sample handled, since contamination can ruin a test.
• Keep the rest of the ashes intact, because testing may use up what you give the lab.

If the result may be used in court, an inheritance dispute or an immigration case, speak to a lawyer first. Courts and agencies may accept only samples collected and handled in a specific way.

What are better ways to get a genetic link?

These usually work better than ashes, because they do not depend on surviving a cremation.

1. Stored medical samples. Biopsy or surgery tissue is often stored by a hospital or pathology lab. Under federal lab rules (42 CFR 493.1105), laboratories must keep pathology specimen blocks for at least 2 years and histopathology slides for at least 10 years. Hospitals and states may keep them longer, so ask the records department soon, because retention is limited.
2. Personal items. Things the person used, such as a toothbrush, razor or hairbrush, may carry usable DNA. Labs differ on what they accept and how often it works, so ask before you pay.
3. Living relatives. If the question is whether two people are related, testing relatives such as a parent, children or siblings can often answer it without any sample from the person who died. A lab or a family lawyer can explain the options.
4. An earlier test. If the person took a consumer DNA test, ask the company how an executor or next of kin can request access to the results. Policies differ by company.

Should you collect DNA before cremation?

Because heat is what destroys DNA, the dependable time to keep a sample is before cremation. If cremation has not happened yet and a genetic link matters to your family, say so to the funeral home or the doctor's office early. Ask whether a sample can be collected and who would store it, and whether a lab will hold it. Cremation cannot be undone.

How do you know the ashes are the right person's?

Families sometimes ask about DNA because they worry about a mix-up. Crematories use an identification system for this. CANA says the deceased is given a cremation number, usually on a stainless steel disc, that stays with the remains throughout their time at the cremation facility. If you have doubts, ask the crematory for its identification and chain-of-custody records, and read what to do if cremation goes wrong. Some families choose to be present at the cremation for peace of mind.

What to do next

1. If cremation has not happened, decide now whether any DNA sample should be kept.
2. If it has, look first for medical samples, personal items and living relatives.
3. If you still want to try the ashes, contact a lab before you spend anything, and agree the cost and risks in writing.
4. If a legal matter depends on the answer, speak to a lawyer first.