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SALT LAKE CITY — Lehi-based Ancestry has cut its workforce by 6% because of a “slowdown in consumer demand,” according to a Wednesday statement from the company CEO.
Ancestry, the largest for-profit genealogy company in the world, declined to verify how many employees the layoffs affected, though a company spokeswoman directed KSL.com to the company’s website, which claims that Ancestry currently employs 1,700 people — over 1,000 in Utah, 400 in San Francisco, and about 100 in Dublin, Ireland.
The company presumably laid off 109 employees if Ancestry’s current headcount is correct.
“Over the last 18 months, we have seen a slowdown in consumer demand across the entire DNA category. The DNA market is at an inflection point now that most early adopters have entered the category. Future growth will require a continued focus on building consumer trust and innovative new offerings that deliver even greater value to people,” said Ancestry CEO Margo Georgiadis in a company blog post.
In order to make “targeted changes” to better position the company to “marketplace realities,” Ancestry made the “difficult decision” to lay off a swath of employees, Georgiadis wrote.
“Any changes that affect our people are made with the utmost care. We’ve done so in service to sharpening our focus and investment on our core Family History business and the long-term opportunity with AncestryHealth,” she added.
Ancestry was founded nearly 25 years ago as a family history website that helped amateur and professional genealogists alike find records and information about their ancestors. The company has since launched DNA testing so customers can learn about their ethnicity, as well as the company’s most recent service: genetic testing that offers customers a genetic window into their health.
“Looking ahead, interest in Family History remains strong and we’re continuing to grow and invest in breakthrough solutions to help people understand their heritage and put people on the path to improved health and wellness,” Georgiadis wrote.
Ancestry declined to comment when contacted by KSL.com.
