This is great process to follow. I would like to see you do this with more challenging situations where Common Ancestors may not show up at all in a Protools match list. I'm an Australian with Irish, English, Welsh and Scottish ancestors. I only have 6500 maternal matches and 9500 paternal matches. I only have 220 Common Ancestors. I have one NPE. I've been trying to identify who this person is for 20 years to no avail.
need more videos on DNA and matches cause to me it is confusing right now with the pro tool which I have, great videos and you explain things do good thanks and keep it up
I have a new, beginner-friendly video that's almost ready to publish! It should be up by the end of the day. So I hope you'll check that out. :) And thank you for your kind words!
Thanks so much Dana. I've been using the Pro tools for a while now but at a basic level. I now understand how to use them to their full potential. Thanks again
Yes, they can be inaccurate. I have found many of mine to be accurate. And if a lot of people who are all sharing DNA with each other are tracing back to the same family, it’s a good indication that it is correct. However, I will always do traditional genealogy, too! This is kind of a quick & dirty “check” to see what part of the family makes sense. 😊
Great video Dana, really helps with using the filters. My problem is i have a major problem of a lot of my matches appear on both sides, i think due to a previously unknown great grandfather that appears with a different woman on maternal/paternal. Unfortunately everyone else that has him on their family tree has him with the woman he married and not his other two girlfriends. I can't figure if he is a case of endogamy or pedigree collapse or something completely different.
I'm glad you liked it! Are these "both sides" matches" high cM or low? If low, it could be just by chance. For example, I have quite a few that are under 20 cM. If high, it's likely something different. For example, my husband's great-uncle has lots of "both sides" matches. I have never looked into this, but it would be an interesting study!
but if the others tree owners dont know the common grandparent ancestor that goes further back than your own. a three great or four great it doesnt help there, right?
@@thegenealogyprofessional, Thank you! Great question! The hashtags are carried over from a Google Chrome Extension I had years ago. By using it, you could search for any #. But, I still like the look as it helps me to quickly see people’s first and last names together as a group. Another great way to do that would be to write it like this: JohnSMITH MaryWRIGHT. (I might have to change my method!)
I would like to be able to filter by those I have linked/not-linked to tree. I haven't used the new tools (membership expired), but since a 1C just popped up (we can't figure out our common grandmother's parents) I should sign up again. I've been using MyHeritage and had some success building most of my paternal side to the 3rd ggp and some beyond, but even using common matches from a 2C, I still can't connect anyone else. On Ancestry I've found some really low matches (8-12cM) that I was able to connect, but of my 100 "close" matches, which are between 20-58cM, I have not been able to find the elusive common ancestors.
Hi, Elke! That's great that you have a new 1C match! I hope this helps you identify your shared grandparents. On your regular list, you can filter by private linked trees, public linked trees, or unlinked trees, under "trees" in the "filter by" section at the top of the match page. And, when using the enhanced shared matches, you can sort your shared matches the same way! I do encourage you to give it a try. :)
I have multiple matches to me and my cousins. We only share chromosome 1 at 18-52cms. D matches multiple people who all share a Simmons ancestor. K matches everyone but has no one with a Simmons surname in her tree. I have no documented Simmons in my tree and no names in common with K or D. It is assumed this match is to an ancestor with an unknown 1st wife because the shared cms are strongly tilted to possible half-cousins. But the biggest issue : there is zero geographical connection to any of the trees involved. I've been working on this mystery via DNA for over 10 years. I would have moved on if the cms were less than 20, but most of the cms are higher than 20 shared cms.
Hi, Sharon. Are you a part of the Genetic Genealogy Tips & Techniques Facebook group? Blaine Bettinger has posted about these groups of mystery relatives that he's able to connect to each other but he can't figure out how he's related to them. If you search that group for "mystery cluster," you'll find out more! Hope this helps. :)
I enjoyed this Dana. My problem is you went super fast so I couldn't really keep up with what you were doing. I have a lot of brick walls in my tree and I also have a lot of trees that are described as you describe them where you have cousins that don't have trees or they're all private etc. So I was trying to follow along so that I could come up with a way to go through these trees and try to figure things out. Overall though it would be a very helpful video.
Hi, Bonnie. Thanks for leaving the comment! I hope you are able to watch it again and get more out of it. I understand it can be tough to keep up, especially with complex topics like this. Stay tuned! I'm working on more DNA videos about using your shared matches. We all have brick walls and matches without trees, and I will be sharing more tips to help you work through these problems. If you have any specific questions or topics you'd like me to cover, please let me know. Happy researching!
Use the Playback Speed adjustment tool to slow down the video. Click on the gear icon in the upper right corner of the video (if you’re viewing on a computer). Choose a slower speed and try watching again. You can also watch the video gradually by pausing it when you encounter a new concept and take notes, play it again, or try something out on your own.
Hi, Marie. I started using hashtags for my DNA match notes years ago because of a Google Chrome extension that could filter by them. Although that extension no longer works, I've continued the practice. I use hashtags like #JohnSmith #MaryWilliams for ancestral couples. This format helps me quickly identify the common ancestors and keeps each individual's name distinct, which I find visually helpful when scanning through my notes.
How do you get the 2 different shared matches when I do it all I get is me at the top and one of the matches not both of ones I want to compare. Sorry not explaining very well.
@@joanthomas7079 Hi, Joan! I am using the Pro Tools which is an additional $10 for one of access. Although I’ve not seen it, my understanding is that people who are not paying for the Pro Tools can see 3 of their shared matches. But, if you live outside of the U.S., I’m not sure if you can access this tool. I’d have to check.
Still no chromosome browser, and Ancestry charges extra for this extended shared matches feature while their competitor has these features and don't charge extra for them.
@DanaLeeds I can do the same for free at MyHeritage and save the money. Also, TrueLines is only as accurate as the underlying family trees. Lastly, this extended matches has very little genealogical value if the goal is to extend your tree back in time instead of filling your tree with thousands of living fourth cousins.
This is very interesting but it went very fast for me. I’m not sure that I followed the logic in whom you put together as shared matches to begin with. I’ve done a fair amount of genealogy on my family by using records, but I have not worked with DNA and really don’t understand most of it. I will try to experiment with more shared matches, but if you could recommend a more introductory video, I’d appreciate it.
Hi, Lynn. If you want to learn more about shared matches, I suggest this video: ua-cam.com/video/Y59fM5DW-GI/v-deo.htmlsi=c6YxqS331D9GM0I6 Then let me know if you have more questions!
The big difference is we can now see how much DNA our matches share with each other! And that means that we can identify many people we weren't able to identify before. For example, maybe Jane Smith doesn't have a tree. But now we can see that Mary Bell is her SISTER, and she has a tree, and we can place her on our tree! So now we know exactly who Jane Smith is. That's amazing!
Because, as a commercial enterprise, Ancestry's aim is to screw as much profit out of their customers as they possibly can. Surprised I needed to say it.
@@nickmiller76 That is my point; it’s just grinding every penny out of their customer base. They ask you to fill out questions about your dna traits and then charge people extra money to see it. They do the same to trees you fill out. I could go on but I agree with you.
One of the best places to find more recent family members is in obituaries. You can search newspaper sites or just Google for obituaries! I couldn't do a lot of what I do without obits. :)
You can actually change the relationship Ancestry DNA match tool assigns each individual, instead of having to note it (ie, Tanya, who you have noted as 2nd cousin 2x removed and Ancestry is saying 2nd cousin 1x removed) up at the top, "Edit Relationship." Good idea to do this whenever you've officially added them to your tree. Only allows designation to 4th cousin however (Ancestry, change this!) and then they just get slopped into Distant Relative designation.
@@DanaLeeds And I hadn't thought of using notes for relationships, which would be extremely useful as I have quite a few instances of multiple relationships/pedigree collapse (mostly two families intermarrying for one or two generations) that play havoc with my DNA matches. It would be nice if Ancestry allowed multiple relationships to be marked.
@@kmr84100, Great point! I have pedigree collapse on my mom's mom's side. We have several instances of cousins marrying cousins. I do add both relationships to my notes. :)
@@DanaLeeds You can also use the function to link the DNA match to a person in your tree (once you've added the match to your tree). Then you can easily see in your match list who is already added (there will be a green circle with a tree icon next to their DNA profile photo). It's one less thing you have to put in your notes. I use PRO and love the Pro Shared Match tool What I really wish is there could be a sort on that matches highest DNA shared matches so you don't have to page through pages of matches to find those that are the closest.
@@jancook1425, Thanks for another tip! I know about linking people to your tree, but I’ve honestly been a bit hesitant to do that. This is a good reminder for me to look into what happens when you do that! And I’m curious as to what you put in your notes? Others can answer, too. :) Crista Cowan has said the feature to sort by the shared match’s amount of DNA is a feature that is coming! I don’t know when, but that’s what we’ve been told. 🎉
I did the DNA through ancestry and found that I'm the one still doing most of the research and having to pay extra fees still to add data from my ancestors. It doesn't give pics. Well, it does for an extra cost. The site is not easy to navigate, and to say the least, I'm extremely disappointed in ancestry.
I'm sorry to hear that! I have used it for over 10 years, so it's probably easier for me since I've just had to make adjustments as things change. It's hard to imagine what it would be like for someone new to Ancestry. If you have specific questions, I'm happy to try and answer them!
@DanaLeeds The most disappointing part is they want a new subscription started for each different piece of information about a family member even after paying for the dna kit.
@@AZCardCollector1, This shows information about the various memberships: support.ancestry.com/s/article/AncestryDNA-and-Memberships?language=en_US With DNA Plus, you should be able to see all of your shared matches, which is huge! You might watch this video if you haven't: ua-cam.com/video/Y59fM5DW-GI/v-deo.html You're also able to see your match's trees and ThruLines, which should be very helpful. Those are the key things I'd look at. Hope that helps!
Hi, Gwyneth. I'm happy to help! To get to Shared Matches, click "DNA" at the top of your Ancestry page and then "Matches." If you want to see shared matches - those matches who share DNA with one of your matches - click on the name of one of your matches. That takes you to their "tree" page. A little below the circles with photos or initials, there are 3 choices. One of those is "shared matches." Hope this helps!
Okay, a couple questions. Do old DNA tests have all this data available? What level of ancestry membership to use? Will this help us determine how many generations away a common parent is from two trees of cousins with an unknown parent? Can I contact you?
@@danfall1003, Hi! The feature costs an extra $10/month, but you can use it with any DNA test at Ancestry - even if they’re old. You need an Ancestry family history membership AND AncestryDNA Pro Tools to access the enhanced shared matches. As far as your question about these cousins, how close are they? The way to determine how many generations back is to actually identify these unknown parents. Try my latest video: ua-cam.com/video/pJSbPdFWevc/v-deo.htmlsi=_FFr4AVR87q2yqqL And, yes, you can contact me: drleeds@sbcglobal.net
This is great process to follow. I would like to see you do this with more challenging situations where Common Ancestors may not show up at all in a Protools match list. I'm an Australian with Irish, English, Welsh and Scottish ancestors. I only have 6500 maternal matches and 9500 paternal matches. I only have 220 Common Ancestors. I have one NPE. I've been trying to identify who this person is for 20 years to no avail.
@@christinecollins180, Great idea! I will add that to my list. :)
Great job Dana, You're great at simplifying concepts into laymans terms, clear and concise.
@@franklinsmith4391, Thanks, Franklin! I really appreciate it. Hope you’re doing well! 😊
need more videos on DNA and matches cause to me it is confusing right now with the pro tool which I have, great videos and you explain things do good thanks and keep it up
I have a new, beginner-friendly video that's almost ready to publish! It should be up by the end of the day. So I hope you'll check that out. :)
And thank you for your kind words!
Very helpful!
Was wondering if Ancestry shows shared matches less than 20cM in these new pro tools.
@@ginachester, They do! They go down to your lowest matches, but they only go down to 20 cM for your shared match.
Thanks so much Dana. I've been using the Pro tools for a while now but at a basic level. I now understand how to use them to their full potential. Thanks again
@@WandererdarlingCool, You’re very welcome! I hope to post a second part of my process next week, so hope you’ll watch for that. ;)
great tutorial, thank you Dana, easy to follow and understand 🤩
@@wendypowell7866, You’re welcome! And thank you! 😊
Very helpful video w/ great examples. Learned a lot - thanks
You’re welcome, Kathleen! And thanks for leaving a comment. 😊 I hope to share a “Part 2” next week!
It's interesting that you are using thrulines. I've found them inaccurate at times. Great video!
Yes, they can be inaccurate. I have found many of mine to be accurate. And if a lot of people who are all sharing DNA with each other are tracing back to the same family, it’s a good indication that it is correct. However, I will always do traditional genealogy, too! This is kind of a quick & dirty “check” to see what part of the family makes sense. 😊
Great video Dana, really helps with using the filters. My problem is i have a major problem of a lot of my matches appear on both sides, i think due to a previously unknown great grandfather that appears with a different woman on maternal/paternal. Unfortunately everyone else that has him on their family tree has him with the woman he married and not his other two girlfriends. I can't figure if he is a case of endogamy or pedigree collapse or something completely different.
I'm glad you liked it! Are these "both sides" matches" high cM or low? If low, it could be just by chance. For example, I have quite a few that are under 20 cM. If high, it's likely something different. For example, my husband's great-uncle has lots of "both sides" matches. I have never looked into this, but it would be an interesting study!
but if the others tree owners dont know the common grandparent ancestor that goes further back than your own. a three great or four great it doesnt help there, right?
Actually, it can! I often figure out people's ancestors, even when they aren't on their tree. Or I even find where they've made mistakes!
Looks like an amazing tool. Thanks for this very helpful video!
You're welcome! It's a great tool, and I can't wait to explore it more. I hope to release a "part 2" video next week! :)
Great video Dana! Why do you use # before ancestor names in your notes? Are you able to search on it by doing that?
@@thegenealogyprofessional, Thank you! Great question! The hashtags are carried over from a Google Chrome Extension I had years ago. By using it, you could search for any #. But, I still like the look as it helps me to quickly see people’s first and last names together as a group. Another great way to do that would be to write it like this: JohnSMITH MaryWRIGHT. (I might have to change my method!)
I would like to be able to filter by those I have linked/not-linked to tree. I haven't used the new tools (membership expired), but since a 1C just popped up (we can't figure out our common grandmother's parents) I should sign up again. I've been using MyHeritage and had some success building most of my paternal side to the 3rd ggp and some beyond, but even using common matches from a 2C, I still can't connect anyone else. On Ancestry I've found some really low matches (8-12cM) that I was able to connect, but of my 100 "close" matches, which are between 20-58cM, I have not been able to find the elusive common ancestors.
Hi, Elke! That's great that you have a new 1C match! I hope this helps you identify your shared grandparents.
On your regular list, you can filter by private linked trees, public linked trees, or unlinked trees, under "trees" in the "filter by" section at the top of the match page. And, when using the enhanced shared matches, you can sort your shared matches the same way! I do encourage you to give it a try. :)
I have multiple matches to me and my cousins. We only share chromosome 1 at 18-52cms. D matches multiple people who all share a Simmons ancestor. K matches everyone but has no one with a Simmons surname in her tree. I have no documented Simmons in my tree and no names in common with K or D. It is assumed this match is to an ancestor with an unknown 1st wife because the shared cms are strongly tilted to possible half-cousins. But the biggest issue : there is zero geographical connection to any of the trees involved. I've been working on this mystery via DNA for over 10 years. I would have moved on if the cms were less than 20, but most of the cms are higher than 20 shared cms.
Hi, Sharon. Are you a part of the Genetic Genealogy Tips & Techniques Facebook group? Blaine Bettinger has posted about these groups of mystery relatives that he's able to connect to each other but he can't figure out how he's related to them. If you search that group for "mystery cluster," you'll find out more! Hope this helps. :)
I enjoyed this Dana. My problem is you went super fast so I couldn't really keep up with what you were doing. I have a lot of brick walls in my tree and I also have a lot of trees that are described as you describe them where you have cousins that don't have trees or they're all private etc. So I was trying to follow along so that I could come up with a way to go through these trees and try to figure things out. Overall though it would be a very helpful video.
Hi, Bonnie. Thanks for leaving the comment! I hope you are able to watch it again and get more out of it. I understand it can be tough to keep up, especially with complex topics like this. Stay tuned! I'm working on more DNA videos about using your shared matches. We all have brick walls and matches without trees, and I will be sharing more tips to help you work through these problems. If you have any specific questions or topics you'd like me to cover, please let me know. Happy researching!
Use the Playback Speed adjustment tool to slow down the video. Click on the gear icon in the upper right corner of the video (if you’re viewing on a computer). Choose a slower speed and try watching again.
You can also watch the video gradually by pausing it when you encounter a new concept and take notes, play it again, or try something out on your own.
@@Historian212, Thanks for sharing these tips with Bonnie (and whoever else might need them)! 💕
How does the tags in your notes to other ancestors work?
Hi, Marie. I started using hashtags for my DNA match notes years ago because of a Google Chrome extension that could filter by them. Although that extension no longer works, I've continued the practice. I use hashtags like #JohnSmith #MaryWilliams for ancestral couples. This format helps me quickly identify the common ancestors and keeps each individual's name distinct, which I find visually helpful when scanning through my notes.
Thank-you. The video was really helpful.
Thanks! I plan on sharing part 2 next week, so stay tuned. 😊
How do you get the 2 different shared matches when I do it all I get is me at the top and one of the matches not both of ones I want to compare. Sorry not explaining very well.
@@joanthomas7079 Hi, Joan! I am using the Pro Tools which is an additional $10 for one of access. Although I’ve not seen it, my understanding is that people who are not paying for the Pro Tools can see 3 of their shared matches. But, if you live outside of the U.S., I’m not sure if you can access this tool. I’d have to check.
@@DanaLeeds ty
@@joanthomas7079, You’re welcome!
Still no chromosome browser, and Ancestry charges extra for this extended shared matches feature while their competitor has these features and don't charge extra for them.
@@richardoneal1055, True, but you can use it for a month for only $10 and then turn it off until you want it again.
@DanaLeeds I can do the same for free at MyHeritage and save the money. Also, TrueLines is only as accurate as the underlying family trees. Lastly, this extended matches has very little genealogical value if the goal is to extend your tree back in time instead of filling your tree with thousands of living fourth cousins.
This is very interesting but it went very fast for me. I’m not sure that I followed the logic in whom you put together as shared matches to begin with. I’ve done a fair amount of genealogy on my family by using records, but I have not worked with DNA and really don’t understand most of it. I will try to experiment with more shared matches, but if you could recommend a more introductory video, I’d appreciate it.
Hi, Lynn. If you want to learn more about shared matches, I suggest this video: ua-cam.com/video/Y59fM5DW-GI/v-deo.htmlsi=c6YxqS331D9GM0I6
Then let me know if you have more questions!
It is a great tool. However, in spite of a large tree going back 4-5 gens in Poland, to have that many common ancestors would be wonderful.
I understand! I know many countries have a lot fewer DNA test-takers than the U.S. But it sounds like you've had a lot of success in your research!
Thanks for this. I don't see how it could be a game changer though, Ancestry already showed matches in common, cm's shared and relationship estimates.
The big difference is we can now see how much DNA our matches share with each other! And that means that we can identify many people we weren't able to identify before. For example, maybe Jane Smith doesn't have a tree. But now we can see that Mary Bell is her SISTER, and she has a tree, and we can place her on our tree! So now we know exactly who Jane Smith is. That's amazing!
Why isn't this a standard feature to regular subscriptions with a DNA match?
@@pixelpatter01, Hi! I am not affiliated with Ancestry and don’t have any additional information.
Because, as a commercial enterprise, Ancestry's aim is to screw as much profit out of their customers as they possibly can. Surprised I needed to say it.
@@nickmiller76 That is my point; it’s just grinding every penny out of their customer base. They ask you to fill out questions about your dna traits and then charge people extra money to see it. They do the same to trees you fill out. I could go on but I agree with you.
it is stuff you already know. it does help find living family... or recently deceased which are hard to find also because census stops at 1950/
One of the best places to find more recent family members is in obituaries. You can search newspaper sites or just Google for obituaries! I couldn't do a lot of what I do without obits. :)
You can actually change the relationship Ancestry DNA match tool assigns each individual, instead of having to note it (ie, Tanya, who you have noted as 2nd cousin 2x removed and Ancestry is saying 2nd cousin 1x removed) up at the top, "Edit Relationship." Good idea to do this whenever you've officially added them to your tree. Only allows designation to 4th cousin however (Ancestry, change this!) and then they just get slopped into Distant Relative designation.
Great point! I have seen that, but I have always just put these relationships in the notes. I think I'll do both! :)
@@DanaLeeds And I hadn't thought of using notes for relationships, which would be extremely useful as I have quite a few instances of multiple relationships/pedigree collapse (mostly two families intermarrying for one or two generations) that play havoc with my DNA matches. It would be nice if Ancestry allowed multiple relationships to be marked.
@@kmr84100, Great point! I have pedigree collapse on my mom's mom's side. We have several instances of cousins marrying cousins. I do add both relationships to my notes. :)
@@DanaLeeds You can also use the function to link the DNA match to a person in your tree (once you've added the match to your tree). Then you can easily see in your match list who is already added (there will be a green circle with a tree icon next to their DNA profile photo). It's one less thing you have to put in your notes. I use PRO and love the Pro Shared Match tool What I really wish is there could be a sort on that matches highest DNA shared matches so you don't have to page through pages of matches to find those that are the closest.
@@jancook1425, Thanks for another tip! I know about linking people to your tree, but I’ve honestly been a bit hesitant to do that. This is a good reminder for me to look into what happens when you do that!
And I’m curious as to what you put in your notes? Others can answer, too. :)
Crista Cowan has said the feature to sort by the shared match’s amount of DNA is a feature that is coming! I don’t know when, but that’s what we’ve been told. 🎉
I did the DNA through ancestry and found that I'm the one still doing most of the research and having to pay extra fees still to add data from my ancestors. It doesn't give pics. Well, it does for an extra cost. The site is not easy to navigate, and to say the least, I'm extremely disappointed in ancestry.
I'm sorry to hear that! I have used it for over 10 years, so it's probably easier for me since I've just had to make adjustments as things change. It's hard to imagine what it would be like for someone new to Ancestry.
If you have specific questions, I'm happy to try and answer them!
@DanaLeeds The most disappointing part is they want a new subscription started for each different piece of information about a family member even after paying for the dna kit.
@, What kind of membership do you currently have?
@DanaLeeds i subscribed for the dna plus. I thought that would give me more info, but in reality, it did nothing.
@@AZCardCollector1, This shows information about the various memberships: support.ancestry.com/s/article/AncestryDNA-and-Memberships?language=en_US
With DNA Plus, you should be able to see all of your shared matches, which is huge! You might watch this video if you haven't: ua-cam.com/video/Y59fM5DW-GI/v-deo.html
You're also able to see your match's trees and ThruLines, which should be very helpful.
Those are the key things I'd look at. Hope that helps!
Can someone please tell me how do I get to Shared Matches? Cheers Gwyneth
Hi, Gwyneth. I'm happy to help! To get to Shared Matches, click "DNA" at the top of your Ancestry page and then "Matches."
If you want to see shared matches - those matches who share DNA with one of your matches - click on the name of one of your matches. That takes you to their "tree" page. A little below the circles with photos or initials, there are 3 choices. One of those is "shared matches."
Hope this helps!
Okay, a couple questions. Do old DNA tests have all this data available? What level of ancestry membership to use? Will this help us determine how many generations away a common parent is from two trees of cousins with an unknown parent? Can I contact you?
@@danfall1003, Hi! The feature costs an extra $10/month, but you can use it with any DNA test at Ancestry - even if they’re old. You need an Ancestry family history membership AND AncestryDNA Pro Tools to access the enhanced shared matches. As far as your question about these cousins, how close are they? The way to determine how many generations back is to actually identify these unknown parents. Try my latest video: ua-cam.com/video/pJSbPdFWevc/v-deo.htmlsi=_FFr4AVR87q2yqqL
And, yes, you can contact me: drleeds@sbcglobal.net