Subject: FW: The Ancestry Insider: #FGS2014 Conference: AncestryDNA Matches

From: "Nancy Miller" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2014 23:38:18 -0700

This blog post might help those that did their DNA on Ancestry.

From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]] On Behalf Of The Ancestry Insider
Sent: Wednesday, September 3, 2014 10:16 AM
To: [email-masked]
Subject: The Ancestry Insider: #FGS2014 Conference: AncestryDNA Matches

 <http://www.ancestryinsider.org/> The Ancestry Insider: #FGS2014 Conference: AncestryDNA Matches 

 <http://www.ancestryinsider.org/> 

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 <http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AncestryInsider/~3/CouAVdzVP3s/fgs2014-conference-ancestrydna-matches.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email> #FGS2014 Conference: AncestryDNA Matches 

Posted: 03 Sep 2014 07:00 AM PDT

At the 2014 annual conference of the  <http://www.fgs.org> Federation of Genealogical Societies, Anna Swayne of  <http://www.ancestry.com/> Ancestry.com presented the session “Utilizing AncestryDNA Matching to Break Through Brick Walls in your Research.” This is the last of three articles about that presentation.

  <http://lh4.ggpht.com/-TbeAnfLc10M/U-OKWw91idI/AAAAAAAAGe8/ai70Nepyn3I/image%25255B30%25255D.png?imgmax=800> When you get your DNA tested from AncestryDNA, you get two types of results: an ethnicity estimate and a report of matches. AncestryDNA compares your DNA to the DNA of the other people, now numbering 500,000, who have submitted DNA. AncestryDNA shows matches based on the amount of shared DNA. Even if you don’t have your results linked to a tree, you will see matches. 

If you have your results linked to your tree, even more information is possible. AncestryDNA compares your tree to the tree of each match to find the most recent common ancestor.

Because it provides a link to the tree, some people establish a tree that they use just for DNA matches. It contains just the subset of information they wish to share with their DNA matches.

Swayne showed a fan chart that she had marked up to show the most recent common ancestors she shares with her DNA matches. I’ve shown mine, below. (Apparently, I didn’t inherit the genealogy gene from Grandpa Insider.) Because DNA is lost with each successive generation, it is a good idea to have your earliest living ancestors tested. If your grandparents are all deceased, consider having as many of their children tested as possible. If you have no living parents, consider having your siblings tested in addition to yourself. Swayne has done so and showed on her fan chart the additional matches she found by doing so. 

  <http://lh6.ggpht.com/-NKUkUPSmQxE/VAJOdLofazI/AAAAAAAAGlA/NC_B0OvhOgI/image%25255B10%25255D.png?imgmax=800> 

AncestryDNA might show you lots of matches, so filtering the results is very useful. (See image, below.) One filter is the Hints filter. Pushing this button shows only the matches for which you and the match share a known, common ancestor. Another filter is the favorites filter. Click the star next to a match to add it to your favorites. Click New to see new matches. Visit often; AncestryDNA doesn’t notify you of new matches. It is also possible to attach a note on a match to allow you to remember things about that match. 

  <http://lh6.ggpht.com/-XmPfwY0SmF0/VAJOeJ1DVpI/AAAAAAAAGlI/SWwyDYyBiiI/image%25255B5%25255D.png?imgmax=800> 

AncestryDNA can help you break through brick walls in a number of ways. I don’t remember if Swayne mentioned all of these. (We’re at the point that my memory of what was exactly said is starting to fade.) The most straightforward way is to find a cousin who has already broken through your brick wall. AncestryDNA allows you to anonymously contact DNA matches. You can then compare research notes that may not be available online. If you are African American, DNA can break through the brick wall of establishing the area of Africa from which you descend. 

Sometimes DNA doesn’t directly give the answer, but gives you sufficient clues to bust through your brick wall. Even if no common ancestor is found with a DNA match, AncestryDNA displays a list of common surnames in your trees. To identify the matches pertaining to your brick wall, use the search box. It can be found to the right of the filter buttons. (See the image above.) You can search by surname and location to find matches that might pertain to your brick wall. Approximate date is figured using the estimated relationship between you and the DNA match. For example, if AncestryDNA estimates that you are 3rd cousins, then you might share a common ancestor four generations earlier. Using a generation length of 34 years,1 then your common ancestor was born about 136 years ago. If you were born in 1950, your common ancestor was born about 1814. This gives you surname, place, and date in which to focus your traditional research to break through your brick wall. 

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Sources

     1.  John Barrett Robb, “How Long is a Human Generation?” [website has no title] ( <http://www.johnbrobb.com/Content/DNA/How_Long_Is_A_Human_Generation.pdf> http://www.johnbrobb.com/Content/DNA/How_Long_Is_A_Human_Generation.pdf : accessed 30 August 2014). Donn Devine, “How Long is a Generation?” Ancestry, September-October 2005, 51-53; preview these pages on Ancestry Book ( <http://books.google.com/books?id=JzgEAAAAMBAJ> http://books.google.com/books?id=JzgEAAAAMBAJ : accessed 30 August 2014), search for “reckon”.

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Notice: The opinions expressed herein are those of the Ancestry Insider, not necessarily those of Ancestry.com or FamilySearch. All content is copyrighted by the Ancestry Insider unless designated otherwise. See http://ancestryinsider.blogspot.com for other important legal notices.

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