RootsChat.Com
General => Ancestral Family Tree DNA Testing => Topic started by: Mart 'n' Al on Sunday 01 December 19 14:00 GMT (UK)
-
It is 18 months since I got my DNA results, including a list of about 8000 potential cousins. I have worked hard at processing this information but I thought it would be useful to document what I have done, and invite others to add to the list. I am very keen to contact people as remote as 5th cousins, in the hope that they can tell me something about our shared ancestry. I know some people are very protective about their DNA results, but I am of the opposite belief. I have made my results available to as many websites as possible.
The very first thing to do, if your testing company makes it possible, is to download your raw data. If you are able to do this this there will be a menu option readily visible. You can then upload your raw data to various websites. The very first one should be Gedmatch, a free website which allows the comparison of DNA data from multiple and different test companies.
https://www.gedmatch.com/login1.php
Also, people who have done this are obviously more interested in their DNA, than in the slightly apocryphal ethnicity estimates which are often the motivation for people being tested.
You should also familiarise yourself with Blaine Bettinger's DNA chart.
https://dnapainter.com/tools/sharedcm
Also his What Are The Odds? tool (WATO)
https://dnapainter.com/tools/probability
For a better understanding of DNA, chromosomes, etc, look initially for articles aimed at children initially. They explain things more simply.
These are the following websites where I have uploaded my data. I hope other Rootschat people will add to this list.
https://dna.land/register
https://www.familytreedna.com/
https://members.geneticaffairs.com/welcome
https://livingdna.com/
https://www.myheritage.com/
Martin
-
A few additional thoughts.
Build as much as possible of your tree, including collateral lines, while waiting for your results. This makes it much easier to figure out how matches fit in.
Work systematically and learn the quirks of how each site works. Read the help pages. Watch videos on youtube. Read genetic genealogy blogs. Join facebook groups where you can learn and ask questions.
Learn about the power (and limitations) of using shared matches to narrow down where a match might fit in.
-
I would also suggest people check out Family History Fanatics interesting series of videos about DNA
https://blog.familyhistoryfanatics.com/
Cheers
Guy
-
I agree with Craclyn and Guy, but I find the lady on the FHF videos a bit shrieky, as I do the Ancestry YouTube lady.
Martin
-
Unfortunately you sometimes have to put up with irritating voices to get the videos with good content :)
-
I agree with Craclyn and Guy, but I find the lady on the FHF videos a bit shrieky, as I do the Ancestry YouTube lady.
Martin
MartinUnfortunately you sometimes have to put up with irritating voices to get the videos with good content :)
Well said.
-
Hello Martin,
Thanks for your posting. There were a couple of sites that were new (and looked pretty useful) to me.
The latest improvements on Ancestry had eliminated one of the previous frustrating aspects of DNA match results. I have processed all my matches back to 15.0cM and promised myself not to venture below that value until I have finished processing any match >15.
The "matches not yet viewed" means I can quickly locate "newcomers" >15.0cM. I flag them with a gold star and then can filter and work down the list again.
I also use a flag I have entitled "no shared matches" and again, using filter can quickly revisit occasionally to see if they now match a recently arrived new result.
Finally, I always place the date of my latest visit as the first entry in the notes section. This enables me to whizz through passing anything 'recent' on the assumption that stuff doesn't change that often.
Ancestry DNA has proved fascinating for me. I even identified two fourth cousins, living in the same street in a Welsh village, who knew each other but had no idea of their connection to each other!
-
Hi Martin,
I hope you don't mind me asking but I've received my DNA results from Living Dna and was about to upload it to Gedmatch as you suggest. I had a good read of the Terms and Conditions but got cold feet at the bits about email addresses being visible to potential matches and the possibilities for identity theft. Have you found this to be a problem or did you set-up a separate, dedicated email account for any contacts arising which doesn't use your actual name?
Many thanks,
Pixie
-
PixieAnna, I haven't had any problem with my address being available there. I think what you put in your binbag and recycling box is more revealing. You could always create a free address on Gmail or something similar.
Martin
-
Hi everyone,
What a great thread! I am a definite newbie to DNA testing but if it helps anyone else, this is what I have done so far since receiving a MyHeritage DNA kit for Christmas:
1. MyHeritageDNA kit for Christmas
2. Whilst waiting for kit results:
a. Made sure that I kept developing my family tree
b. Starting reading book tracing your ancestors using DNA: A guide for family historians (a bit heavy!)
3. When kit results returned:
a. Contacted top two on MyHeritage DNA matches
i. Top one replied, quickly establishing the link between the first match and the second match on my matches list.
ii. Established that most recent direct common direct ancestor were great great grandparents
iii. Was able to add a few more names to my tree.
4. After kit results returned:
a. Downloaded raw results from MyHeritage
b. Uploaded results to gedmatch
c. Uploaded results to Family Tree DNA
d. Uploaded results to DNA Painter
5. Where next?
a. Although I have uploaded to the sites in 4 above I still need to work out exactly how to get the best out of them (any and all advice welcome!)
Nic
-
Good start Nic. As you build your tree further on MyHeritage you will get additional clues through their Theory of Relativity. Updates to it are not very frequent though so you need to be patient for that one.
Just take it a step at a time learning how to use the other sites that you have uploaded to. You will find it takes more effort to work with some of them as they do not give the option of attaching trees so you get less information on each match. You might also want to consider testing at AncestryDNA who have by far the largest database for matching against.
-
Thanks Martin - I'll do that! :-)
-
Mainly in response to Nic @ reply 9..............
3. When kit results returned:
a. Contacted some top MyHeritage DNA matches.
b. Only one has replied; saying she has no idea how to work out what the relationship might be, but it was nice to meet me! :-\
4. Uploaded results to Family Tree DNA:
a. Contacted top match who has not replied.
b. Contacted several others, 2 of whom replied but said they were unable to see my tree, and supplied no information.
c. Got into settings .... Hope I have now made the tree public viewing.
d. Found the Matrix (in family finder section).
e. Spent the morning finding 10 matches who ALL match to each other, and several more who match to 9 or 8 of that 10.
f. Have sent personalised messages to the 4 who match to ALL of those at e. Plan to send a generic message to the others, this afternoon, in the hope that someone does reply.
g. Shall also upload data to Gedmatch.
Many thanks to all for advice on this and other threads.
-
Good start Nic. As you build your tree further on MyHeritage you will get additional clues through their Theory of Relativity. Updates to it are not very frequent though so you need to be patient for that one.
Just take it a step at a time learning how to use the other sites that you have uploaded to. You will find it takes more effort to work with some of them as they do not give the option of attaching trees so you get less information on each match. You might also want to consider testing at AncestryDNA who have by far the largest database for matching against.
Thank you Craclyn, nothing yet on MyHeritage's Theory of Relativity :( although as you say, I'll be patient!). This morning's task is to add my tree to those DNA sites that I can. With regards to testing on Ancestry, that is on the to do list but thought I should try to understand what I can do with my DNA results first. Exciting (and confusing) times ahead!
Regards,
Nic
-
It seems to be several months between each run of the Theory of Relativity so if you have recently connected your result and tree you will not get anything until the next run.
-
Gedcom now uploaded to Gedmatch, FTDNA and DNAPainter.
Focus is now on learning how to use these sites effectively!
-
So what happens when MyHeritage gives me 12 entirely correct "smart matches" from my father backwards, but refuses to allow contact with the manager of the tree, which incidentally, appears to have 210,000+ names on it!! :-\
(Or should I start a new topic?)