Ancestry DNA Match

[ReadyDale]

Hi 4b2

That's brilliant guidance. Makes me wish it wasn't so late today, otherwise I'd go back online.
My friend has given me access to her list of matches vast majority are maternal, apart from the one detailed above and about three others. 94/93/56 cM. So a lot smaller. Two of those are the same surname, so once I've finished working down the initial contacts branches, that may be my next target.
Let's hope a few people on that side did the "marriage before kids" bit 🤣
Thanks again

[4b2]

Hi 4b2

That's brilliant guidance. Makes me wish it wasn't so late today, otherwise I'd go back online.
My friend has given me access to her list of matches vast majority are maternal, apart from the one detailed above and about three others. 94/93/56 cM. So a lot smaller. Two of those are the same surname, so once I've finished working down the initial contacts branches, that may be my next target.
Let's hope a few people on that side did the "marriage before kids" bit 🤣
Thanks again

93-94 are useful. They would probably be 3rd cousins, or half 2nd cousins or 2nd cousins once removed or 2nd cousins.
56 is more ambiguous. It could be a 2nd cousin to 4th cousin, with all the halves and removed too.

It seems there is enough to give strong co-ordinates at least.

[Murrell]

Hi I'm not sure how accurate Ancestry is l have a match 802 cm which they show as 1st cousin or 1/2 Aunt
Maybe wrong but to dna painted it should be 1/2 1st cousin or 1/2  Aunt Im inclined to take the dna  painter as more accurate

[Glen in Tinsel Kni]

Hi I'm not sure how accurate Ancestry is l have a match 802 cm which they show as 1st cousin or 1/2 Aunt
Maybe wrong but to dna painted it should be 1/2 1st cousin or 1/2  Aunt Im inclined to take the dna  painter as more accurate

There  are 8 or 9 relationships at that amount but the Ancestry prediction will always veer to the closest (and use age information if available but often overlooks big same generation age differences), hence 1st cousin or 1/2 Aunt topping their list.

I have half siblings in their 80's but I'm in my 50's and have H1C1R's & half nieces/nephews who are older than I am. Ancestry doesn't always handle it well.

[Biggles50]

Any match in the approx 80-110cM range can be very useful.

If it helps I am in my mid 70’s and in the absence of any other information then whatever Ancestry says I make a presumption that the DNA match in this range is likely to be a 3C and of an age of about c65.

Then I’ll build a wide tree around them going back to at least their 3xGGP’s if possible.

Refining the presumption along the way as needed.

As part of the process I will look at Shared Matches and try to incorporate them in the tree.

Sometimes I’m lucky but if it is a case of no joy then the relationship is revisited.

As an actual set of examples, an Irish tree of 900 and about 20 DNA Cousins all linked into it.

Another one is an Italian tree of 700 and 4 close matches linked into with over 150 DNA Cousins who fit somewhere.

Hence why the crossed flags as my icon.

[louisa maud]

I had a DNA  done but not with Ancestry, it doesn't show maternal or paternal line, I suppose you could call it joint , how does one go about maternal  and paternal as separate  DNA 's, hope that makes sense.
Although I have been  researching my family for years it wasn't till I was gifted a test that I showed any interest,  it didn't  come  up with what I thought it would either

LM

[Glen in Tinsel Kni]

I had a DNA  done but not with Ancestry, it doesn't show maternal or paternal line, I suppose you could call it joint , how does one go about maternal  and paternal as separate  DNA 's, hope that makes sense.
Although I have been  researching my family for years it wasn't till I was gifted a test that I showed any interest,  it didn't  come  up with what I thought it would either

LM

In MH make a group, assign a coloured dot and name it paternal, repeat to make a maternal group. As you work out which side matches fit add them to the relevant group. If you already use grouping (eg by surname or family line(, you can add matches to multiple groups. 

[Biggles50]

I had a DNA  done but not with Ancestry, it doesn't show maternal or paternal line, I suppose you could call it joint , how does one go about maternal  and paternal as separate  DNA 's, hope that makes sense.
Although I have been  researching my family for years it wasn't till I was gifted a test that I showed any interest,  it didn't  come  up with what I thought it would either

LM

As Glen suggests, use the grouping features.

Additionally I suggest buying an Ancestry DNA kit when they are next on an acceptable deal.

You will probably have vastly more useful DNA matches on Ancestry.

For me My Heritage 3 = Ancestry 125, that is DNA matches who are now linked into my trees.

On my Wife’s My Heritage 0 = 115 on Ancestry.

Hedging bets and testing with each useful company offers the more chances of solving those mysteries.

Good luck

[ReadyDale]

Thanks for all the suggestions/comments/experiences. They are all most useful. Some I can't follow through, as (I think) they require a more advanced Anc sub than my friend has, and money is tight.
One question (and sorry if this is naive). In the Anc matches, I have filtered on just Paternal. Within that, when I look at each matches "Shared Matches", they seem fall in to two distinct groups that share (seemingly randomly) with others within that group, but not with the matches in the other group.
Is it a reasonable assumption that these two sub groups of the paternal matches represent my friend's paternal grandfather and paternal grandmother relations?
And further, if I work up a couple of trees for each side, they "should" (could) vector in at my friend's mysterious father?

Lastly (and more of an opinion thing)...
Why do people get tests done, appear as matches, only to not have trees and not have a user name that gives any clues how they might tie in? Not having a go in any way, just curious why.