Author Topic: How reliable are matches  (Read 651 times)

Offline 4b2

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Re: How reliable are matches
« Reply #9 on: Friday 08 August 25 00:34 BST (UK) »
Thank you 4b2 for your suggestions. I have been charting the strands from the presumed ancestor to the DNA match, most seem to work though there are anomalies with the shared matches.

What anomalies?

Offline Glen in Tinsel Kni

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Re: How reliable are matches
« Reply #10 on: Friday 08 August 25 00:47 BST (UK) »
Sometimes all you can do build the tree using traditional methods, note the contradicting information on documents/bmd and scrutinise the dna. I have one branch with some very creative birth certs and bmd entries that I revisit from time to time and although still not resolved I have chipped away at, several indications that one family group went to the USA look promising but it's accessing Fold 3 and newspapers that are holding me up though I'm not sure if descendants have taken dna tests. For now I'll settle for having the dodgy cert, baptism register and birth index entry on the profile of the problematic person in my tree. At best I'm looking at their grandchildren as potential matches but they would be someway beyond 3c to me.

Offline Biggles50

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Re: How reliable are matches
« Reply #11 on: Friday 08 August 25 12:36 BST (UK) »
With DNA matches that are of interest I build a family tree around them.

Then I look at the shared DNA matches and try to incorporate them in the family tree.

I did just this with a DNA match of mine who shares 364cM with me.  This “Irish” family tree quickly grew to 700 people with 20 of the other DNA matches of mine being incorporated into this family tree.

So this “Irish” family tree has each person where each of their entries has all the BMD, census, Newspaper, military et al records as well as DNA validation that they are actual biological relations.

One still has to work at it to get the results one seeks but alas there can be gaps and documented assumptions that may be made and tested from time to time.

If you're really lucky you may find that one or more of the DNA matches of interest have posted their DNA on websites that have vastly superior DNA tools than the likes of Ancestry.

If you have not done so try posting your DNA on Gedmatch.