This article written by Paul Woodbury about finding a DNA match even if they don't respond first appeared in an issue of DNA Discovery. It is republished here with permission from the author and the publication. Enjoy learning about how to verify genetic matches under challenging circumstances!
In a previous article, I discussed tips for effective communication and collaboration with DNA matches. Collaboration is often the most efficient means of learning the nature of a genealogical relationship to a mystery genetic cousin. However, even if researchers craft perfect communications for their collaboration with DNA matches, there will still be some genetic matches who never respond to requests for cooperation.
If initial attempts to contact a genetic cousin are unfruitful, it may be necessary to independently identify the match and then determine the nature of the relationship. In these efforts, researchers should use every clue and piece of evidence at their disposal. This article reviews some of the important elements of a match’s profile that could be leveraged to discover their identity and ultimately how they are related to a test taker or to other DNA matches.
Genetic Match Name
If the name of a match is unique, it may be possible to identify the person through genealogical research at major websites. Ancestry, FamilySearch, MyHeritage, and other databases include indexes of public records. Their indexes (or original images) of vital records, funeral home records, obituaries, marriage announcements, census records, and other sources can help clarify a mystery match’s family relationships. Aggregator websites like BeenVerified, FamilyTreeNow, Intelius, Spokeo, and WhitePages often list likely relatives, associates, and neighbors whose identities may help in extending the match’s family tree.
Perform general search engine queries for a name or username along with “genealogy” or “family history” to see if the match has published family trees, blogs, forum queries, or other details regarding their family tree elsewhere.
If a match’s name is common and there are several (or even several hundred) candidates, considering other elements of the profile may help in zeroing in on the correct person.
Username Clues
A username often includes elements of a genetic cousin’s name. Some people use the same usernames in multiple contexts including social media websites and email, so conduct general search engine queries for a username or utilize public record aggregator sites for reverse username searches. Numbers in
a username might refer to important events like birthdates, anniversaries, or graduation dates; the age of the person at the time they set up a corresponding account; or the year they created an account.
Investigate Initials of a Potential DNA Match
Some genetic cousins have published only initials associated with their test results, which may be administered by someone else. In these cases, build out the tree of the manager for the kit to see who in that tree has the correct initials to be the same individual as the test taker. Consider the possibility that a test manager may be a child, spouse, parent, sibling, niece, nephew, aunt, uncle, or other close relative of the test taker.
What About User Emails?
FamilyTreeDNA and GEDmatch test results include emails for users, which could be utilized in reverse email lookups through public record aggregator websites. Search for a username with “@ gmail,” “@yahoo,” “@comcast,” and other common email extensions to see if a username might form part of a tester’s email address, and whether that email address is mentioned elsewhere online.
Profile Image
Profile images can help researchers identify social media accounts, newspaper articles, yearbook photos, or other records that might refer to the same individual. They can also be used to perform reverse image searches (such as the services offered by Google Images or TinEye) along with a username, name, or other pertinent details, to determine if the same profile image has been utilized elsewhere online.
Shared DNA
The amount of DNA shared with a genetic cousin can offer clues regarding potential relationship levels. This, in conjunction with other profile details like age, birth year, or family tree information, can help narrow the potential nature of a genetic relationship. Evaluate shared Y-DNA, mtDNA, and X-DNA (or
the lack of shared DNA of these types) to explore the potential source of the genetic connection and how closely related the genetic cousin might be.
Ethnicity Regions of DNA Match
Some genetic cousins opt into sharing ethnicity admixture information with matches. Reviewing these details for clues regarding their recent heritage can help clarify which of the test taker’s (or the match’s) ancestral lines may be the source of their shared DNA. Ethnicity regions can also be helpful for identifying which of several same-named candidates is the most likely to be a genetic cousin, or comparing with a proposed family tree for a genetic cousin.
Shared Matches
Examination of shared matches can help reveal through which cluster or branch of a family a DNA match may be related. If there are other matches
with the same surname or with the surname in their family trees, this pattern can provide clues regarding a mystery match’s family tree. Further, while a mystery match may not have attached information to their profile, details regarding how much DNA the person shares with other shared matches at 23andMe, MyHeritage, and GEDmatch can help in their identification if one of their close shared matches is more readily identifiable.
Unshared Matches
If a test taker has close matches from known lines that are not shared with a mystery match, the mystery match may be related through another ancestral line.
Public Family Trees
If a genetic cousin has a family tree attached to their test results, utilize every piece of information
in the tree. At some company site, the view of a tree from a match profile may be incomplete. It might only show direct ancestors of a test taker and exclude other collateral family members who are also present in the tree. Open the tree and search the index of all people in the tree to see if there are any deceased or non-private individuals (even if those individuals are collateral relatives of the tree subject) whose identities might help clarify the identity and ancestors of the test taker.
Check the profile of the user or manager to see if they have created other family trees that might include more information. The name of the tree sometimes reveals the user’s surname.
Even if the tree is small, use what has been published to extend the tree until potential connections are found. Open the tree even if it is very small (perhaps including just one person), rather than relying on the linked preview from the match profile. A small tree can sometimes reveal additional details like the name of a deceased relative, or the birthdate, birth year, or birthplace of the test taker.
Private Family Trees
Study the name of a private tree for clues. When a private Ancestry tree is attached to DNA test results, researchers should search for likely or potential surnames they would expect to find in the tree based on shared matches and hypothesized relationships. The presence or absence of particular surnames in the tree can help in reconstruction of the match’s likely genealogy.
Surnames
Some DNA testing companies like 23andMe and FamilyTreeDNA allow users to publish lists of surnames associated with their family trees. Sometimes these surnames are entered in order at a specific generational level, from top to bottom. Other times they are listed in alphabetical order or in order of appearance in an individual’s ancestry, going back in time. Search for compiled family trees that incorporate combinations of these surnames. If a likely ancestral couple is identified, seek to account for the reporting of additional surnames through descendancy research.
Ancestral Localities
Some profiles at DNA testing companies report information on the places of birth of an individual’s recent ancestors or other ancestral localities of interest. Use these places in conjunction with other clues to reconstruct their family tree.
Specific Ancestors' Names
FamilyTreeDNA profiles often include the names of the most distant paternal and most distant maternal ancestors. These names, in conjunction with surname lists, can also be used to reconstruct an individual’s family tree through descendancy research.
Age or Birthdate
Some companies report the birth year or age of a tester (perhaps in a decade). Ancestry member profiles sometimes report the decade of a person’s age, but this information is self-reported at the time of the creation of the account and must be updated manually. An age or birthdate can help to narrow down a list of potential candidates of the same name.
Residence of a Potential DNA Match
23andMe often reports the residence of a test taker, and Ancestry member profiles sometimes provide this information. MyHeritage reports the country of residence for test takers or managers of kits. Even if the information is outdated, these residences can be used in public aggregator searches which often include past addresses. Residence may also offer insight for the potential ancestral line on which a genetic cousin is related if the person happens to reside in the same place or geographic area where their ancestors (and perhaps the common ancestors with the test taker) also lived.
Research Interests
Ancestry allows members to publish information about their research interests. Several companies permit members to publish a short description or bio which can provide additional details to help uniquely identify a match and extend their family tree.
Conclusion
By leveraging the details presented in the profile of a mystery match, and correlating them with other genealogical records, genetic evidence, and public records, it is often possible to identify a match, build their family tree, and determine the source of their shared DNA and the nature of their genetic and genealogical relationship with a test taker. To successfully accomplish this task, researchers often need to consider all potentially relevant clues from a match’s profile.
Very good content and suggestions and I really appreciate this article.
Thank you so much, Jay! We’re glad the article was useful for you.
Wonderful and very helpful article. I do find researching the living to be the most difficult part of the DNA research.
I would also add that researching obits, believe it or not, may also be beneficial. I’ve come across several of my matches who are now deceased. Especially, if you are not receive a response to a request to collaborate.
Hello, Amy! We’re so glad this article was helpful. And, yes, obituaries are such a great resource–thank you for the reminder here!