This article was written by Paul Woodbury, a member of our Legacy Tree Genealogist Research staff. It was originally published in NGS Magazine, a National Genealogical Society publication.
Source: NGS MAGAZINE ∙ APRIL – JUNE 2024 ∙ VOLUME 50, NUMBER 2
Lists of DNA matches and genetic cousins can be overwhelming. How can genealogists begin to make sense of hundreds, thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of DNA matches and how they might be related? How can they hope to narrow their focus in such a massive data set to the genetic cousins that are most pertinent and pressing for their genetic genealogy research questions?
Earlier editions of this column have explored means for organizing, sorting, and labeling DNA matches based on their relationships to each other and to a tester’s known ancestors as well as some of the strategies for analyzing DNA matches and determining their significance. In addition to these techniques, researchers should make use of the tools provided by DNA testing companies for searching, sorting, and filtering DNA match lists to make them more navigable and useful. This article discusses some of these features.
Searching DNA Match Lists
Each testing company offers search capabilities in match lists, though the information searched through these tools varies from database to database.
- Results for queries in the MyHeritage search bar include DNA matches with similar usernames or with the same names and/or surnames in associated family trees.
- 23andMe’s search bar returns keyword matches for the names of DNA matches, names reported in match profiles, or keywords included in the text of previously recorded notes.
- AncestryDNA provides three separate search bars: one for match names, one for surnames in a match’s trees (along with an option for surname variants and similar surnames), and one for place names in a match’s trees.
- FamilyTreeDNA’s search bar returns results for match names, surnames, and Y-DNA and mtDNA haplogroups. It is also possible to narrow the search bar to one of these categories.
AncestryDNA’s search bar enables searches for a match name, a surname in matches’ trees, or a birth location in matches’ trees. Other filters can isolate unviewed matches, matches with common ancestors, matches with previously recorded notes, matches with trees (private, public or unlinked), and shared DNA ranges.
When searching match lists for ancestral surnames and locations, exercise caution to avoid confirmation bias. The fact that a genetic cousin has the Johnson surname in their family tree does not necessarily mean that he or she is related through a tester’s own Johnson ancestry. Even with less common shared surnames, it is still possible that the closest relationship between a tester and a genetic cousin and/or the source of their shared DNA is through a different set of common ancestors.
On the other hand, the fact that none of a tester’s genetic cousins have reported descent from a particular ancestral family is not necessarily evidence that there is a case of misattributed parentage.
Cousins from that family may not have tested yet, may not have attached family trees to their test results, or may not exist due to several generations of small families in a particular ancestral line. In drawing conclusions based on the results of searches for an ancestral surname or location, researchers should pair analysis of corresponding DNA matches with clustering and organization efforts of shared matches to ensure that proposed shared ancestors, surnames, or ancestral locations are indeed supported by a strong foundation of genetic evidence.
Sorting DNA Match Lists
Each testing company offers sorting features so users can view DNA match lists in different ways. Some common sorting categories include options to sort for the newest matches in a list and various measures of relationship or shared DNA. Sorting for the newest matches in a list can be particularly helpful when checking to see if any new matches have appeared in a match list since a previous review of available matches.
23andMe permits sorting by strength of relationship (as estimated by its algorithm), percent related (or percentage of shared DNA), number of segments shared, and order of newest relatives. The order of matches does not always align when filtered by relationship and percent related, since estimated relationships at 23andMe take into account size and number of segments and not just the total shared DNA.
AncestryDNA has just two sorting options: by relationship, close to distant (and within broader categories by total weighted amount of shared DNA), and by date, from newest to oldest.
MyHeritage offers sorting by shared DNA, shared segments, size of the largest segment, full name (alphabetically), and most recent matches. Sorting by size of the largest segment can be particularly helpful when researching endogamous populations.
FamilyTreeDNA permits different sorting options for its various DNA test results. Family Finder autosomal DNA tests can be sorted by estimated relationship range, total shared DNA (which may not always correspond to the same order as estimated relationships), longest blocks of DNA (which can be helpful for research in endogamous populations), whether or not a person is an X-DNA match, and even by Y-DNA and mtDNA haplogroups. FamilyTreeDNA also offers the ability to sort by most recent matches, matches linked to family trees, and by ancestral surnames.
FamilyTreeDNA’s Y-DNA STR test results (37 or 111 marker tests) can be sorted by genetic distance (the number of stepwise mutations distinguishing the Y-DNA signatures of a tester and a match), the number of markers tested, the number of Big Y STR differences, Y-DNA haplogroups, paternal countries of origin, paternal earliest known ancestors, and most recent matches.
While mtDNA match lists at FamilyTreeDNA do not have a dedicated sorting tool, users can sort from largest to smallest or vice versa by clicking on column headers for the match list (genetic distance, name, earliest known ancestor, haplogroup, and match date).
FamilyTreeDNA enables sorting DNA matches based on relationship range and shared DNA, but unlike some of the other companies it also enables sorting based on size of longest segments, whether matches are X-DNA matches, and Y-DNA and mtDNA haplogroups.
Filtering DNA Match Lists
Finally, each testing company provides several options for filtering DNA match lists. As described in the previous issue, the companies that permit starring or favoriting matches (MyHeritage, 23andMe, and Ancestry) have corresponding filters to isolate just those matches. AncestryDNA and MyHeritage also enable filtering to view only the matches assigned to particular groups or dot labels.
At 23andMe, match lists can be sorted to show new relatives, individuals who have submitted new sharing requests, individuals who are showing their ancestry results, or individuals with whom a user has exchanged messages. Connection and sharing status is also a filter option with connected, not connected and pending requests as categories. If one or both of a tester’s parents also perform testing at 23andMe and subsequently identify their father or mother in the test results, 23andMe applies maternal and paternal filters. Reported ancestor birthplaces and reported family surnames are also filters. The 23andMe+ Premium subscription enables users to filter based on ethnicity, genetic populations, and haplogroups.
At AncestryDNA, researchers can filter their match lists to generate lists of unviewed matches, matches with common ancestors, matches with notes, matches with private, public, or unlinked family trees, or matches in particular relationship or shared DNA ranges. Ancestry Plus tools enable filtering by Parent 1 and Parent 2 categories (associated with Ancestry’s SideView technology).
23andMe’s filters enable researchers to isolate matches based on their age in the database, profile details, connections, ancestral birthplaces, and family names.
FamilyTreeDNA Family Finder autosomal DNA test results have filters for tree statuses (public, private, or empty), match dates, and tests that genetic cousins have taken (including the various Y-DNA and mtDNA tests currently or historically offered). Y-DNA test results have similar filters, with additional filters for genetic distance and genetic cousins who are members of specific group projects. Though in a slightly different format, mtDNA test results also have filters for group projects, tested mtDNA regions, last names, and matching dates.
MyHeritage permits filtering by tree details including matches who have Theories of Family Relativity, genetic cousins with SmartMatches, individuals with attached family trees, and individuals with shared surnames and shared ancestral places. Other filters are dedicated to relationships (close, extended, and distant relatives) and locations of residence.
MyHeritage provides extensive searching, sorting, and filtering options. Its filter categories include tree details, pictured here, and locations of residence for DNA matches.
Conclusion
Using the searching, sorting, and filtering features available through DNA testing companies, it is possible for researchers to more quickly find and isolate the genetic cousins who are most pertinent to their research questions. Searches for surnames and places can uncover relatives related through specific ancestral lines (though caution should be exercised and additional research should be performed to ensure that genetic relationships are supported through other evidence).
Sorting match lists by age can aid in finding pertinent genetic cousins who may have appeared in a match list recently. Filters can help in isolating genetic cousins who have attached family trees, shared ancestor hints, or other characteristics of interest. Together these tools make DNA match lists more navigable and useful for researchers.
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