DNA Matches

What does cM shared mean on your DNA results? Where can you find this information? Learn all of this, and more, in this post!

Have you ever wondered how far back in your family tree DNA matches can really go? In this post, find out everything you need to know about this question. As we all know, DNA matches share bits of DNA with us that we refer to as DNA segments. These DNA segments were passed down to …

If you have a DNA match that shares about 1300 cMs with you, they could be your half-sibling or a half-uncle or aunt, among other relationship possibilities. In this post, learn how to know whether your match is your half-sibling, or that of one of your parents. DNA results are an amazing way to find …

If you have spent some time analyzing your DNA match list, you might wonder if it is possible to have no DNA matches from an ancestor who you know is in your family tree. In this post, learn whether this is possible and how it could happen.

Have you seen the Ancestry Enhanced DNA Matches feature? In this post, learn how to use it and what you can discover through using this tool.

Are you wondering why your closest relatives don't show up on your list of DNA matches? In this post, find out all the reasons why this can happen.

Did your first cousin take a DNA test? In this post, learn how to know if your cousin is a full or half-first cousin to you. Knowing whether your cousin is a full or half-cousin can be important in your genealogy research. For example, if your cousin is a half-cousin, you can use your shared …

Do you have a close DNA match with whom you would like to figure out your relationship? In this post, learn some strategies that you can use to find out how you are related to those closer DNA matches. It might seem like it should be very easy to figure out how a close DNA …

Do you have DNA matches that you can't place in your family tree? In this post, find tips that will show you how to find the extra information you need

Have you been contacted by a DNA match, but aren't sure how to respond? In this post, find tips and ideas for how to proceed.

What does it mean when you have a DNA match that doesn't share any ethnicity regions with you? In this post, find out how this can happen and what it means.

Have a situation where multiple DNA matches share the same DNA segment with you? Learn what this means, and what you can learn from this.

Have you had a DNA match disappear? In this post, learn the different reasons why this may have happened and what your options are.

If you did a 23andMe test, then you almost definitely have DNA Relatives on your results. In this post, learn what this means and how these individuals are related to you.

Have you seen the term "DNA Overlap" on your 23andMe DNA match list? In this post, where to find this information, and what it means about your relationship with your DNA relatives.

Have you wondered how many DNA segments parents and their children usually share? In this post, learn the answer and find out why some might share less than usual. If you have a parent or child that has taken a DNA test, or you have a DNA match that might be a parent or child, …

Have you tried the cM Explainer on MyHeritage? In this post, learn how to find and use this useful DNA analysis tool.

If you look at your Ancestry DNA match list, you probably see some matches are labeled "Unassigned". In this post, find out exactly what this means.

What does it mean if you have an X DNA match, but share no autosomal genes? In this post, find out whether these are true genetic relatives, and how to determine your relationship.

Do you have a 100% DNA match on your Ancestry results? In this post, learn what it means to match someone at 100% and how to understand these results.

Has anyone ever suggested that you phase your DNA? In this post, learn what phasing is in DNA results, and how you can use this technique to learn more from your DNA matches.

Do you want to know more about shared DNA segments on MyHeritage? In this post, learn exactly what those small, purple lines stand for, and how to use them in your family tree research.

Do you want to know how much DNA you share with your grandparents? In this post, learn all about shared DNA between you and your four grandparents.

Are you wondering if your DNA will match your siblings? In this post, learn whether your siblings have the same DNA as you do, how much you share, and more.

Why do you have thousands of DNA matches? Here, learn why you have so many people on your DNA match list, and how likely it is that they are all related.

Wondered whether it is possible to cluster your DNA matches on Ancestry? Learn how to easily group your matches into clusters to identify common ancestors.

Have you seen relatives in the Extended Family match category on Ancestry DNA? In this post, learn how these individuals might be related to you.

Have you seen the Relatives in Common featured on 23andMe? As the name suggests, these are relatives that you share with your DNA relative.

Do you want to know how many centimorgans is a good match? In this post, learn how to determine whether cMs shared between two DNA matches is significant.

Did you know that it's possible to have a DNA match that is not really related to you?  When this happens, the DNA match is called "identical-by-state", which means that the DNA segment that you share was not inherited from a common ancestor and instead is just coincidentally identical.  There is a big difference between …

In this post, I will explain how much DNA you should share with a great-uncle or a great-aunt. There is a range of shared DNA, measured in centimorgans, that we expect to see between relatives of this distance. This is important information to know, whether you are trying to figure out how a new DNA …

Want to know what 4th-6th cousin means on your Ancestry DNA match list? Here, find out the answer, and how to figure out how these cousins are related.

In this post, learn how to know how a first cousin match is related to you, as well as some other important aspects of understanding your DNA matches.

How much DNA do you share with a great-grandparent? Will they show up on your DNA match list? In this post, find the answers to these questions and more!

Humans have 46 DNA segments on their 23 chromosomes, 23 inherited from each parent. In this article, learn more about these DNA segments, how many segments we have, and what it means to share these in common with someone. DNA segments are an important part of understanding how we are related to our DNA matches. …

Building a wide family tree will help you understand how your DNA matches are related, and learn more about your ancestors. In this post, I'll teach you how to use your DNA matches to build your tree wide. I have a confession to make:  I used to be a name collector.  When it came to …

Do you want to know which grandparent you are most related to, from a DNA perspective? In this article learn how to know which grandparent you likely share the most genes with, understand why, and find out how to know for sure. My oldest son looks and behaves in a very similar fashion to my …

Do you want to learn more about the Leeds Method DNA analysis? In this post, learn exactly how to use this method to organize your fourth cousin DNA matches. You will also find out: What the Leeds Method in DNA actually is The benefits of using this strategy to cluster your DNA matches How you …

Do you want to if you have endogamy in your DNA matches? In this post, learn how to spot it, as well as see examples of endogamy so you can know what to look for in your DNA match list. In this article, you'll learn: There are several ways that people begin to suspect they …

In this post, I'll help you understand the basics of the "predicted relationship" on Ancestry DNA. You will learn what the term means and how to use this information. Whether you are just starting out learning how to understand your DNA match list, or you have a specific DNA match in mind that you'd like …

Are you wondering how much DNA you would share with a grandchild?  Is it a set amount, or could it vary?  What's the percentage of DNA that we share with our grandchildren?  Do grandchildren always show up on DNA tests?  How much of our ethnicity regions should they share with us?  I'll answer all of …

In this post, I'll explain how to know whether your DNA match or known sibling is a full or half-sibling.  Plus, I'll tell you my perspective on what to do if you have discovered that you and your siblings are half-siblings. Do you have a new DNA match that looks like they might be a …