Has anyone else done the Ancestry DNA?

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Has anyone else done the Ancestry DNA?  I did and I'm not sure what to do with some of the results.  

The DNA test shows that I have 2 potential ancestors that are not in my family tree.  Locations are good and I have multiple DNA matches with their descendants - but I have never seen these names in my research.

All advice is more than welcomed!

Comments

  1. JL BeekenOctober 16, 2015 at 10:45 PM

    If you're DNA matched to someone that means you have a common ancestor. I think. It's possible your information is incorrect or theirs is. Are the potential ancestors beyond your oldest ancestor in whatever line and you just hadn't heard about them yet? Or are you in conflict about a mother or father at some point?

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  2. Kelly BoothOctober 17, 2015 at 3:29 AM

    Don’t forget that a large number of these matches come from great grandparents you might not have found yet.  From my experience with DNA and reading about other people’s matches, a lot seem to be 3rd cousins or more.  To be your 3rd cousin, you share 4th great grandparents and you have 64 of those.  You have 128 5th great grandparents and 256 of the 6th great.  How many of those people are you missing in your tree?
     
    One problem with Ancestry DNA is that they don’t give you the chromosomes.  I tested with 23andMe but regardless of where you tested, upload your raw data to gedmatch.com – that will match you with people that tested at Ancestry, 23andMe and FTDNA.   My top 4 matches at Gedmatch tested at sites other than 23andMe so I would not have seen them if I had not uploaded my data to Gedmatch.
     
    You will be able to see what chromosomes you match people on using Gedmatch.  You can make a spreadsheet to track where you match and also know which of your matches match other people where they match you.  Doing that will help narrow down which of those great grandparents you both descend from.

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  3. Emily MooreOctober 17, 2015 at 6:32 AM

    I had the same experience.  I suspect that the people Ancestry identifies as potential ancestors are actually cousins or siblings of ancestors.

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  4. Clooz by Ancestral Systems, LLCNovember 2, 2015 at 12:36 AM

    The advice to upload your results to gedmatch.com is spot on!  Further, a DNAgedcom upload will provide additional ICW (In Common With) data points.  Finally, using the terrific Genome Mate Pro program (free) brings all of your data together into a program specifically designed for analysis of autosomal DNA results.  I also strongly recommend paying the small monthly fee with gedmatch.com so that you can take advantage of the Tier 1 additional capabiliities.  Finally, for anyone to improve their chances for serious results I recommend that one prepares direct line gedcoms as reported by Michelle Simmons Lewis.  These gedcoms should be posted with each service where your results are posted.  Personally, I am continually frustrated when I find a potential match and there is no accompanying gedcom.  In the best of all possible worlds, autosomal DNA analysis to find matches in the potential downlines of hundreds of common ancestors is a difficult and serious challenge.  To not take advantage of every possible road to sucess is, in my opinion, like going into a boxing match with both hands tied behind one's back.

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