View Full Version : Ancestry showing which side each DNA match is on - beta release
kiterunner
05-10-22, 19:06
I know this has previously appeared briefly for some people and then disappeared, but I have just noticed it when looking at DNA matches, and hopefully it has been launched properly this time!
At the top of the DNA match list it says "By parent BETA" and then matches which weren't already marked as Father's side / Mother's side / Paternal side / Maternal side are now marked as Parent 1's side or Parent 2's side. You have to figure out who is Parent 1 and who is Parent 2. Some will say Unassigned. You (may) have the choice to change the labels when you have determined which parent is which.
I don't know how accurate these are yet - but it is in Beta so presumably still being tweaked.
kiterunner
05-10-22, 22:21
I've had a look through some of my matches and it seems to be pretty accurate as far down as I looked (about 29 cM) though there were a few "unassigned".
maggie_4_7
06-10-22, 05:58
I've had a look through some of my matches and it seems to be pretty accurate as far down as I looked (about 29 cM) though there were a few "unassigned".
Mine is pretty much the same as yours but a couple of mystifying results.
Two of my closest matches, my first cousin and my first cousin's daughter both female and I am related via my maternal line has an exclamation mark and maternal side in red but the notes say they are both sides of my family paternal and maternal! No idea how they come to that conclusion.
Edit: I have just looked at how they work this out and it makes my closest matches being related to both parents more mystifying! The reason Maternal side is now in red font is because I manually assigned them and Ancestry DNA comparisons disagree.
Meanwhile chez Phoenix, the site keeps crashing. I shall wait...
ElizabethHerts
06-10-22, 08:38
The allocations seem reasonable so far, which is a relief. I get worried when Ancestry tells me my mother has Scottish heritage.
Anstey Nomad
06-10-22, 11:24
It's not working for me either ...
Anstey Nomad
06-10-22, 11:40
Ah, actually, the search isn't working, but I am now seeing Parent 1, Parent 2 or Unassigned in the list of matches. Most are Unassigned, which is a pain, but some are allocated, although one that should definitely be on my Mum's side (I've met her) is allocated to my Dad.
More work required, I suspect.
I have a mystery group (over 300 members) that I cannot identify. Most are parent two, with a few unassigned, but with smaller cM some are parent one. Hmm.
kiterunner
06-10-22, 11:56
Just seen on Facebook: If you know who Parent 1 or Parent 2 is, click on "by parent" on the main match page and then click on "edit parent."
maggie_4_7
06-10-22, 12:54
The allocations seem reasonable so far, which is a relief. I get worried when Ancestry tells me my mother has Scottish heritage.
My mother shows 17% Scottish DNA which surprised me, no idea why there are a couple of brickwalls on her side at about 1780/1800 but other than that no idea.
On this new feature what's more worrying is my two closest matches have DNA from both my parents according to Ancestry which just doesn't make sense they are my maternal side and couldn't possibly be connected to my father's side.
kiterunner
06-10-22, 13:34
It is still in Beta, Maggie.
maggie_4_7
06-10-22, 14:26
It is still in Beta, Maggie.
Yes but most of it is quite accurate and I was surprised at getting those matches which are the highest matches I have listed as both parents, I did read how they compared the DNA I think I assumed the higher the connection the more accurate it would be. Any other matches listed as both parents I wouldn't have been surprised at all.
Mary from Italy
06-10-22, 16:44
I'm not getting it at all, how annoying!
Anstey Nomad
07-10-22, 07:51
Just seen on Facebook: If you know who Parent 1 or Parent 2 is, click on "by parent" on the main match page and then click on "edit parent."
Isn't Parent 1 always the mother?
maggie_4_7
07-10-22, 07:54
Isn't Parent 1 always the mother?
No my parent 1 is my father. You have to work it out might be easier now they have assigned DNA matches to each parent.
Mine was easy to work out because of the ethnicity of each if my parents which has marked differences.
Anstey Nomad
07-10-22, 07:55
I've got a mother correctly assigned and her daughter unassigned.
Anstey Nomad
07-10-22, 07:56
No my parent 1 is my father.
Oh crumbs! For Mr Nomad and I, Parent 1 is definitely the mother.
You'd think they'd make that consistent wouldn't you?
maggie_4_7
07-10-22, 08:00
Oh crumbs! For Mr Nomad and I, Parent 1 is definitely the mother.
You'd think they'd make that consistent wouldn't you?
But they don't know which is which, they only have your DNA they have no idea which parent you would inherit certain DNA from.
maggie_4_7
07-10-22, 08:02
I've got a mother correctly assigned and her daughter unassigned.
People inherit different DNA from each other, the daughter may have not inherited enough distinguishing DNA to assign her to any side.
maggie_4_7
07-10-22, 08:11
This might help:
https://support.ancestry.com/s/article/DNA-Matches-Split-Up-By-Parent?language=en_US
kiterunner
07-10-22, 08:34
So if a match is unassigned it could be because their test was processed after the last update, April 2022. That makes a lot of sense.
Anstey Nomad
07-10-22, 11:07
It could be, but at least of one of my 'unassigned' matches goes back to before I did my test in 2016!
maggie_4_7
07-10-22, 11:47
Yes but most of it is quite accurate and I was surprised at getting those matches which are the highest matches I have listed as both parents, I did read how they compared the DNA I think I assumed the higher the connection the more accurate it would be. Any other matches listed as both parents I wouldn't have been surprised at all.
This is why I thought first cousins would be more accurate to assign, the closer the match the easier it is according to Ancestry.
"... we need a lot of shared DNA segments on both sides of your family to work with. (Close cousin relatives share a lot of DNA with you, which is a big help when it comes to your whole genome being represented.)
Then, we divide the shared segments into the halves from each parent. If we can link at least 90% of the DNA segments you share with a match to one side of your family, we assign the match to that parent."
maggie_4_7
07-10-22, 11:55
I've got a mother correctly assigned and her daughter unassigned.
How much DNA do you share with the daughter?
It could be, but at least of one of my 'unassigned' matches goes back to before I did my test in 2016!
There might not be enough shared DNA with you.
Sue from Southend
07-10-22, 12:06
I have the son of a first cousin who shares 382cMs with me and 605cMs with my sister, which I've always found odd. Ancestry have assigned him correctly to Parent 2 on my list but to both sides on my sister's!
I am now looking at his mother's tree just in case.....
One of my paternal second cousins who shares 518 cM with my aunt across 19 segments shows as being related to her on both sides of the family. I am quite prepared to believe this, but all of her shared matches are either unassigned, or on my father's father's side.
I suppose this simply means that nobody has yet been tested who has shared DNA on my father's mother's side?
Sue from Southend
11-11-22, 14:31
This feature has disappeared from my matches although it still shows on my sister's!
Has anyone else lost theirs?
Working for me: I have Foralder 1 AND Foralder 2 :d
maggie_4_7
12-11-22, 10:10
This feature has disappeared from my matches although it still shows on my sister's!
Has anyone else lost theirs?
Mine went and then came back a couple of days later and now it has gone again.
kiterunner
12-11-22, 13:36
Looking at Facebook posts, it seems to have happened to a lot of people. But it is still in Beta.
maggie_4_7
12-11-22, 13:51
Looking at Facebook posts, it seems to have happened to a lot of people. But it is still in Beta.
Last time it happened when it came back I noticed I had a lot of new matches, I do check most days for matches and it's been a trickle every other day but I looked today and I have 50 new matches, not high matches inbetween 10 and 19 cM perhaps it has something to do with that because it has to update it it goes offline.
Sue from Southend
12-11-22, 16:52
Well, it's a relief to hear that it will come back, Maggie! My sister's has disappeared now....
Will keep checking for it's return - it's an Ancestry feature that seemed to work well and I miss it already!
Perhaps they will assign a few more matches? I've now lost it for everyone. I'll have to do some colour coding, so if it goes again I can keep on working.
kiterunner
13-11-22, 17:56
If you click through to view a match's Ancestry profile page, it still seems to be showing which side they are on there.
Sue from Southend
14-11-22, 16:40
Found another way to access SideView.
Go into your Ethnicity Estimate. Scroll down to Ethnicity Inheritance and click on "View Breakdown", scroll down to "Need help labelling parents?" and click on "view matches" et voila!
kiterunner
14-11-22, 16:54
Found another way to access SideView.
Go into your Ethnicity Estimate. Scroll down to Ethnicity Inheritance and click on "View Breakdown", scroll down to "Need help labelling parents?" and click on "view matches" et voila!
Or it might say "Matches split by parent" rather than "Need help labelling parents".
maggie_4_7
14-11-22, 17:59
It's back for me!!
Mine's back too and unassigned was 3975 and is now 4044.
I've only had my DNA results for a couple of weeks so I'm still trying to get to grips with everything, but as far as I can see I don't have this facility at all. I get the option to view matches split by parent if I go in via Sue's suggested path (although it doesn't show on the main screen), but the results I get are the normal list with no mention of which parent people are assigned to.
I wish Ancestry would provide a Dummy's Guide for beginners!
kiterunner
15-11-22, 09:18
I don't think it is available yet for people whose tests have been processed recently, Lindsay.
Ah, that would explain it...I'd still like the Dummy's Guide though!
kiterunner
15-11-22, 11:21
You could try this if you don't mind the price:
https://www.family-tree.co.uk/store/genealogy-tools/family-tree-magazine/dna-workbook/
Thanks, Kiterunner, that looks like it might be useful
I'm plodding through DNA matches for sib's child, discarding all those matches which don't add to my knowledge.
Interestingly, quite a chunk of parent 1 matches link to parent two matches, which has to make suspicious any other links I have found.
I notice now that Ancestry have dated the splits. Some of mine were in September, and others October. It will be useful to see when they run the next updates.
Mary from Italy
04-01-23, 23:53
I finally have this release!
Really interesting.
Some matches I could have sworn would be on my father's side are shown as being on my mother's!
I’ve had it for a while but it’s mad. One cousin is from my mother’s side…..correct. Her sister is unassigned. They’ve both been on it for ages so it’s not that they haven’t had the results long enough.
Mary from Italy
05-01-23, 22:27
I've found at least one assignment that's definitely wrong.
They're showing a match as being on my father's side, but I have a perfectly good paper trail showing that he's a 5th cousin on my mother's side, and Ancestry also show the same connection as a common ancestor.
I suppose in theory the match could also be connected to my father's side, but it's extremely unlikely.
I've found at least one assignment that's definitely wrong.
They're showing a match as being on my father's side, but I have a perfectly good paper trail showing that he's a 5th cousin on my mother's side, and Ancestry also show the same connection as a common ancestor.
I suppose in theory the match could also be connected to my father's side, but it's extremely unlikely.
One of mine that is wrong even has our shared ancestor, and it’s only great grandparents so not a mile away.
I've found at least one assignment that's definitely wrong.
They're showing a match as being on my father's side, but I have a perfectly good paper trail showing that he's a 5th cousin on my mother's side, and Ancestry also show the same connection as a common ancestor.
I suppose in theory the match could also be connected to my father's side, but it's extremely unlikely.
Why is it unlikely? I don't know all my third cousins, let alone their grandchildren. Most of the DNA matches I have - ie about 90% - are incomprehensible with my current state of knowledge.
I have several matches with a choice of common ancestors. They only share one segment with me, so I would have to use more than Ancestry to determine the link. It's becoming increasingly obvious that while I may share a paper trail with some people, that isn't necessarily where the connection lies.
Mary from Italy
06-01-23, 15:54
Why is it unlikely?
It seems unlikely because my parents and their ancestors came from entirely different places, but I obviously can't rule it out entirely.
It's becoming increasingly obvious that while I may share a paper trail with some people, that isn't necessarily where the connection lies.
Oh dear, that does complicate things enormously!
Mary from Italy
06-01-23, 15:56
After only a couple of days of looking at the parent assignments, I get the impression that matches of around 10 cM or less may be less accurately assigned by Ancestry's algorithm.
Is anyone else finding the same?
Mary from Italy
06-01-23, 15:57
Am I right in thinking that Ancestry's shared matches are triangulated matches?
kiterunner
06-01-23, 16:17
No, they aren't triangulated.
Mary from Italy
06-01-23, 16:38
Oh, what a nuisance! Not sure why I thought they were.
One of my sons links to both sides, but my eldest son only links to my maternal side. He obviously didn't get many of my father's genes.
As I manage the tests of both my mother and father, I would not expect my own sample to have any Unassigned matches - everyone should match one or the other!
In the most recent update, I have several matches who apparently match both my parents - not unrealistic as both sides have family who migrated to America and could have met up anywhere in the US but none of them have any useful trees.
Similarly, in my daughters' matches, I would expect Ancestry to assign any one who matches me as maternal, but there are several unassigned who I know (or can determine easily) also match me.
My parents' and both my daughters' tests were updated in Dec 2022 Jan 2023, but mine has not been updated since November 2022 - maybe some things will change there when I get my next update!
Elderflower
08-01-23, 17:14
My parents' and both my daughters' tests were updated in Dec 2022 Jan 2023, but mine has not been updated since November 2022 - maybe some things will change there when I get my next update!
Can someone please point out to me where you can see the date the matches were last updated? I have looked but cannot see.
Thankyou.
Pat
When I go into my DNA Matches, it says Updated Dec22 above Parent 1.
When they first did the split by parent, they didn't say when they produced the information. They appear to be on a rolling three month programme, and the matches they analyse are three months old, or older, so if your DNA has only recently been uploaded, it may take a bit of time to appear.
My updates and explanations are now in Swedish :)
kiterunner
08-01-23, 21:35
Just refresh and it should go back to normal.
Aye, it did. Thanks Kate:)
Elderflower
08-01-23, 22:31
When I go into my DNA Matches, it says Updated Dec22 above Parent 1.
When they first did the split by parent, they didn't say when they produced the information. They appear to be on a rolling three month programme, and the matches they analyse are three months old, or older, so if your DNA has only recently been uploaded, it may take a bit of time to appear.
Thank you Phoenix. My DNA has been on Ancestry for two years, so not recent. I have had another look and it is now showing updated Jan 2023 against Mother's side, nothing for Father's side but pending update for unassigned.
Pat
maggie_4_7
09-01-23, 07:33
When I go into my DNA Matches, it says Updated Dec22 above Parent 1.
When they first did the split by parent, they didn't say when they produced the information. They appear to be on a rolling three month programme, and the matches they analyse are three months old, or older, so if your DNA has only recently been uploaded, it may take a bit of time to appear.
Mine has Updated Dec 22 above Parent 1/Paternal but also above unassigned it has Pending Update.
A couple of months on and I'm still struggling with this.
I have only 83 maternal matches and 473 paternal, with 13,083 unassigned. My cousins (DNA on Ancestry for 1 year plus and with whom I share 851cM and 730cM) are unassigned, likewise a couple of known 2nd cousins once removed. Though I suppose it's possible a link exists between my maternal and paternal sides which would complicate things, I've never found one.
The allocated matches mostly seem to be distant connections - 5th-8th cousins - with no shared matches (and no trees).
Is other people's experience the same? Is the number allocated likely to suddenly jump? At the moment I'm really not feeling that this adds anything for me!
My cousin has very similar results, Lindsay. The update did filter through an extra few matches, but did not open the floodgates as I'd hoped. She has long-term health issues, and I did wonder whether they affected her results (or if small mutations in her DNA were the cause of her health issues)
The most recent test I've managed allocated virtually all the matches.
maggie_4_7
03-03-23, 10:59
My cousin has very similar results, Lindsay. The update did filter through an extra few matches, but did not open the floodgates as I'd hoped. She has long-term health issues, and I did wonder whether they affected her results (or if small mutations in her DNA were the cause of her health issues)
The most recent test I've managed allocated virtually all the matches.
Why would health issues affect her results?
Why would health issues affect her results?
"Our DNA changes as we age. Some of these changes are epigenetic—they modify DNA without altering the genetic sequence itself. Epigenetic changes affect how genes are turned on and off, or expressed, and thus help regulate how cells in different parts of the body use the same genetic code"
I'm not saying that illness or the drugs used to combat it would cause mutations, but I do wonder.
kiterunner
03-03-23, 15:54
I don't think that would affect DNA testing for genealogy, Phoenix.
No health issues for me, so that can't be the cause :)
I just find it weird that dozens of 5th-8th cousins with whom I share less than 20cM are allocated by parent, whereas a 1st cousin sharing 851 cM across 34 segments isn't.
I suppose I'll have to keep my fingers crossed that it's a wrinkle that gets ironed out during the beta testing they're doing.
Lynn the Forest Fan
04-03-23, 07:36
I have noticed that some of my unassigned matches have a common ancestor, which makes it easier for me, but I guess that comes from Thrulines. I did find one that was assigned to my Mum when it was obviously from Dad's side
Last update was before xmas. I've had a close match with a common ancestor that is still unassigned and a couple of really distant ones that have been.
It's the two big maternal groups that seem to have no link to each other or those linked to my maternal grandmother causing me headaches, I must have the biggest collection of dodgy certificates known to mankind and matches who pick whichever country of three they can spell for one of their ancestors.
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