"DNA for Dummies" help needed for this totally confused family historian

Question

Can someone please help me understand the nuts and bolts of DNA matching for genealogy? My brother and I got our Ancestry DNA results back. I am confused about so many things: 

1. How do I (Miller-69096) share my results on WikiTree for DNA confirmation of the information I have. 

2. Also, as I am finding my DNA matches on Ancestry, some of the information some have listed in their trees does not match what I have, so how do I know which is correct?

3. Can a person be a DNA match and not have correct lineage listed in their tree? How can I tell the difference?  

Things start going strange a couple of generations back with Miller-69109 and Davidson-11691 (that I have noticed so far).

Please help me understand how this DNA matching works. Thank you so much.

Comments

If Ancestry shows someone as your DNA match, that is correct, but how they match you may be totally wrong.  Many (most?)  people on Ancestry have totally undocumented trees that are full of inaccuracies.   You may have to do a lot of digging to figure out how you actually connect to someone.

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Thanks for asking this question and thanks to all those that have answered. I am in your exact situation at the moment too - it really is quite overwhelming!

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I am glad this thread helped you too Tracy.

Answer 1

A couple of thoughts with DNA matching over at Ancestry. DNA results can be incredibly overwhelming at first. Anyone who comes up in your DNA matches is related to you genetically. this does not necessariy mean you can rely on their tree that they have attached. Many time the tree can be inaccurate ( if someone attached the wrong birth record for a John Smith several generations back for example) the other possiblity can be NPE's or non-parental events, such as adoptions, or the biological father not matching the paper records.

I'd start by taking a look at your closest matches and seeing who you can identify. Using the Leeds method is a good way to sort your DNA mathces into groups that can then help you visualise your results.

https://www.danaleeds.com/dna-color-clustering-the-leeds-method-for-easily-visualizing-matches/

Comments

Thank you Kaitlyn. I will add the Leeds method to my research and educational endeavors. I have felt very overwhelmed. Don't know what I was expecting from the DNA testing, but I feel like it has taken all the test answers and encrypted them. LOL. It is clear I have a lot to learn. I have accomplished some things today though. Added my raw data to GEDmatch, added my test to WikiTree and working my way through a mountain of information. Thanks again for taking time to answer my question.

Answer 2

You may want to start by reading the DNA help pages here: Help:How to Get Started with DNA (wikitree.com)

If you've already taken a DNA test, just click on "Add" at the top right of your profile page and follow the instructions to add your DNA test info to your profile.  Once you've done that the information will propagate back through your tree here in about 24 hours.  Then you and others can see what other relatives, if any, have taken a DNA test.  You need to use a third-party site like Gedmatch to actually compare your DNA.

Comments

Thank you Kathie for both your answers. Do I need to join gedmatch before I can link the DNA results to WikiTree? I was just over there reading about them. I did not understand what WikiTree was asking me to provide when I tried to upload my results - Do they want the raw data file or is there something else?

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Wikitree only stores information about what test or tests you have taken and where, no actual DNA data.  I tested at Ancestry and uploaded to Gedmatch so I show on my dad's profile https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Parks-2400  as: 

Kathie (Parks) Forbes  : AncestryDNA, GEDmatch A340796 , Ancestry member kathieforbes1

Three other people are also showing on my dad's profile, so I could contact them if I want to compare our DNA.  Similar information for you will show up on the profiles of your ancestors/relatives.  If other relatives of those people have tested they will also be listed.  In order to actually see if you share DNA with one of these folks you (and the people you want to compare with) will have to upload  raw DNA to Gedmatch or another similar site.  You don't need to join Gedmatch unless you want to perform DNA matching; comparing your trees might be all the information you need to connect.  It's helpful if you have joined Gedmatch to add that information to your profile since it makes it easier for others to make DNA comparisons with you. 

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You are helping me so much Kathie. Thank you! I have also been looking at some tutorials and trying to figure out how to upload to gedmatch. I have downloaded my raw data from Ancestry at this point. This is so new to me and very exciting.

Answer 3

Welcome to WikiTree and DNA.

When you have your part of our One Big Tree fleshed out and you are ready to supplement it with DNA test matches, please check out the DNA Help category page to see all the DNA help that is available, and the How to Get Started page in particular, as has been mentioned.

When you are ready to start documenting that your genealogy sources are confirmed by DNA test matches, be sure to follow the guidance at the DNA Confirmation help page. After that, try out the DNA Confirmation Citation Maker app, it can simplify the job..

John Kingman -- A Coordinator with the WikiTree DNA Project

Comments

John, Thank you. I was just looking the DNA confirmation stuff. My brother and I both tested with Ancestry DNA and it confirms that we are a 50-58% DNA match as expected. Can I use that to confirm our relationship on WikiTree even if he does not share his DNA results on WikiTree? Also, if I am reading the confirmation page correctly, I think I can confirm both our parents as DNA matches even though my father is deceased and my mother's DNA test is not back yet. Am I correct?

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Use the DNA confirmation app, but yes. Test exists with expected results based on genealogical paper trail, so that is what the "confirmed with DNA" flag is for.

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Anita, Yes, to both questions. It sounds like you have enough DNA test match information to use the DNA Confirmation Citation Maker app.

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I am sorry to be such a pest but I have another question. If I have more than one DNA match that would confirm a particular relationship - such as my relationship to my father. Should I use them all in the sources section on my profile?

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You may include as many as you wish, but it would not be necessary if you and your brother have already DNA confirmed your father. His DNA test may come in handy further up the tree, however, if he matches some of your distant cousins.