Genealogy Chat

My spouse has recently received test results.

First question, some second cousin matches have been found. This was my heritage test. How do you know whether a match is maternal or paternal??

One match a woman, shares 3% dna (215.1cm) segments shared 10, largest segment 44.7 cm

Is there any help with finding answers please?

Gill

Ask the company which did the tests??

Google for a chart??

Thank you, it’s still difficult

I’m afraid MH doesn’t yet tell you which side a match comes from. (Ancestry does)

If you can’t spot any matches that you are already aware of then you are stuck. Can you ask the match and compare notes or can you try the usual methods to work them out eg looking for their births, parents etc.

Does the match have any family names listed in their profile, or a family tree you can access? Although some details appear to require a subscription, it is often possible to jiggle the listing to see enough detail.
Or build their tree yourself using FreeBMD etc. If the match is a second cousin, then grandparents are siblings, so not too far back to go.

Thanks very much for your clear reply,
I’ve accessed their family tree, the older generations, and have built their tree as best I can, as you suggest. Absolutely no matching surnames.
I’m gradually coming to the conclusion that this person may have been adopted out, and in to their family.
Any suggestions for working forward??

There is no way of finding out if they were adopted is by asking them. Possibly opening a huge can of worms.

Try saying you were surprised to find a close match and have they got any ideas how you both fit.

Thank you.. good advice

Well I have another question. The Tester’s father, born in the 1930s and now deceased, did not know who his father was, and therefore is missing a set of grandparents too.

As he has a second cousin match with 401.5 cms and no matching surnames in their tree and ours, is there some way of finding out his dad’s father ??

Well I have another question. The Tester’s father, born in the 1930s and now deceased, did not know who his father was, and therefore is missing a set of grandparents too.

As he has a second cousin match with 401.5 cms and no matching surnames in their tree and ours, is there some way of finding out his dad’s father ??

I expect the company has said this is a second cousin - this is based on the average for that amount of cms. The match may actually be closer possibly a first cousin once removed .
The 215 match could be a second cousin or 1st cousin twice removed.

It is not an exact science.

We were lucky with a match on Ancestry that gave us a clue to a group of brothers, one of which was probably my OH's grandfather. It was only when a first cousin once removed popped up that we were able to work him back and feel fairly confident which brother it was.

AS to your question. You need to work back the 401 match to find someone of around the right age. If they have no brothers you may have the right man .

Your comments are very helpful, and help me to think, or perhaps rethink.

The 401 match is really hard to identify with freebmd as I don’t know a specific age and can only guess, even though I can see the purported tree. She would be born when her mum was about 41: and her other children were born much earlier close to their marriage in 19middle teens. It can happen, of course.

Again thanks, any further comments/thoughts welcome.

How close in age do you think 401 is to your husband? If it is reasonably similar then 2 nd cousin is more likely. If they are are quite a bit younger then they could be from the next generation making a x 1 more likely.

If they are second cousins then the grandparents are siblings so you need to look at both of her grandparents. Are there any males who could possibly be the one. Did any of them come from a similar area?

Do 215 and 401 match to each other?

You say you are using freebmd. Do you have access to Ancestry to look at trees on there - usually available at libraries.

I’ll answer point by point. Husband is in his sixties and the 401 is in her eighties. There are two more people with her surname as matches, also. Again, this name not in my husbands known family,

Area. Trying to locate the matches’ family in 1939, I think that all are living in the same county,

One of her other namesakes is 2.5%, 180.4cM, shared 8 segments , largest 508cM

Am I looking at his father’s missing paternal side ?

Sorry to confuse, but I’ve discovered who the 215 is and it’s not relevant to this enquiry

This is very helpful, and clearer than other helpers. . :-D

So there is a 20 year difference, which could mean she is the previous generation making her 1st cousin once removed so joint ancestor would be a generation further back.

I was hoping that some of the matches would be out of area so that you could have dismissed them.

I assume you mean matches - so 508 must match to your husband otherwise you wouldn’t see it.

Does your husband have half siblings, as their results would help you sort out the matches you do need to look at.
On My Heritage you can only work out which side someone is on if you can recognise other matches. Which, presumably, is why you have been able to dismiss 201.

I wonder if taking an Ancestry test would extend matches.

If you don’t have Ancestry I would be happy to look to see if there are any trees with them on if so pm me, but it would take a couple of days to get back as I am out all day.

That’s very kind you.