Making Discoveries With the New and Improved AncestryDNA Match List | Ancestry

Join Crista Cowan for a detailed tour through the New and Improved AncestryDNA Match List. The Barefoot Genealogist will then walk you through her process for working with her DNA matches to make new discoveries about her family history. She will also provide you with some quick tips for keeping track of your new connections.

About Ancestry:
Bringing together science and self-discovery, Ancestry helps everyone, everywhere discover the story of what led to them. Our sophisticated engineering and technology harnesses family history and consumer genomics, combining billions of rich historical records and millions of family trees to over 10 million and counting to provide people with deeply meaningful insights about who they are and where they come from.

We’ve pioneered and defined this category, developing new innovations and technologies that have reinvented how people make family history discoveries. And these discoveries can give everyone a greater sense of identity, relatedness, and their place in the world.

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About The Barefoot Genealogist:
Crista Cowan is the Ancestry Corporate Genealogist. Employed at Ancestry since 2004, Crista has held various roles that have allowed her to deeply understand the products and services Ancestry offers and how customers use them. She has an abundance of knowledge about the array of genealogy research methodologies, resources, and tools. She is passionate about helping people discover their family stories. She has been producing episodes of The Barefoot Genealogist since 2011. Find her on other social media channels to continue to learn from her about how to make new family history discoveries.

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Making Discoveries With the New and Improved AncestryDNA Match List

[vincentformisano]

32:55 I know that feeling. My grandmother wanted to find her half sister for her entire life. 10 years after she died, I found her 80 year old sister.
I speak to her every week.

[frankleereed]

First, I would like to say how happy I have been with my Ancestry subscription and especially the AncestryDNA test I purchased in 2013 or 2014.

In 2015 my twin brother took a job in Oklahoma City and a few months later I also moved to the state. We were born in California; however, our biological father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were all born in Oklahoma. Our father passed away in an automobile accident in July 1981. We were 12 years old at the time. So, once moving here, I wanted a copy of his birth certificate to put with all other documents I have that were his. Much to my surprise, when I went to the Department of Health's Vital Records Division and applied for his certificate under the surname he used - Reed - I was told the certificate did not exist. I was able to obtain it because I knew his mother was married, but in the process of divorcing, her second husband who's last name was Osburn.

My father never had a copy of his birth certificate. He used his Cradle Roll Certificate for identification. My AncestryDNA results put me into 32 DNA Circles - several confirming my lineage as a Reed. I requested the Department of Health to correct the record and provided the results; however, they said that they lacked the ability and authority to make the change. They also doubted any judge would change the certificate.

So, I hired a lawyer to write up a petition in Oklahoma County District Court case titled, DAVID LEON OSBURN via FRANK LEE REED Petitioner vs. OKLAHOMA DIVISION OF VITAL RECORDS Respondents Case Number CV-2019-661 filed March 20, 2019. At first, the judge was not going to accept the case because everyone on the certificate were already deceased and she said I would not have standing, and she did not have authority. However, we discovered at least three laws pointing out that any judge in a competent jurisdiction has the authority to change the name on a certificate. The judge set a hearing for April 23, 2019. I used the DNA Circles, which went back 6 generations, and then provided 4 generations of genealogical data for the Osburn line. The evidence being overwhelming in my favor, and without any objections from the State, the judge granted my Petition.

It is a unique - one-of-a-kind - case that would not have been possible without AncestryDNA results. Normally, paternity is not petitioned by someone other than the principles. Additionally, paternity is normally sought by those living. This case, everyone involved were deceased except myself. It was a special day and a testament to the power of the AncestryDNA results and their use in daily life.

Thank You.

Sincerely,

Frank Lee Reed

[Musikat]

Last year, I found my great aunt through Ancestry and ordered her an AncestryDNA test. Within a week, she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. A couple months went by. Within 2 days after receiving her results, she passed away.

Her mother (my supposed Woodruff great grandmother) was my brick wall, and her results helped me find out her true identity, through triangulation.

the great grandmother had 5 children we didn’t know about and none of her children were biologically her husband’s, and I am not a Woodruff!

[dotcom]

First thing I do before I start watching your videos is open a new tab to my ancestry tree and follow along with you. Your tips and tricks help me daily on this journey. You are my research buddy. Great video!

[TheAayize]

more DNA videos please I miss the content we used to get every month.. I especially want more videos using thru lines please and thank you. love your videos Crista thank you so much 🙏🙏🙏 I wouldn't even mind older DNA videos being redone and rebooted since the website has changed and improved so much with DNA in the past year.. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE KNOWLEDGE ❤️😊

[flirtyfleur]

What really annoys me with DNA matches on Ancestry, is the amount of people that have taken DNA test, but no tree.

[wendysherbert]

I just love your enthusiasm and clearly explained information. I always get a boost to start up again right away after listening to you. Thank you so much for all your support to all of us.

[grumpybear]

This allowed me to break through a brick wall on my husband's side that has driven me crazy for months. I also found a picture of my friend's grandfather, which was a huge find because she had never seen a single picture of him!

[AncestryUS]

We're thrilled to hear that you've enjoyed this discussion, Darlene! Please let us know if you have any questions and we'd be happy to address them!

[tomzito]

Thanks for demonstrating some of the cool new features and for sharing with us how you apply them in your very own real account. I'm so sorry to hear that you recently lost your grandmother. I love the new features and I'm sure that more updates are on their way. Two things that would be very useful: 1. ability to search not just for matches with notes, but for keywords in those notes. Also 2. Please make a suggestion to make the "test picker" more sticky. When I'm working on my father's matches for example, it keeps defaulting back to my test as I jump from screen to screen. Sometimes I don't realize that the picker unpicked Dad and I have to go back and transfer my notes to his match list.

[russcline]

Excellent, Crista! I watched it shortly after you published it, and then watched it again this evening after spending a few weeks implementing it. I've been looking for a method of managing DNA matches across several kits, and I love your approach. I also implemented an Excel log and email-based reminders of those I messaged, but your approach is the foundation of it all. Thanks again!

[rdelineyt]

Great video and a huge improvement in the DNA Match list! Here's some feedback for the Ancestry team: when I have common ancestor with a match, the two of us are related is the main thing I want to see. It's a shame that it's two clicks away and (IMO) hard to find. I'd much rather see that info when I click on a person, rather than their tree. Also, how cool would it be to see one large family tree with all my matches (with known common ancestor) on it!

[aydentorres]

As of right now, I am creating a descendant list/book of my great-great-great grandparents. There was a book made in 1999 but has become outdated. Luckily it included addresses and phone numbers so it helps a lot. With the DNA match list I have come in contact with 8 cousins. That doesn’t seem like a lot but it is a huge start!

[adamenos]

I love your Idea about the color coding and implementing it for your matches. I did not do the color coding in the profiles but I surely using the coding for grouping my matches between my mother and paternal grandparents. Now that I know you are the person who is truly behind a lot of the updates with what we can do for DNA. I think a filter that allows us to filter those that we have already seen the profile would be a another good addition for filters. I think it would be good for those that did not yet group their people to find those they may have seen. There are so many more things that i would love to see that gets added. Im sure I will let you and ancestry know of the things I think that could make research even better.

[iwanttobelieve]

Yes, I kept saying I was hoping Ancestry would make it easier to know which side of your family your matches came from. And I like the new information with the DNA evidence. I love it all. I'm not wasting hours on matches I can't figure out.

[schadesloth]

I like your colour coding method! I think I may use something similar myself. I normally make a note detailing which great grandparents line the connection is from. Your method will make filtering the resolved matches a lot simpler. Keep up the good work, Crista!

[DaniElleLuminati]

My mom found out a few years ago when she was 60 years old that her dad was not in fact her biological father. My grandma died many years ago and is not here anymore to ask her who my mom's real father is. The reason I sent my DNA to ancestry is so that maybe I can find relatives that will lead us to answers about who her real father is.

[skchrisman]

One minute in and I felt the need to comment on your hair! Lol! I love it. Back to watching... 💁‍♀️
As always, great info!

[leighk.]

Wow! I did not know Ancestry automatically privatized everyone listed as living. That info. changes EVERYTHING!!! I need to watch all you videos!

[marthastevensonwright]

So glad to hear you say that those with Southern roots may have more DNA matches! This has been my theory for quite some time. With my New England roots back to The Mayflower, I have a mere 37, 000 total matches but my son-in-law's mother, with deep Southern roots has 75, 000! I see this a lot with other tests too.