The ancestry.com DNA program recently added two new features that make it possible, for the first time, to really compare results and understand how you might be related.
When you click on a DNA match, you will see a small “i” in an icon. When clicked, it shows the total centimorgans (cMs) you share with your DNA match.
These totals help you place this cousin in your tree, at least approximately. If you share, say, 45 centimorgans, you should be about fourth cousins, and so forth.
Most people in the AncestryDNA program link to a family tree and any matching results come up automatically as part of the results, but having the cMs available helps a lot.
There are also three pairs of words that appear below each result, and in the middle is “Shared Matches.” When clicking this, the results are sorted and reveal which other people have DNA in common with you and the person featured. This is similar to the “In Common With” feature at FamilyTreeDNA’s FamilyFinder.
The biggest problem still with AncestryDNA is that many people enter only to learn their ethnicity, don’t have trees posted, and don’t reply to others seeking to learn how they may be kin. On Ancestry, people also can use an acronym or handle, not their real name, and you have to email them via Ancestry, which is another reason people don’t reply: They never check back to see any DNA matches.
No matter what DNA program you use, you need to reply to people who write to you, as your matching them via DNA could open up a new lead in their family tree.
Computer genealogy
The Genealogical Computer Society of Georgia has been operating for 20 years and seeks members who are interested in learning more about computers in genealogy, various genealogy programs, as well as other topics.
They meet the second Saturday of the month at the Family History Center, 500 Norcross St., Roswell. Check gencomputer.org to see previous lectures and other links, as well as advice on using certain genealogy programs.
Websites of interest
Family Tree Magazine's December issue highlights 75 state-focused websites. Some to check include Alabama Mosaic (alabamamosaic.org), Kentucky's Digital Library (kdl.kyvl.org), Maryland State Archives (msa.maryland.gov), Ohio Memory (www.ohiomemory.org), Tennessee's Volunteer Voices (volunteervoices.org) and the Library of Virginia (lva.virginia.gov).
