Ancestry DNA questions

[RebeccaNZ]

I've just had my DNA tested through ancestry I'm overall happy with how they've done things but I have a few questions that dont seem to be explained anywhere.

Do the match ups only include matches with other people who have Great British heritage. In my drop down menu to pick which areas I want to see matches from, it only let's me pick from the British areas. I do have about 60% heritage from western and eastern Europe. So, I'm not understanding how theres no matches from these areas

2. There are people who I'm matched with who are meant to be an extremely  high match with as 3rd cousins but it seems that we have absolutely no connection. So, I'm not sure what to think.

Has anyone else experienced something similar?

[Ruskie]

Yes.

You may have no matches for Eastern Europe because no Eastern Europeans have tested yet though if that's the case I don't know where they got the 60% from. I don't know the specifics of Ancestry though sorry.

I have several close DNA matches who I can't find a paper trail match with. One in particular I think might be a second cousin (probably X removed) and I have no idea where or how we match ...

[garrvian]

Hello Rebecca,
The info from Ancestry indicates that the regional origins relate to inhabitants from those areas a couple of thousand years ago.
Matches will only be from people who have also done the Ancestry DNA test and have some similarities to your DNA. If you have a reasonably researched tree on Ancestry going back at least 4-5 generations, anyone with a tree also on Ancestry with ancestors at some point identical to yours, will come up as a match to you. Your tree and theirs will be displayed side by side back to the common ancestor.
The predominant results are from people in UK, USA and Australasia, with a very small no. from Europe.
The results don't appear to be as precise as we would like since we get half our genes from each parent and then only a part of each parent's DNA makeup, so we are not identical to siblings.
Like you, we have matches that don't seem to have links that the closeness of relationship suggests. In one case we have a reasonably close match in USA, but the tree for that person has no-one even close to a match for many generations back. I wonder if something went on behind the sheltershed that no-one knows about or wants to know about?
In another instance, 2 sisters come up as different generation relations to my wife.
While the results are very interesting, there is still a fair amount of explanation needed to grasp the implications in some cases.
I also wonder if fluke combinations show up as matches when in reality they aren't genealogical matches.
Best wishes,
Garry   
   

[RebeccaNZ]

Thanks to you both!

Hello Rebecca,
The info from Ancestry indicates that the regional origins relate to inhabitants from those areas a couple of thousand years ago.
Matches will only be from people who have also done the Ancestry DNA test and have some similarities to your DNA. If you have a reasonably researched tree on Ancestry going back at least 4-5 generations, anyone with a tree also on Ancestry with ancestors at some point identical to yours, will come up as a match to you. Your tree and theirs will be displayed side by side back to the common ancestor.
The predominant results are from people in UK, USA and Australasia, with a very small no. from Europe.
The results don't appear to be as precise as we would like since we get half our genes from each parent and then only a part of each parent's DNA makeup, so we are not identical to siblings.
Like you, we have matches that don't seem to have links that the closeness of relationship suggests. In one case we have a reasonably close match in USA, but the tree for that person has no-one even close to a match for many generations back. I wonder if something went on behind the sheltershed that no-one knows about or wants to know about?
In another instance, 2 sisters come up as different generation relations to my wife.
While the results are very interesting, there is still a fair amount of explanation needed to grasp the implications in some cases.
I also wonder if fluke combinations show up as matches when in reality they aren't genealogical matches.
Best wishes,
Garry   
 

Thanks for explaining that. Yes, I agree about the potential for fluke matches and sometimes it takes a bit of research to figure out how you are connected. Its definitely been an interesting experience but perhaps a little more complicated than I first thought. Although it has been useful to confirm certain things in my family tree

[Ruskie]

Many people upload their raw data to other companies.

This can often throw up different matches.

Some information here:
https://dna-explained.com/2017/04/11/autosomal-dna-transfers-which-companies-accept-which-tests/

I have found My Heritage nice and easy to use.

[RebeccaNZ]

Many people upload their raw data to other companies.

This can often throw up different matches.

Some information here:
https://dna-explained.com/2017/04/11/autosomal-dna-transfers-which-companies-accept-which-tests/

I have found My Heritage nice and easy to use.

Thankyou I'm going to try that!

[Ruskie]

Let us know how you get on Rebecca. 

As an aside, my FTDNA results show that I have 40% Eastern European, and am getting lots of matches with (presumably) Americans with Eastern European ancestry.

[RebeccaNZ]

Let us know how you get on Rebecca. 

As an aside, my FTDNA results show that I have 40% Eastern European, and am getting lots of matches with (presumably) Americans with Eastern European ancestry.

That's interesting, than you!

[Ruskie]

After my last post I checked my My Heritage account.  Sitting at the top of my matches is a new first to second cousin match - I was surprised to see my grandmother included in their family tree! Looks like they are Canadians with Eastern European/Russian heritage.

I have just sent off an email so keeping my fingers crossed for a reply. Sadly they appear to have a fairly sparse tree so I don't think I will get any new leads from them.