RootsChat.Com
General => Ancestral Family Tree DNA Testing => Topic started by: jillruss on Tuesday 09 June 20 12:21 BST (UK)
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I know that, from time to time, I come on here to moan about my low numbers of matches, but I'd more or less resigned myself to the fact that others seem to have had - shall we say - more prolific ancestors and with descendants who aren't necessarily backwards in coming forwards! i.e. taking DNA tests.
And I've read Ancestry's blurb about how they're working normally during the pandemic.
And I appreciate that, for the past 2 or 3 months, doing a DNA test hasn't been foremost in most people's minds.
But, my total number of 4-6 gen matches over 20 cMs has been stuck on the same amount for weeks and weeks. Plus, although I have used lockdown to add lots and lots of cousins to my Ancestry tree, I have had no additional Common Ancestors.
Am I wasting my time? Well, no, because even cousins can have interesting lives! I've found quite a few who've emigrated to either Oz or N America and, only yesterday, a cousin who became a British Red Cross nurse during WW1.
However, my question is: are other people having the same experience as me with Ancestry? Do you think they're really working as normal? If not, it would be understandable but in that case I wish they'd just say so and stop me feeling like some kind of persona non grata!!
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It could be the number of people doing tests, Jill, or maybe are their labs being used for Covid testing (this last one just a way out thought)
I've only had a few in the 29-12cM category in the last 2 months. They've been mostly 11cM and below
Gadget
PS - Common ancestors seem to have been stuck for longer!
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Matches are still coming in regularly. If you sort by date you will see how many have come in during the last 7 days. Whether any of those are closer matches is just the luck of the draw with respect to who has tested recently.
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I've checked by date, as you suggested Craclyn, and there seem to be plenty, but hardly any in double digits, cMs wise. As you say, must just be my luck! (do you play the violin?!! ;D)
This make me wonder even more if the Common Ancestors facility is perhaps not operating to its full extent.
I shall carry on regardless and hope for the best (or better).
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I haven't had many matches recently either and none over 11cm and no new Common Ancestors, despite the fact that I too have been busy adding cousins. :-(
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Seems that's 3 of us, plus 3 that I manage :-\
Though I have had a few over 11cMs but not many.
Add - 11 between 17cM and 11cM out of 134 since the last week of April.
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It could be the number of people doing tests, Jill, or maybe are their labs being used for Covid testing (this last one just a way out thought)
I've only had a few in the 29-12cM category in the last 2 months. They've been mostly 11cM and below
Gadget
PS - Common ancestors seem to have been stuck for longer!
They actually posted a message where they said they had been in contact with the US government about doing Covid testing in their labs. However they also said Ancestry DNA is available as normal. However, as far as I know during the lockdown there has been no discounts which, combined with everyone being concerned about hygiene, probably account for only a small amount of new matches appearing. Ancestry states their kits are fully safe to use through the post.
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I must admit I hadn't appreciated that they might be using their labs for more noble reasons!
Hopefully in the non too distant future we'll all receive an absolute torrent of new matches and common ancestors to make up for the lull.
Like I said, I'm ploughing on regardless and have just found a 2nd cousin who was an actor! My first actor! He appeared in a few British films in the 1930s and 1940s and even appeared in Dixon of Dock Green (which I vaguely remember watching).
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Both my wife and I have had 2 or 3 3rd/4th cousins crop up in the last couple of months but most of the newer entries are more distant.
Ancestry DNA showed me a third actor to be a living relation, albeit distant. He is also from the same line that led to the two I knew about - Alfred Hawthorn Hill (Benny Hill) and Benny's 1C2R Holly Vallance
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Well, there's a strange brew: Benny Hill and Holly Valance!!
I was quite chuffed about finding my first actor but I'd never heard of him. A while ago I found some Nivens in Scotland and was rather hoping to link them to David Niven, but it was not to be!! ::)