Paternal Tree and DNA does not match.

[Ausigeni]

Hello,

I need some advice please. I took a 23andme test in January and matched with lots of distant maternal relatives but no one remotely related to my Paternal tree. In amongst all this I have several matches ranging from 80cm through to 255cm that don't fit my maternal or my paternal tree! And the 255cm lady isn't talking.

Instead of panicking and thinking that I was someone else's kid I ordered an Ancestry kit because I thought that it would match me with other people's trees. Again I got easy maternal matches (I have two XXs, go figure) but nothing remotely paternal. Non of my matches had any relation to my father's family tree.

I am now resigned to the fact that there is a major discrepancy here, (namely me), and so I have been working to build my tree on Ancestry. I've gone from 300 people to almost 3000 and I'm yet to get a clear match out of that. I had one bad match that linked me to my Uncle's family tree and the trees of my DNA matches have all the same the names as his but still no smoking gun.

So many of my matches now are from my birthplace in West Yorkshire, all linking to old West Yorkshire families and none at all linking to my Dad's Lancashire heritage or names. You would think this would make things easier but it doesn't as nearly all the names I'm dealing with are common names that lots of people share in West Yorkshire.

After building another tree, I've hit information overload and don't know what to do next.

I'm considering resorting to using GWorks. Has anyone used this and did it work?

Any suggestions much appreciated!

P

[sugarfizzle]

First of all, don't panic.

I found no matches on my father's side at first, then a few trickled in. Then a probable match with someone, MRCA over two hundred years ago.

When my paternal first cousin also tested, I also matched with her.

This may or may not be the same outcome for you. Have you any paternal  first or second cousins who would be willing to test?

If not, it might be a case of wait and see what happens, try to work out how your closest matches connect.

Regards Margaret

[PrawnCocktail]

I've had several matches from both of my grandfathers - but nothing at all at first from either of my grandmother's! I've now got one or two possibles. Which is all very weird.

Particularly my paternal grandmother, who came from London, hundreds of miles away from the rest of the family, and whose mother came from Oxfordshire, where I have no matches at all, not even a possible! I do know I'm her grand-daughter - I have her very peculiar coloured (greeny grey-hazel) short sighted eyes, as had my father. But the lack of matches is very odd!

[hurworth]

Have you considered uploading to FamilyTreeDNA, MyHeritage and Gedmatch?

One of my parents had no recognisable paternal matches until I uploaded their DNA to another database. 

[Ausigeni]

Update.

In an effort to understand the "bad match" from Ancestry I deleted my Dad in the family tree and inserted the name of my Uncle. I then built my Uncle's family tree out from there.

In the last two days I have managed to validate matches to two third to fourth cousins and one fifth cousin using my uncle's family tree. Literally Ancestry said each of the ladies I matched should be third to fourth cousins and that is exactly what they turned out to be with the new tree.

Am I going crazy here or do you think I might have nailed it?

[hurworth]

I'm not sure.

I recommend you use a database with a chromosome browser.  Gedmatch is particularly useful because you can also see how other people match each other. 

For example if you share a segment with a known relative of your mother, and also match an unknown person at that same region but they do not match your mother, then you will know that the segment you share with the unknown person is from your father. 

If any of your matches at FamilyTreeDNA are known aunts, uncles or 1st, 2nd or 3rd maternal cousins you can link them to your tree and anyone who shares the segments with you and these relatives will show as maternal relatives.

[Ausigeni]

Thanks, I did not know that about FTDNA. I have an account but I keep getting an error message every time I try to upload my Ancestry file. I might have to re-download it and try again.

As for Gedmatch, I have tried both the regular database and Genesis and I have a lot of 20cm and under matches but nothing that's going to aid my "Aha!" moment unfortunately.

I am testing another relative too, hopefully that will shed some much needed light.

[hurworth]

There's a fix for the Ancestry file discussed here:
http://forums.familytreedna.com/showthread.php?t=41783&highlight=ancestry&page=29

The tool is here:
http://www.mapmy23.com/tools/ancestry_ftdna_fix.php

If you wish you can PM me and I'd be very happy to have a look at your Gedmatch file.  Do you recognise any relatives at Gedmatch at all?

[sugarfizzle]

Update.

In an effort to understand the "bad match" from Ancestry I deleted my Dad in the family tree and inserted the name of my Uncle. I then built my Uncle's family tree out from there.

In the last two days I have managed to validate matches to two third to fourth cousins and one fifth cousin using my uncle's family tree. Literally Ancestry said each of the ladies I matched should be third to fourth cousins and that is exactly what they turned out to be with the new tree.

Am I going crazy here or do you think I might have nailed it?

Not sure that I fully understand you. Surely your paternal uncle's family is the same family as yours? I.e. these 3rd to 4th cousins and 5th cousin are your father's family as well as your uncle's family?
Sorry not to fully understand!

Regards Margaret