How many '4th cousins or closer' matches have you got?

[jillruss]

This question is really just for my own curiosity.  I'm convinced my ancestors have produced descendants who are either, in the main, very reticent about having their DNA tested or just as disinterested as the rest of my immediate family appear to be.

How many 4th cousins or closer is Ancestry telling you are a match with?  I did the test just over a year ago and currently have just 200 such matches, and have been stuck on that 200 for a while now. From different posts on here, I get the impression that the norm is quite a lot higher for most people.

So, if you don't mind replying with your number, I'd be grateful to compare - not that I can do anything about it, of course, it would just be good to know.

I would add that, despite a dubious start to my 'DNA experience', I have found some really interesting matches and subsequently new ancestors.

Oh, and do you think I'll be consigned to the flames of Hell for wanting to shoot all those people who match but don't have trees and/or don't reply to my (always polite) messages? 

[Gadget]

I have 358 close matches, Jill, and  48,843* matches  in total!


Gadget

* think this was the others total but its gone up now - all those 6-7 cM matches 

[Old Bristolian]

I have 193. I started (about 8 months ago) with c130 and I must admit the trickle of additions has slowed considerably. I have found several very good connections with some of these, but the number who don't reply, even when they have trees is annoying to say the least. Sadly my closest match is adopted and we can't see where, living on different continents!

Steve

[Craclyn]

I have 261 matches in the 4th cousin grouping. Total matches 34,288. Most of the English kits I manage are around that level. The Canadian kits I manage have over 350. The Italian kits I manage are down in double figures, with the lowest just having 11 at 4th cousin level.

[Finley 1]

256

last time I checked...

xin

[jillruss]

Just Old Bristolian as bereft as me then - so far! (Old Bristolian:- I don't suppose any of your Horwoods made their way to or from Berkshire?)

You're doing well, Gadget! How on earth do you count your total matches? I didn't bother with many of the 5th-8th cousin matches to begin with but, since I persuaded two of my brothers to test and am managing their results, I've cottoned on that they may have a match with a high cM level but, when I check for them on my list, they can be either down in the 'also rans' or even not mentioned in despatches at all!!

Funny thing, this DNA!! Almost as bewildering as Brexit!!! 

[diplodicus]

Total 299.

Two offspring.
Two first cousins.
Four third cousins two of whom I had never heard of), and...

two hundred and 291 fourth cousins.

However, 66 of these 291 (greater than 20 cM) are linked to just four different branches and by using shared matches most matches share a common ancestor with at least one other match and usually more.

I know that one of these four thick branches is an Ingram connection (Aberdeen/Banffshire)  one is to Evan Jones (from Carmarthenshire - a prominent elder of the Mormon Church), one I can trace back to my Suffolk roots and the fourth branch is definitely Irish (Leinster/Ulster).

There you go: English, Irish, Scots and Welsh. The perfect island mongrel!

[Craclyn]

Jillruss, If you enable the beta test for improved matching then you will see the count of total matches, 4th cousins, new matches and any group filters that you set.

[Gadget]

You're doing well, Gadget! How on earth do you count your total matches?

As Craclyn says - you get this, amongst other info.  I have little coloured markers for my various groupings now