Ancestry's distant cousin definitiion (<=20cM)

[Gadget]

Has anyone else got a fairly long list of matches that have a 20cM (1-2 seg) that Ancestry have classed as 'distant'?

I have found that I  have 51 matches in this category. They don't seem to be any different from the  20cM matches that have been classified as 4-or closer cousins.

Without a chromosome browser, it's difficult to work out their  reasoning for this classification 

So, instead of 362 close matches, I could have 413!


Gadget

[Nova67]

It always annoys me that you do not know which of your 5th-8th cousin matches have Shared Matches!
Would also be good to be able to know all the matches you have with another person.

[Gadget]

Yes that's a problem but you get them if they share a  match which is greater than 20cM.

I'm more concerned with how they define the cut off between 4-or closer cousins at 20cM and 5-8th cousins at 20cM 

[Nanna52]

Thanks a lot gadget I had to go and count my 5th to 8th cousins with 20 cMs.  I have 67.  I’ve got 663 close matches many from my unknown grandfathers line.  Doubt they will help me identify which of the five brothers did the deed, but you never know.

[Gadget]

I've asked for an explanation/definition.  I'll let you know what they say.

Gadget

[Janethepain]

I have made an assumption, which may well not be correct, that those matches classed as distant are ones rounded up from over 19.5, (see the wee i for information on the match summary page),while the ones included in the 'possibly 4th cousin group'(ie not distant), are rounded down to 20 from 20.49 or below.

All the above relates to 20 cM matches grouped either side of the distant cousin cut off.

[Gadget]

It might be a rounding error, Jane, but the little i tells me the same for both sides of the 'line'

I've not heard from them so far. I shall also check on the other sites to see if any of the matches are on those as well. It might give some extra info .


Gadget

[Gadget]

Just checked at the cut off

The last one of the 4th or closer cousins is 20 across 2. The penultimate is 20 across 1

The first one in the Distant  cousins is 20 across 1. The second is 20 across 2

 


Added - just realised I've been saying 4 -6th. I meant 4th or closer