Get the Most Out of Your FTDNA Family Finder Matches
GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR FTDNA FAMILY FINDER MATCHES
This blog was initially written as an Administrator Message by Mic to each of his Projects.
While it could be more in depth, the idea is to relay … Some suggestions on solving how you and your matches are related at Family Tree DNA.
Which brings us to the topic of Autosomal DNA (known as Family Finder at FTDNA) matching. I know many people would like to see a chart of their autosomalFamily Finder matches at Family Tree DNA.
Numerous years ago (I don’t remember how many) at one of our Administrator Conferences, FTDNA entertained the idea to show those matches in a Results page similar t our Y and mt-dna results pages. They later came back and said they had decided the information would reveal too much information. So, they backed off doing it.
So, if you wish to know about your Autosomal matches you just have to go to your personal page and click on Family Finder Matches.
If you want more than just knowing your matches, you can use the Advanced Search.
In Advanced Search matches you can click on search for people you match on the Y-DNA, Mt-DNA, Chromosome as well as the Family Finder. You can check individually by test (chromosome Y-Mt X or AT, not by chromosome number which they say one of these days will be possible, just not yet) or all of the above at the same time, assuming you have taken the appropriate test.
You can also search for matches in the “whole” FTDNA database as well as only the “specific project” you are searching in. The later instance is one of the advantages of being in a project. You can see which people in a project you match even by Family Finder.
This message was not intended to be a lesson on how to use FTDNA but I seem to be on a roll…….
Be sure you have a TREE…. It help YOU! Your matches see you as their match, but, they never heard of you and have no idea “how” the two of you match. Your Tree can help. It is best if you have at least four generations in your tree If a match sees a familiar name in your tree they are more likely than not to contact you.
Also, to be in FTDNA you had to have a DNA test. Most people have now taken the Family Finder. When you have a Tree, go to it. In the upper left of the page is a drop down box with the names of your matches. When you see someone you know is related to you and you know where in your family they belong, attach them to your tree by building a limb of your tree to where they would fit. Then drag and drop that person from your match list to your Tree.
What good will that do? Well, if you add a couple cousins to your tree from your paternal side and a couple to your maternal side the FTDNA algorithm will kick in and, at least through 4th cousin start placing blue icons on some of your matches and pink (looks red to me) icons on others. The blue icons mean that person matches you on your paternal side and the red/pink icon means they match you on your maternal side. Another icon has two people heads on it which means that person matches you on both your father and mothers sides.
What this means for you is FTDNA is telling you your match is on one side or the other of you family tree which cuts your guessing down to one side of the tree from both sides. This is called “Phasing”-only the program is doing it for you.
Another tool….to add to your arsenal is a Surname List. Go to Manage Your Projects link and click on “Genealogy”. On that page start adding all your surnames and the locations where they lived.
The last several tools I mentioned work in tandem with the SEARCH Box at the top right of your Family Finder match page. So, assuming you are looking for someone with a particular surname. Place it in the Search box.
The search mechanism will look for that surname 1) in your Match Name Column of your matches. 2) In the Trees of you matches and 3) in the list of Surnames your cousin has posted. All this works if your match has a tree and surname list. If you have that information on your own page others will be able to find that type information on you and be more likely to contact you and say, “Hey, I know how we relate!”
There is another tool, the Matrix that I did not mention. You’ll see it listed on the menu page of your personal page under Family Finder where you choose which test results you wish to view.
This works when you have done an ICW (in common with) search of your matches and it shows who you and your match match.
By going to the Matrix there is a drop down box listing all your matches. You can click on up to 10 matches to check. The matrix will tell you if the people you click on are a match to both you and the person you ran the ICW test on.
Just because you match your ICW cousin and your ICW cousin matches someone else it does not always mean all of you are matching the same way.
Actually, this message got out of hand. I am not going to try to attach the sale price list. I am not sure it would make it through the FTDNA mail system. Instead, you can find it on your personal page or on the FTDNA page. OR, you can contact me and I will send it to you.
Hope this message helps!