Did you know that if you have taken a DNA test through Ancestry.com (or one of the other major testing companies) you can transfer your results to GEDmatch and gain access to additional DNA information and tools? If you have been asked by a DNA relative to make this transfer…it is most likely to help with your family research and it is great that you have taken the time to read more about it. Below are some reasons why you should consider the transfer and step by step instructions if you decide to proceed.
WHY SHOULD I UPLOAD MY DNA INFORMATION TO GEDmatch?
- It is FREE!
- It connects you with 1.3 million family researchers from all the major DNA testing companies.
- It provides links to excellent tutorials which will help you better understand how to use DNA in your research.
- It helps others who are researching your shared family tree to break through research brick walls.
- It offers advanced DNA comparison tools that are not available on Ancestry, such as:
- a Chromosome Browser (see explanation below)
- Ancestor Project Groups (collaborate with other family researchers)
- Are Your Parents Related tool (no explanation needed)
- Archaic DNA Matches (compare your DNA to really old bones)
- Admixture Heritage (similar to Ancestry’s ethnicity estimate, only further back in time)
HOW DOES A CHROMOSOME BROWSER HELP WITH GENEALOGY RESEARCH?
A Chromosome Browser may be used to help prove a family relationship when there are no paper records, such as birth and death certificates, that directly state the relationship. This is because it allows you to compare overlapping segments of DNA between three or more people in a process called Triangulation (see screenshot below).
Why is this useful? Let’s look at an example. You may think that you know who the father of your 2nd great-grandfather is because there are sources, such as land deed sales, that indirectly connect father, son and other of his siblings. Triangulating DNA matches from descendants of the theorized father’s family with your own DNA could help support your theory and strengthen your genealogical argument. Ancestry DNA’s Shared Matches tool does not provide enough information to confirm this relationship through Triangulation. It only identifies In Common With (ICW) groups. ICW group members share some DNA, but we don’t have enough data from Ancestry to know if they all share the same segment(s) of DNA or different ones. ICW group members may be related through a single ancestral couple or a few different ancestors. The only way to be certain who shares a single common ancestor is to compare DNA segments using a chromosome browser. Ancestry.com does not provide a chromosome browser tool to triangulate matches and verify DNA evidence in this way. However, GEDmatch has several tools that were designed for this type of research.
IS IT SAFE TO UPLOAD TO GEDmatch?
Similar to testing with any DNA service each person needs to evaluate the risks vs. rewards of having their DNA information housed on a public website. GEDmatch recently partnered with Verogen, Inc. to help bolster security standards and improve their tools. For more information about this partnership read GEDmatch Founder, Curtis Rogers’ letter here.
When uploading your DNA to GEDmatch you are given the choice between four levels of privacy:
- Opt-in: This kit will be shown in match results for all other kits in the database.
- Opt-out: This kit will be shown in match results for all other kits in the database, except for kits identified as being uploaded by law enforcement representatives.
- Research: This kit will not be shown in match result reports generated for other kits. Any user who you share your kit number with can use it to compare DNA.
- Private: This kit will not be available for any matching. The kit will be in the database, and it will be batch processed, but no comparison results will be shown unless this privacy setting is changed by you later.
You can also use an alias and an anonymous email address for additional security. As a GEDmatch user, you retain ownership of your data and can delete your information from the site at any time.
HOW DO I TRANSFER MY DNA TO GEDmatch?
How to Download the Raw DNA Data from Ancestry.com
How to Upload the DNA file to GEDmatch https://www.gedmatch.com
ADDITIONAL READING
Blaine Bettinger, “A Triangulation Intervention,” The Genetic Genealogist, 19 June 2016 (https://thegeneticgenealogist.com/2016/06/19/a-triangulation-intervention/ : accessed 18 February 2020).
Kitty Cooper, “Getting Started with GEDmatch,” Kitty Cooper’s Blog, 23 June 2018 (https://blog.kittycooper.com/2018/06/getting-started-with-gedmatch/ : accessed 18 February 2020).
Roberta Estes, “Concepts – Why Genetic Genealogy and Triangulation?,” DNA Explained – Genetic Genealogy, 16 May 2017 (https://dna-explained.com/2017/05/16/concepts-why-genetic-genealogy-and-triangulation/ : accessed 18 February 2020).
Esmeralda
February 18, 2021Why would Living DNA Change my Middle Eastern DNA results? The first results they covered the entire
Middle East, including Israel. Then the second updated result showed only Arabia and removed Israel all together. I know the two are close cousins , by why change the whole thing?
Michelle
February 19, 2021Hi Esmeralda,
That is a great question! For ethnicity admixture estimates each DNA testing company compares your DNA to sample groups of people from different ethnicities. From this, they estimate your most likely matches and provide you with an ethnicity mix. As time goes on they gather more sample group testers and keep refining their estimates, so your estimate may change slightly over time. If you were to test with several DNA testing companies their estimates would all differ slightly because they are each comparing your DNA to different reference groups. If you took the average of all the companies that would probably the most well-rounded estimate. You also have to remember that these ethnicity estimates could include DNA that is much older than you are able to trace with modern records. I hope that helps but if you would like help evaluating your estimate please email me and I would be happy to explain further.
Paul Johnson
February 20, 2021Hi Michelle,
Thank you so much for sharing your family history in such a thorough manner.
It was very helpful to me and I greatly appreciate your kindness. Marin Galeran BOUCHER
1589–1671 is my 8th GGF.
Michelle
February 20, 2021Hi Paul,
I am so glad you said hello. We are definitely distant cousins if you descend from Marin Boucher. I am planning a few more French Canadian posts soon. Santé
Jim Antley
April 28, 2022I have taken DNA tests at Ancestry, 23andme and FTDNA. Should I upload from all three to Gedmatch.com or is only one of them sufficient? If only one, which one would be best to upload?