AncestryDNA ThruLines

AncestryDNA's ThruLines tool is a powerful new tool that helps you visualize possible family tree relationships with your DNA matches. It's a huge step forward in DNA research, and it can help you break through brick walls in your family tree.
In this video, I'll give you a quick introduction to ThruLines and show you how to use it. I'll also share some tips for getting the most out of this powerful tool.
What is ThruLines?
ThruLines is a new feature in AncestryDNA that helps you visualize possible family tree relationships with your DNA matches. It uses information from your DNA results and the family trees of your matches to create a network of relationships.
How to use ThruLines
To use ThruLines, you need to have a public or private searchable family tree linked to your AncestryDNA account. You also need to have at least one DNA match who has a public or private searchable family tree linked to their account.
To access ThruLines, go to your DNA Results Summary page on Ancestry.com and click on the "ThruLines" tab. You'll see a list of your DNA matches who have ThruLines results available.
To view a ThruLine for a specific match, click on their name. You'll see a network of relationships that shows how you may be related to your match.
Learn more about how to use Ancestry ThruLines: www.yourdnaguide.com/ydgblog/...
AncestryDNA ThruLines Tips and Strategies: www.yourdnaguide.com/ydgblog/...
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[@sarahademenos1161]

Excellent concise presentation which covered A LOT in a short amount of time, thank you.

[@AncestryNerd]

Nice video! Always do genealogy! Don't always trust the tool. Some people have the wrong ancestors on their tree (usually due to NPE). Good luck everyone!

[@gilbrook]

Wow! Had not known Diahan had a YT channel. This is great. Fun & educational at same time.

[@YourDNAGuide]

Glad to see you here!

[@DavidWilliamsaz]

What I did was i took the thru lines and what is listed on Ancestry.com and crossed referenced it with the information that is on Familysearch and when they disagreed I started writing down their names to research them more.

[@YourDNAGuide]

Great idea!

[@mimibird1]

Thanks for clarifying how to use this tool. It really helps.

[@YourDNAGuide]

You bet!

[@SuperMichaelbennett]

Thanks so much

[@Isleskye]

Excellent and concise. Thanks.

[@diahansouthard197]

Thanks for saying so!

[@SuperMichaelbennett]

Good job

[@bcr8tve]

I was going to town using thruline without insight if it was actually correct. This resulted in duplicates which is even more time-consuming to correct. One thing I do like is ability to link other members DNA to a tree. That little tool was rolled out in 2019.

[@PJ-is1jy]

You are confusing hints with thrulines

[@casewhite5048]

I used this tool for the first time I think both of us have used ancestry dna but also 23 & me my moms side is wild but I think she may be my cousin regardless

[@Borntobeawhovian]

i always check thurlines but what always puzzles and amazes me is when people have more connections through thurlines because more people have taken dna tests for others i only have one sets of so many times great greandparents that i share through ten connections and thats about it

[@diahansouthard3006]

It IS interesting to compare the differences between different ancestors and their descendants.

[@Lynda-et7kz]

I am curious why my 3rd great grandfather does not show up on thruLines. His wife does but not him.

[@YourDNAGuide]

ThruLines cannot distinguish a genealogical relationship from a genetic one. This means that for each match, in addition to verifying the tree connections shown, you’ll want to compare the proposed genealogical relationship to the amount of DNA you share with your match, to be sure they’re consistent. (Having an amount of shared DNA consistent with the proposed genealogical relationship doesn’t prove the relationship, but it’s an important piece of evidence to weigh.)

[@chrisferraiolo1935]

Ahh, Thrulines. Like you said, they are only as good as peoples' trees. I have been very fortunate with mine. Well, extremely fortunate. They tend to be accurate up until the 5th great-grandparent level. That's where things get a little suspect. I have a lot of cousins to thank for having great trees, I guess. They're sourced and everything matches with the paper trail in both Quebec and in the United States. Italy, though, is where you are going to have to be VERY careful with the Thrulines. I have a potential ancestor for a 3rd great-grandparent who was born in Italy. The potential ancestor has the couple born in the next town over. There are no DNA matches that I can see. But, it is something worth checking out via the paper trail because of how close the towns where to where my 3rd great-grandmother was born. I have a couple other Italian lines like that on my father's paternal line. His maternal line was fleshed out ages ago by another genealogist who basically made a tree with the entire town in it. XD Everything is accurate and scanned. From there I have a Thruline of about 9 people from a couple of 2x great-grandparents. My mom has a huge Thruline on her Quebecois branch. There's something like 80 people who descend from one set of 3x great-grandparents. So random. But, it is what it is. Great video! =D

[@diahansouthard197]

Great observations, Chris. I have Italian ancestry as well, and it gets really tricky to try to distinguish one family from another.

[@chrisferraiolo1935]

@@diahansouthard197 Thanks! =D I've found that the best way to distinguish one family from another is to look at Naturalization papers in America and the various documents in Italy. It can be tricky and I've often seen people put in a Coppola who shouldn't be with that family. It's tough when that is a very common last name.

[@dianeahrberg9654]

If you find a suggested ThruLine ancestor that you realize is wrong, how do you delete it?

[@YourDNAGuide]

You can delete that person from your tree, but it may still show in ThruLines as a hint. There isn't a way to get rid of that unless you can convince everyone else with that person in their tree the they are incorrect.

[@quilter1959]

When you say DO GENEALOGY, you mean take that person and do their genealogy--create a tree for them and see if they go down to you?

[@YourDNAGuide]

EXACTLY! We do lots of genealogy for other people.