Create a DNA Leeds Method Chart Quickly to Cluster Your DNA Matches

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

👨‍🏫 Learn how to CUSTOMIZE Your Leeds Method Chart 👉🏼 kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6LUlmewbMasiqc

[@ranhawes]

This will be my 3rd time watching this video. I think I'm half-way there to fully getting it. I'll open an Excel sheet and go slow, step by step. I'm using Ancestry data and have a clearly defined list of matches from 400 - 90 cM, so that will help. Here goes!

[@ranhawes]

By George, I think I've got it :)

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

You got this!

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

Good job on figuring it out. My wife feels the same way with my video. She has to watch them several times too, so you're not alone. She often says she'd rather deal with difficult records and write family histories than tackle DNA. I guess that's why she handles that side of the KZbin channel.

[@angezammit5862]

@@ranhawes Well I salute you! I've watched this vid AT LEAST 9 times, and just cannot get my head around it. I'm finding it confusing to say the least. I.need.help!!

[@RealMesaMike]

If you're using Ancestry, you can use the colored dots instead of hassling with transferring matches names to a spreadsheet and coloring cell backgrounds one by one.

[@susandougherty9673]

I really like the simple color coding, I tried it before in a more data intensive format, It was complicated by pedigree collapse, and I knew was going to be frustrating before I started .

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

I too had been working on a much more complicated Shared match system when I heard about the Leeds Method. After doing it once, I was hooked and abandoned my other efforts.

[@badhairdaylady]

Mom and dad are 1C1R, mom's father and dad's grandmother are siblings. So many of the methods and software applications don't work for me because of this! I think also that many of my DNA match cMs are skewed somewhat because of this. I have a lot of kits that I manage, so I have been able to sort a lot of the matches out and have successfully placed them in my tree.

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

It sucks when our ancestors did things like that. Of course, if they hadn't have, the unique DNA mix that is now you wouldn't exist.

[@eakoeg2]

I think you all read my mind! I can’t wait for this video 🙂

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

Hope this was helpful!

[@whychromosomesmusic5766]

I've not heard of this particular method. I have sorted my matches at Ancestry DNA via Shared Matches separating them from paternal and maternal and then gradually working "back" in my ancestry from that. It also helps when some of them actually have a pedigree attached and I have a full Ancestry account with my own pedigree to use to compare. This actually is the way that I narrowed down when my Non-Paternal Event (the Chandler in the wood pile so to speak) occurred or more properly when it did NOT occur. I am 99.99 % certain that it was either the father of my great-great grandfather or one or more generations before that but not after my great-great grandfather. It helps that I have documented research of all of the known children of my great-great grandfather and contact with several of those children's descendants. And if I match a number of them fairly closely I'm more certain that the NPE did not occur say with my great-grandmother having an extramarital thing that resulted in the birth of my grandfather. But I'll see about doing something like this. I know next to nothing about spreadsheets. I guess that's probably one more thing I should learn. I know they are used a lot by my colleagues. I shouldn't say that I don't know about them. I actually have used them in the distant past with the OS system of computers. They had actual fun tutorials to follow along with to help you create them. I kind of miss those. This PC DOES have Excel. So the capability is there. Any suggestions for easy to follow instructional videos on how to create a genealogy spreadsheet to get me started? Next I'm going to learn Latin. ;-) I find your videos always informative and entertaining.

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

I would search KZbin for getting started with Google Sheets (a free spreadsheet program). There are lots of people that have put together simple video series to teach you the basics.

[@whychromosomesmusic5766]

@@FamilyHistoryFanatics Thanks for the advice. Mostly it's a matter of one more thing I have on the list to do. Although it would probably help in a lot of ways with more than one project (genealogy or otherwise) if I had those abilities to create spreadsheets. I do admit it is kind of difficult to try and match up the people from Italian documents in 1838 with those from 1866 by just jotting it down in notebooks or even creating Word reports (my current method). So maybe a spreadsheet would make that easier to figure out.

[@jennifer255]

I've been doing the color coding before I learned this was actually a method, and also before checking out AutoClusters on MyHeritage. Sometimes I feel like Ancestry's meant for people who's families have been here in the US for more than 2 generations and are from Western Europe (where surnames were recorded before 1750). All of my great-grandparents, and some in my grandparent's generation immigrated around 1890-1914 (save for one, but their parents may have been immigrants). My mom's grandparents are from Germany/Switzerland and North/South Italy - dad's side is from NE and SE Poland, and maybe Pomerania (Gdansk region) and possibly Belarus (Brest?). I've done the 2nd-3rd cousins for my dad's side, and only his maternal grandparents are within range on Ancestry, and maternal grandmother on MyHeritage (with one mystery 3rd cousin from Ukraine that doesn't match any known kits - possibly my grandfather's mother's side.). I've tried (out of desperation, heh) looking at the "distant cousin of a distant cousin"), but that starts connecting to other branches in odd ways. (Apparently, a distant cousin of my parents have a distant cousin that are related to both sets, probably someone who's parents came from each branch and are really more like 16th cousins - starting to look at 65k people there). I have to get down to 47 shared cM before even finding one cousin that may be on my paternal grandfather's side. The rest seem to be 5th-8th cousins (and only 4 according to Ancestry's shared matches). My grandparents were never tested (They've since passed away). There are 4 2nd-3rd and 4 4th-6th cousins on my dad's side that Ancestry says are on the Parental Side, but looking at the shared matches of their matches goes back to my dad's mother's paternal grandmother (Most of the closer matches are 80/15/5/~1 Eastern Europe/Baltic/Jewish/British or Irish) What seems to be my grandfather's side (and there may be endogamy?) has percentages of 75-90% Eastern Europe, 15-20% Baltic, 1-5% Jewish Peoples of Europe, 0-1% England and NW Europe (Ancestry's shared matches suggests Ireland). There does seem to be a bit more Belarussian/Ukrainian matches that could potentially be on my grandfather's side (they don't have any shared matches to my grandmother's side), which may be why Ancestry doesn't have their kits. Granted, there are a lot of Russians on my grandmother's side (many of whom seems like they're expats). I've also seen an odd case on MyHeritage where one of the ancestral names in a match is on my dad's maternal grandfather's side, but the matches are on my dad's maternal grandmother's side.

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

Ancestry is for anyone who wants to be on it. It has started with Americans (being an American company) which primarily had Western European ancestry. It has expanded slowly since then, but if others throughout the world don't get on Ancestry because the majority is western European based, then it can't become useful to everyone. 10 years ago, DNA wasn't extremely helpful for most everyone. Since that time, 20X more people have tested and it is now a very good tool from many people.

[@miracleahts]

Learning so much, thank you for all the fantastic videos!

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

My pleasure!

[@RealMesaMike]

I've figured out enough of my 4th cousin matches that I can go with 16 colors... which represent each of my great great grandparents.

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

Awesome. Devon is jealous.

[@SylviaFriesland]

It was so clear to me until 6:14 minute but than you lost me! :-)) It would have been great to do the same routine with Jo as you did with Deborah… I am not sure I got it right…. But thank you anyway to offer those video tutorials. It’s great!

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

If you're lost at 6:14, what part is unclear. Ask me in a new comment thread so I can see it and I can respond to your follow-up question.

[@MelodyDorman]

@@FamilyHistoryFanatics I was lost there too. On step one you compared Mike to Deborah, so on the next step do you go back and compare Mike with Jo? or from Deborah do you click on Jo, essentially comparing all 3?

[@MrMokokokoloko]

This is very helpful now that autoclustering is no longer available for Ancestry. Maybe now I can figure out who my father is.

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

Good luck.

[@margolurvey7371]

How did you generate the shared match list in a spreadsheet?

[@genebaker5142]

I have no second cousins that I can find on my fathers side of the family. I think this is because there are 150 years between my Great Grandfather and me. Can I still use this method? I do have identified 3rd and 4th cousins.

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

With the Leeds Chart, you start your sorting with a known second cousin on either your mother's or father's line. Then, as you process all of your DNA matches that meet the criteria, you should eventually pick up paternal relatives. This might include the paternal 3rd and 4th cousins. In short, start with the known mother's 2nd cousin and run the filter process.

[@lindazolinsky9962]

I have another question about Leeds Method. I watched the video a couple of times and still don't quite get it. Here's the steps I understand... I list my Ancestry DNA matches in Excel spreadsheet 1st column; then I choose one color say Red and make the first cell Red of a cousin (that would be Jack) between 400 cM - 90 cM; then I go to that cousin's shared matches to me and make all the person cells Red that are shared matches with my DNA. I know I go to the 2nd column. I know I go back to my Excel DNA match list and click on the cousin after Jack that does not have a Red cell. That would be Jill. So I click on Jill's cell 2nd column and make it Blue. But what is my next step? Here's where I don't understand what to do... Do I return to my original Ancestry DNA matches page and now click on Jill's shared matches with me? Then make all those shared matches Blue? I hope this makes sense.

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

Yes, you look at Jill's shared matches. You then follow this all the way through until everyone has a color.

[@MusicInMotion_67]

But you are supposed to not include anyone 400 + from my understanding.

[@catzanddogz7517]

I like this color coding our DNA matches even though my maternal grandparents were second cousins.

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

With Second Cousin grandparents, you are going to have lots of overlap between a couple of your groups.

[@AnirenePeña]

I did my list, the first person in the list match everyone in the list so I didn't know how to continue coloring. I know that the rest don't match all.

[@kimberlyfields8497]

I love the abilities of excel but I am horrible at setting up the workbooks. Do you have a shared workbook?

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

For excel, I do not. Sorry.

[@melnyc8973]

So what happens when there is Endogamy in the family? How would this work?

[@TopProducer-l8o]

The Leeds method is focusing on your great parents is that correct? I was getting confused as you mention grandparents. I’m a newbie still learning.

[@imani0210ab]

Hi I need help with mine. I’ve uploaded my raw DNA from ancestry to my heritage, gedmatch, geneanet, ftdna, My living dna!! There’s too many on Ancestry the highest cM on my fathers side is 148 but I can’t figure out whose whose grandparents some trees are private some haven’t made one some have like 3 people or a few

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

In that case, you may need to gather as much info as you can on your matches and build your own trees for them. It is not always easy.

[@frankhooper7871]

LOL @ "list 2nd & 3rd cousins"...for me, that's a total of 16, all of which I've identified and placed on the tree. I only have one match higher than 400 and that's my half-brother that I've never [yet] met. The result of my Mum being an only child and my Dad having only 1 brother. Also, I believe, a result of DNA testing being somewhat less 'popular' in the UK compared tho the USA.

[@fotbollerzdiggson7238]

16 damn, I have tens of thousands of matches, and only one person over 90 except for my mom

[@amandakirk9765]

Mines is even less….7! I suspect its down to my mothers side not having tested etc, when I run the Leeds method on her DNA matches, she has 6. My dad has a few more, but his family is mainly Orkney and I do know a couple of close marriages etc.

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

You're fortunate to have so many 2nd and 3rd cousins. Just pick one, particularly the one that shares the most DNA with you, then run the steps.

[@citygonecountrygirl]

How do I know which grandparent each color represents?

[@barbaraguerrero6530]

What do you do when some of your cousin’s are from both sides of the family?

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

If you find those, make sure that they aren't the lead person who a color is based on. After that, you just have to use them as a confirmatory match (i.e. don't assign an unknown to a specific group based on just both side cousins).

[@JaimeNewman77]

Q: What do you do when you have to go to 10 columns to make it through all 2-3rd cousins?

[@julianbrisner4560]

well that was quick. My mother has exactly 3 matches (except for me) that shares more than 90 cM on myheritage. Woop!

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

Not all of your matches will be on MyHeritage. Be sure to create DNA matches on other platforms. Then compare those Leeds Charts.

[@julianbrisner4560]

​@@FamilyHistoryFanatics Yeah. I originally had her test on 23andme. There she has no one over 90 cm (again besides me). Then I uploaded to MH, gedmatch and ftDNA. 3 people on MH, 0 on gedmatch and ftDNA. Lastly I had her test on ancestry. There she has 5 people, the highest being 190 cM and lowest being 90 cM. The highest and the two lowest are related to each other, and I know somewhat how they match each other, but I don't know how they match my mother. They also have a ton of other people that has tested tracing back to the same couple. The man is a puzzle in himself. The two last ones is a father and his daughter. I know how they are related to my mother. I have ordered 3 kits, hoping to get some 2nd cousins of my mother (on her mothers mothers side and fathers mothers side) to test. It would possibly be helpful in figuring out how the 190cM person is related to my mother.

[@leemas4609]

My Great Grandpa is an NPE. I have posted in Facebook groups about trying to find my unknown 2nd Great Grandpa. Everybody tells me to do the Leeds method. Ive watched this video over and over and over. I just can't/don't understand this method. 😢😭😭😭.

[@LeeRalph100]

I did this for my both sides...and sadly I can connect each name, there are no unknowns. Where do I go from here with this method...do I just choose those below 90 now?

[@marie-theresehayes6875]

What if your closest match is less than 70?

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

You can drop down to 40 cM, BUT realize that will introduce either multiple lines that actually feed into the same one or other complexities. It should be done with caution. FYI. My wife has the same problem. It's actually related to this: The Problem of Small Families in DNA Matching kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnunm3udZpiEnas

[@kimfrith9693]

I am creating my first Leeds chart and I have one color that has a large number of matches. My other colors only have a few matches. There are 74 in total and only 18 fall under other colors. Would this support a possible instance of incest in the predominant color group (this is suspected), or does it just mean that fewer people have tested from the other color groups?

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

There are a lot of possibilities. The incest or tree collapse would have DNA matches that have multiple colors in the same row. Instead, it's likely that either your DNA matches have not tested with the same company, have not made their DNA available for the public to view, or you have the small tree problem like my wife has. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnunm3udZpiEnas

[@cathyc6725]

I am creating a Leeds Chart for my late Aunt but am finding she has very few relatives above 90 cm (most are either much closer relatives who I know or fall under the 90 cm mark) . How much below 90 cm is it wise to go?

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

Great question. My wife has the same problem. We expanded her Leeds Chart to the 60 cm level and she picked up more clusters. They're all from the same lines, but it's something so she completely understands.

[@cathyc6725]

Family History Fanatics Thanks. I’ll try lowering it a bit. I think the problem is that my maternal grandmother’s bio mom was illegitimate . There just don’t seem to be many close cousins.

[@jkalarkhall]

Very interesting. Mine worked out 5 coloured columns. Two represent my mother's parents families. The other 3 represented my Dad's family. One of those represented his mother's family, however the other two columns represent his mother's mother's family, and the other represents his father's mother's family. There is no representation of my father's father's family. I guess, that is because my closest direct paternal line cousins, both third cousins have 23 & 19 cM shared with me!!

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

You solved that little mystery. I am also guessing that your father's father's family were typically much smaller.

[@jkalarkhall]

@@FamilyHistoryFanatics Not really smaller but I am guessing simply that there are fewer 'cousins' who have had their dna tested!

[@raelenesylwestruk53]

So I'm trying Leeds on just my mothers maternal side. Suspect a NPE one or two generations back. But I only have two unknown matches over 90cM and about 36 matches below 90cM all the way to 8cM. How successful would Leeds be trying to find groups within just the one side of a tree?

[@nancymizur7034]

How would an adopted person utilize this method? She knows maternal grandparents, but has no information on the paternal side. Can this help her identify her birth father?

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

This tool is built for adoptees to filter their DNA matches into groups. You don't have to know, necessarily, who the grandparents are before using the tool. As you cluster the DNA matches (hopefully you have enough to make this work), you'll then see groups of people who are related. Then, the next step is to determine how each person in a cluster is related and you can start answering the question of who are the grandparents on both sides of the family tree. It's easier to state what the next steps are, but not how to do them. That's why there are more videos on this channel about how to build a genetic family tree. But the first step is filtering / clustering your DNA matches when you have no family information to start with. kzbin.info/aero/PLcVx-GSCjcdmsw25mbI-wJin_9_9QQUzI

[@SylviaFriesland]

Thank you for helping: I am using myheritage. Okay, that’s what I understood: in your example you did start with Deborah. That means I would compare Deborah and Mike, looking at the list myheritage shows me. All the names I see will be coloured in my Leeds sheet , correct? Having done this, I pick the next name on my list and I repeat this….correct? I only have 10 matches with 90 to 400 cM, it’s a very small list. ….

[@gaylenwoof]

I'm only finding 2 people in the range 90-400 cM on GEDMatch. In 23&Me I have lots of people listed as 2nd & 3rd cousins, but I can't tell what their cMs are on 23&Me. Basic question: Does GEDMatch offer any way to see which GEDMatch relations are on 23&Me? Some of my 23&Me cousins are probably on GEDMatch, but I don't know how to tell which ones.

[@maydo2695]

What do I do if I only have 4 2nd-3rd cousins showing up between 90 and 400??

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

You can lower the cMs to 50, but, you might be out of luck until more people test. You can join Devon's Debbie Downer of DNA club. She has similar problems.

[@bobfugate6394]

Have Thruput on ancestry along with my tree. it lists my cousin's. Have uploaded one of my Ged match to family Tree. have now run big Y and got another match confirmed # do I have to upload the new GED # to Ged Match in in order to use it?

[@patriciaberry7938]

Hello I made a list of my matches 90cms to 400cm I have got two colums worked out There are two people in my list of matches that when i run their matches with me the result is matches below 90cms. So i have only ended up with two colums with people in. Do i go below 90cms with them Thanks Pat Berry

[@patriciabouchard7119]

Thank you for this help, very informative

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

Glad it was helpful! I like making cluster charts.

[@MaryFayeKecko]

23andme only gives me two people with correct cm's to do a Leeds chart with....not enough.....what are my options?

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

Well, you can do a Leeds chart with a different DNA company or you can lower the cMs to 40. After that, you will have to use different clustering techniques. You might have the small family problem that my wife has. The Problem of Small Families - Genetic Genealogy Explained kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnunm3udZpiEnas

[@amandakirk9765]

When going through the "lead" matches, what do you do if the lead has no matches with anyone else listed in the 90-400 range?

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

My wife has this. That 'lead' is a color unto themselves. Move on to the next lead person and continue the coloring process.

[@jenniferbyrd8825]

So as I am doing this I pull up the share match list for my self and the first person Ray (we share 399 cm) and in the shared match list are every single person on my 2nd 3rd cousin list... so does that mean only that family from the that grandparent have taken tests? I have 40 people on my list of people who I share 90 to 400 cM with and every single one of them are on the shared match list between myself and Ray

[@mrmajestic7391]

2nd and 3rd cousins? Luxury - can only dream of that!

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

This research tool doesn't work in every situation. Do the best you can, research your family tree further, and update. My wife has the same problem.

[@monig7241]

I set up my Leeds Chart with 8 colors. I went through entire list for the first 2 "leads". I marked the rest of the leads in the other 6 columns. I began to work on the 3rd "lead" when I noticed the first shared match happens to be the lead in the previous column, so sits in the cell above ... is that unusual?

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

No, it is quite common. Particularly if you find out that it was a 1st cousin 2 or 3 times removed.

[@icyfire6879]

Will this help when you're trying to find your Father & have nothing to go off of but a 6% match from Ancestry??

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

It could. It all depends of whether your father's matches have tested and how closely treated they are. But yes. This tool was designed to help adoptees figure out their biological family lines.

[@lindahansen55]

Just curious as to which spreadsheet program you're using, as I tried Google Spreadsheet and Excel, and neither of them give the option of placing colors in any of the cells. I also cannot customize colors to be placed in the cells.

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

I use Google Sheets. Check out this tutorial on formatting cells. edu.gcfglobal.org/en/googlespreadsheets/formatting-cells/1/

[@lindahansen55]

@@FamilyHistoryFanatics thank you. I'm understanding that Google Docs are going to be ending in May, so not sure what to use in it's place?

[@amandakirk9765]

I used excel and it has lots of colours to choose from, the whole colour spectrum. Head up each column with a colour then when you are ready to complete the matches, copy the colour then paste into each of the relevant cells.

[@swilliams1759]

Lost me right off the bat...how do I KNOW if "Michael" and Debra" share DNA with someone else in the first place? I think that step showing how to check if they match is missing. It's really basic, but isn't this supposed to be basic instructions?

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

Please forgive me, I thought I made that clear. The company that you tested with should show you a list of persons that match you and Michael (or Debra). If that person appears in your Leeds list, then you know they are related and can color that box. Does that make more sense?

[@Missemilie97]

I only have 6 people under 400cM/over 90cM. Is that enough to work with?

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

No. You can drop the threshold down to 40, but you might have the small family problem that my wife has. Here's a video that explains. The Problem of Small Families in DNA Matching | Genetic Genealogy kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnunm3udZpiEnas

[@edcook4141]

I have a brick wall with the family my paternal great grandfather. I do know he had at least one other family and I found them on Ancestry…a half 1C1R and 4 half 2C/3C. We have been working together with to solve this mystery. I was thinking of using the Leads method with the shared matches of my 1C1R as a starting point. My thinking is my shared matches with them would only be through my great grandfather, just as if you separated your parents sides. Maybe I’m wrong. Plus it meets the criteria with all of them under 400cm. Last, If Im looking for my 2nd GG parent should I expect at least 16 columns?

[@Cooooolbruhhhhh]

Ok so confused I did this and I only had two columns of colors. One side maroon other light blue

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

In that case, it's quite likely that the other grandparent lines that you're hoping to find do not have descendants who have tested. Or, you're not using the correct Leed person.

[@sueannsoto7299]

What I you don't have enough 2nd and 3rd cousins. Can you use 3rd thur 4th??

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

You can use 3rd cousins. I would caution against 4th cousins. 3rd cousins just become more challenging.

[@lynntaylorbuccafuri5924]

Do not feel bad Stacey Coates, I found out at 52 that my dad who raised me on his own, isn’t even my biological dad. My relatives for his side, there are only 3 left and will not help. My biological father passed away, 2 years before i learned the truth.

[@MusicInMotion_67]

I found out at the age of 48. I'm 52 now and trying to discover who my biological father is. I've narrowed down his line but can't figure out who he is or even who my paternal grandparents are.

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

DNA tests are revealing such instances that people aren't related to whom they thought are their parents, grandparents, etc. Sorry to hear you're not receiving the help you need.

[@pinwheelgrl9304]

It's very difficult when no one wants to talk about the skeleton in the closet. I am finding if the older folks don't want to cooperate, sometimes you find the grandchildren doing dna or trees for fun, so check out 23andMe and MyHeritage. If you know the surname, you can check FindAGrave for the area cemeteries keeping in mind all is not photographed yet, and also area census for 1940 if you know the county or town for that surname. Lots of work, but sometimes this background work gives a greater understanding of name patterns that becomes helpful later.

[@sheppeyescapee]

I have a question about the shared matches list with your match, so on the original matches list, I have it going down to 70CM which covers all my mum's known 2nd cousin and 2nd 1 removed. When I click on shared matches for her top match who is

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

It sounds like you have plenty that are over 70 to get started so I wouldn't worry about those who are less than that.

[@joylee5600]

I don't know which list to use to make the chart. I made it using the DNA Match list in 23andMe. Later I downloaded the aggregate data. I used that list in hope that I wouldn't need to type all the names in. Again I made a Leeds chart, but the results were different. The names were in a different order. Any advice?

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

Either one should work for a start. The clusters of people will probably mostly be the same.

[@LizaBrubacher]

I need some help. I've created a list of 34 names using cms 90-400. I've only come up with 3 colours. Also, I based my colour red on "Thom". Several names match Thom's matches but show Thom as a match. Is this because of cousins marrying each other?

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

Ideally you would have four colors, but it doesn't always happen. Some people have more colors and some people have fewer. It essentially means that your 'missing line' doesn't have anyone closely related to you that the common ancestor who have taken DNA tests at that company. My wife has this problem and she goes down to 40 cMs. It generates more than four colors but she's still really missing one of her father's lines. When you have two colors for one person, that line might have some intermarriage either in your lines or their lines.

[@wakachica]

Help!!! I exported my matches. I have columns. However, how are you matching??? First you match Deborah - based on what? (I am trying to find biological father for my great grandmother) Thanks for making these videos, and I appreciate if you can clarify!

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

" The company that you tested with should show you a list of persons that match you. In my case they were Michael (or Debra). If that person appears in your Leeds list, then you know they are related and can color that box. In short, all of those kits match you, that is what the file is a list of matches to you.. Since they match you, you look for the company's report that show that you match the first match (Deborah) and both of you match others in the database. Those are the persons you color the same color (such as the color of Deborah)."

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

You might also want to consider joining our channel membership for a month so you can watch this specific video kzbin.info/www/bejne/m6vJhmlqZsaCq9E about finding a father for a grandmother. Be mindful, you're working with a great-grandmother's father and autosomal DNA has it's limits. You'll need to have all of the oldest living descendants of the great-grandmother tested to capture all the potential clues to answer this question.

[@rhondabarrett3771]

I was adopted and am working on finding my birth family through DNA. Where do you get the shared matches from when you don't really know any of your DNA matches? My DNA test was through Ancestry.

[@rettawhinnery]

There are classes through DNAadoption.org that show you the methodology and help you use some of the tools, such as the clustering tool. Of course, before trying to use DNA matches, try to get whatever information you can from the state and adoption agency, such as any non-identifying information or possibly your original birth certificate. There are also Adoption Search Angels who might help.

[@Avacarho]

Retta Whinnery Florida has all birth records locked up tighter than a soaking wet knot. The only paper I had with identifying info stated I was 5 lbs. at birth and my BF wore glasses, which isn’t much to go on, and it was lost years ago.

[@firegaze21]

Go to your DNA match list. Click on the first person under ~ 400 cM. You'll see a shared matches option. Click on that, and you will have your list. You don't have to know who any of them are to sort them.

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

All excellent advice above.

[@ELTJ1957]

I 'm 65 and just found my biological fathers family on ANCESTRY , unfortantly my father passed away 25 years ago, I have a match that shows 26% DNA 1829cM. I know this is not a grandparent /child but can' figure out if its a half sibling or Aunt /Nephew .this match is on my paternal side and none of my biological fathers family know who he is. No one knew my father had any children until I matched on Ancestry. Is it possible to figure ?

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

It's possible to figure out but requires more people to talk and to test. However, if you have as many known genetic relatives as possible tested, then put their shared cMS into the WATO tool and you can get some ideas of the most likely possibilities. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmevqYB-Zd-Ga5Y

[@marie-theresehayes6875]

Husband doesnt have any 2-3 rd cousin matches, only 4-6th

[@judithstoyko2721]

I joined FHF today after watching two videos about Ledes charts. I just created a chart for myself using data from Ancestry. My list of matches in the 90-400 cM range included 67 people, with the highest match being 293 cM. I had to create TEN columns/colors before everyone on the list had at least one color. Is that okay? Or did I do something wrong? I checked and double-checked the matches. I don't want to go any farther until I'm sure I did it correctly.

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

That is OK, it all depends on how people are related to you. Did you get any color overlap?

[@judithstoyko2721]

@@FamilyHistoryFanatics Yes, I have some overlap. I don't see a way to attach my chart to show you. I don't know what the overlap means or what to do next. I know where one person fits because I've communicated with her via Ancestry, so I've made a note of that.

[@lindazolinsky9962]

How do i add the asterisk in the cell?

[@lindazolinsky9962]

LOL never mind i realize i just type it in

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

Glad you figured out. I'm glad you asked because someone was wondering the same thing. We welcome all questions.

[@lindawilluweit-joy4705]

I have known 3rd cousins coming in at only 51 cMs. Will Leeds not work properly if I go this low?

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

It's best to use 2nd cousins as lead persons. With a 51 cM lead, you're going to have some confusing or disappointing results.

[@kristalgray7244]

Im.helping an adoptee so this is spot on

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

Adoptees is the reason Dana Leeds developed this method.

[@sallypossum]

Will the Leeds method help me separate great grandparents? I have a mystery set of paternal greats.

[@chrisgavin8427]

Not if you don't have sufficient matches that are high enough

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

Yes, if you have enough 3rd cousin matches.

[@MrSunworshiper]

I am confused . I have 3 / 4 DNA matches which are second to fifth cousin matches. These go back to the same two people in each of their tree’s. They are not siblings. This set of parents who they go back to I do not match up to in my paper tree. None of my families were in the same area of the UK at the time this pair was there. This pair emigrated to New Zealand in 1850 on one of the first four ships carrying the first settlers. The family who I suspect to be my great grandparents relations emigrated on one of the other four ships. How do I find out how and if these two families are step parents.

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

Unfortunately, you might need to wait for more matches to pop up. In the meantime, I would look to see if your paper tree has any other discrepancies with your DNA matches. You may have an NPE a few generations back that you didn't know about.

[@dreamawhatley9609]

Each of my four grandparents can't be related any other way? I think that's true . ..then we start getting into the great grandparents. . . what do you do about double cousins? My first cousins are also double thirds or . . .let's see. .my two grandmothers (one step, one natural) were double first cousins. So. . .my dad's half brothers and sisters are double first cousins once removed? Making me and my first cousins also seconds? *bangs head into desk* I seriously just need to focus on my straight tree. . . .

[@dlaity107]

8:26ish: Considering trying this with our family, but in my case, there's a grandmother who's a genetically identical twin (i.e. she and her twin had daughters, who had daughters. Of that group the two daughters test out as half siblings and as aunts to the generation beneath, but our generation correctly test out as 2nd cousins). Have we any hope of this working for us? What should we expect? Also, could this be the reason it hasn't worked on attempts up to now?

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

I have never done a Leeds chart for a grandparent who is identical twin. I'm going to have to think about that for a while and see if I can come up with some advice.

[@dlaity107]

@@FamilyHistoryFanatics happy to let you have a play with ours if you'd like. It's getting decidedly interesting!

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

Send us details here www.familyhistoryfanatics.com/contact

[@margaretlong3411]

I am just a little confused... I have 20 matches in my chart. But where I am confused is why we don't have 20 different colors? I have Match 1 listed and all of the shared matches that I have with Match 1 and that is one color. Then in the next column is Match 2 and that is a different color and then I have marked all of the shared matches on that match. Then Match 3 is a different color. Then it goes on and on with different colors. Thanks so much.

[@judithstoyko2721]

Hi Margaret - It looks like no one replied. I'm not an admin from FHF, just an individual person, but I think I can help you with putting your chart together.

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

The colors should represent people that are related through a grandparent or great grandparent. Ideally, you would only have 4 colors (if there were enough 2nd cousins to be the lead match). Does your Match 1 share DNA with Match 2 or Match 3?

[@sanitawonser]

What if you have parents who didn't know they are related

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

The Leeds Method is a perfect tool for this. This tool was created to help adoptees to filter their DNA matches so they can begin clustering them to discover their heritage. I would recommend following the instructions in this video. Then if you're dealing with any unknown parentage, follow the same process an adoptee will, when trying to piece together the past. Here's a video series for researching if you have adopted relatives. But again, the process is the same if you have known relatives who weren't adopted but don't know their ancestors. kzbin.info/aero/PLcVx-GSCjcdk1GsAs9NfLWKvACcjE3Afg

[@DorisHaskell]

I am trying to help my friend, K, find her biological family. I’m building a chart for the Leeds Method, and she has hundreds of matches in the 2nd-3rd cousin range. Columns 1 and 2 seem to have some differences, but column 3 is almost identical to column 1. I can’t find a blank line to start column 4, and I have worked on 280 matches so far. What in the world is going on here?

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

Many of the 2nd and 3rd cousins might be 1C2R or something that is related to multiple grandparents. I would drop the threshold down to 300 cM rather than 400 and try again. If that doesn't work, try dropping it down to 200cM.

[@MusicInMotion_67]

I thought the trick was to not include anyone 400 or above? Wouldn't that mean that those you've highlighted in red should not be included at all? I've noticed when I do this, I have to go way down to about 50cm because many of the people I am coming across are on my mom's side which I already know. I am trying to find my biological father, so I'm trying to narrow down my paternal grandparents. I also have some that are unknown and are typically fourth cousins and less.

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

I only include above 400 cM as to which ones they match. In other words, I don't use these higher matches as the lead of any color. Since I know how all of these higher matches are related to me, they are more of a check to verify which family line each color can belong to.

[@mariacapaldi5062]

Thanks Andy🧬👀🧬🧬🧬

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

Any time!

[@alyssahoffmann3612]

I am trying to do chart for my uncle and I got through most of the chart and I got to my last color which was green. I went through kind of assuming the rest of my matches would be green but there were 5 or 6 that were left blank. I went back to them and they match with some of the greens but not others. But they don't match with anyone in the other colors either. I'm really confused as to how some of the greens are matched but some aren't. Like Person A is matched with B and C but person D is matched with B and C but not A.

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

Its because we don't inherit all of the DNA from our ancestors. D inherited some that B and C did but A did not. Since A is who you are basing the group on D didn't get put in. Some people put these blank matches in with the groups they most closely resemble. I also teach about clustering (which is a little more complicated) that corrects for this.

[@tania_summer_5032]

I'm guessing endogamy wouldn't be to helpful in putting together a Leeds chart.

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

According the person who developed the system, that is correct. www.danaleeds.com/can-the-leeds-method-help-me/

[@alijayd]

But I only have FIVE people between 400 and 90 Cm

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

My wife has the same problem. You can drop down to 40 cMs but I wouldn't go beyong that. In that case, you'll need to use different tools.

[@denisebrennan5726]

I have a 24 cM match on Ancestry named "Deena" but 23andMe shows us as a 46 cM match and she matches several of my maternal 1st cousins. She was adopted and I found both her bio parents for her last year, and found that she had 3 living full brothers she didn't know she had, and they have been united. Such a gift - but now, 2 years later I still can't figure out how she and I are related. Shared matches show it's on my maternal great grandfather's line, but so many of them were adopted. So far no surnames on my tree are in hers. How can I get this figured out and solve the mystery? - it's exhausting and keeping me up at night. Does the fact that it was probably the result of an affair and not reflected in official records for anyone mean it's impossible to determine?

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

This is a great candidate for using the WATO tool next. Since you found her bio parents and living siblings, build that family tree no the What are the Odds Tool. Hopefully you'll have access to how much DNA they share with each other and hopefully to you. The at least one of the biological parents should be on your family tree somewhere. So you could share DNA with the siblings. Place yourself in the unknown person spot, and see what WATO recommends. You can also try the tool in reverse. Put the 24cM match in the unknown spot and build out your family tree for your parents side (and one for your mother). Then see which tree has the most likely hypothesis for this match. After watching this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmevqYB-Zd-Ga5Y, this explanation should make sense.

[@heidistauff1]

Works great unless you have crazy endogamy.

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

That is correct. www.danaleeds.com/can-the-leeds-method-help-me/

[@johnjung9443]

First step for me should have been how to set up the chart. I see the tabs, but no explanation on how to use them. Is this truly a table or just columns and rows? Maybe I'm just anal and just like to see the process from the beginning, however simple the beginning may be.

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

Forgive me for not being clear. This is just a table with columns and rows. We've discussed spreadsheets for genealogy multiple times on this channel that it's difficult to balance being repetitive with being clear. Thanks for asking.

[@dccoulthard]

So...I have 10 rows. What's even more interesting is that there are one person from my mother's maternal side (not many people sampled). Is that normal?

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

That's either the problem of too few of your genetic relatives have tested. Or, you have the small family problem that I discussed in this video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnunm3udZpiEnas

[@jamescarcary353]

Hi, I really enjoy your videos. Just a little note on your 'typo'. Leeds with 2 'e's is a place in England only. You are actually creating a Leads chart. The idea that it leads you to group your matches. Like the idea of a sales lead to get more business. I hope you take this constructively. Again, keep up the great videos, they are really appreciated.

[@nancyyurk8432]

I believe he's referring to the "Dana Leeds" method--you can Google it

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

James. The Leeds Method Chart was developed by Dana Leeds and her last name is spelled with two leeds. But you're right it leads you to answers. www.danaleeds.com/the-leeds-method/#:~:text=In%20the%20process%20of%20helping,based%20on%20four%20grandparent%20lines.

[@jamescarcary353]

@@FamilyHistoryFanatics Thank you so much for explaining it. It makes sense now. Thanks for the great videos you keep producing.

[@LeeLewisish]

This does not make sense. I'm adopted, I have my matches, this does not help. Watched it twice

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

Then you need to ask questions for the places you get stuck. Send me an message thorugh www.familyhistoryfanatics.com/contact

[@russcoad9973]

@@FamilyHistoryFanatics Maybe this question has been answered, but in the video it was said that ideally the lead people should be my second cousins, that means, as I understand, people who have shared CM's with me, of about 212.5. But if I use people who have shared CM's of 400 cm or less, then they would be closer than second cousins. I'm a little confused by that. Can you clarify?

[@FamilyHistoryFanatics]

"Second cousins have a range of 41-592 with around 229 being the most common. Half-first cousins, and first cousins once removed hover around 400 cMs, which causes confusion much the same way first cousins do. While the range of shared cMs with 2nd cousins can vary, it's best to use a known 2nd cousin to help you know which grandparent they represent in your family tree."