New AncestryDNA Tools - ThruLines and DNA Match List

Have you seen the new tools launched at AncestryDNA? The new DNA Match List beta has clustering and filtering options, and the ThruLines offers new relationship possibilities.
In this video we'll look at these tools, including the benefits and limitations, and how you can incorporate these tools in your research.
To learn more about DNA testing, check out DNA Central: dna-central.com. Use the coupon code 2019WEBINAR to save $30 off the normal price of $99 for a new yearly membership!

[@PanAmPatti]

OMG, you are the BEST instructor ever! You don't assume we know a lot and you know when to go back to clarify...that helps so much. I follow every thing in this video as you present them & pause when necessary...or scrub back a little. THANK you so much. I've subscribed & clicked the bell so I don't miss anything you post. I hope you do more in Ancestry DNA & if we're lucky even 23andme and THEN some Family Tree Maker (ftm) software....hey I can wish can't I?

[@hayleyclayton7624]

I’m currently searching for the identity of my paternal grandfather. Your advice, knowledge and tools have given me so much more hope. Much respect and thanks to you......

[@WellsyBRNC]

Excellent! Thank you for well-done presentation! You're the best! Cheers, Pamela 🥳

[@Richard-zm6pt]

Excellent, Blaine. Thank you very much!

[@beezorob]

Really appreciate your explanation. I totally agree with your statement about hypotheses.

[@jeanettegaytan4987]

Very thorough. Thanks

[@nancyyurk8432]

Thank you for this explanation. When entering an Unknown Biological Parent in your tree, I would appreciate your input on how you would list that person. I now understand ThruLines more clearly!

[@jeffjohnson151]

A great explanation - thank you.

[@sandrakorpela1850]

Thank you for very clear explanation

[@jackieewanchuk7037]

That was very interesting!

[@Dana-cv1gf]

Thank you Blaine

[@Cyberlucy]

Thank you SO much for highlighting the issues with the the thrulines tool. People need to be realistic when using this tool.

[@BlaineBettinger]

Definitely important to understand the limitations!

[@Downeastwaves]

Thank you! Excellent lesson. I learned a lot I will use. Would you consider showing just how you get the new potential folks onto your tree? I have been struggling with this step. Thanks for all your hints.

[@PatriarchWPB]

Superb explanation of ThruLines by Blaine Bettinger. I have a large public tree on Ancestry and have been doing genealogical research for more than 50 years. I hope newbies and other less advanced researchers will use this new tool. Like Blaine, I created a monster when I listed John Barber and Prudence Kenyon of Schoharie County, New York as my ancestors and listed their ancestors as mine as well. This remained in my tree for years before I realized my mistake. In the meantime, many people included this information in their trees. One broken link and that whole branch came tumbling down and I removed the pair from my tree. Now ThruLines identifies the couple as potential ancestors based on very small matching segments with others who have the couple in their family trees. I know from DNA testing that I am related to one or the other of the couple but do not know how. I have more than 1,000 matches of fourth cousins or closer, but 99 percent of them do not have a linked family tree. Some have private trees but they still sometimes show up as matches in Thrulines. People can create basic trees on Ancestry without being a subscribing member. I often wonder why so many people bother to be tested if they are unwilling to take the small next step of creating at least a rudimentary family tree.

[@kathleenbowensimons6612]

I tried the new match listing today and going back to main list, etc. was extraordinarily slow.

[@greghanson475]

I looked at ThruLines but it has my father listed, but someone has linked to him giving him a different father and linking it to his family tree. I've found that on several of my ancestors. I have a rather small family tree with 77 people, but ThruLines doesn't list all of them which allows others to essentially hijack my ancestors and add them to their own trees. I hope all these bugs get worked out.

[@robinwier]

ThruLines are cool!

[@janeyann8316]

Does having ancestors in your tree beyond fifth great grandparents help ThruLines at all? Does filling in siblings and their descendants help ThruLines at all? Does ThruLines only use direct ancestors up to fifth great grandparents? What if I share DNA with descendants of a sister of my seventh great grandmother, would ThruLines show that?

[@annettecantu5024]

I'm adopted and I only have my bio mom's side in my tree. I don't have any adoptive family listed in my tree. Thru lines is only giving me adoptive family as potential ancestors. I have built my tree back 4 - 5 generations and still it only gives me adoptive family from other trees. Why is it not looking at my dna linked tree?

[@rodneyaustin7896]

Is it possible that you were adopted from a family member of your adopted parents?

[@PrechusPrechus]

If I link my dna to trulines does it stay private?

[@Cam-wi3tp]

so if i use through lines and a cousin pops up,she could possibly not be my cousin.I don't understand this,she took a test,i took a test,dna says we are related but you are saying the dna could be wrong.So what's the point of dna testing to prove relationships

[@emmieHD]

Ancestry should attach your tutorial to their ThruLines for all the non-genealogy people who don't realize Potential Ancestors are not necessarily related. I do love the user interface of ThruLines, but one major update they need to makes asap is the ability for us to delete or hide those that are NOT our ancestors. I discovered my grandfather was the result of a NPE, so his stepfather's line was removed from my tree (much like you removed that ancestor from your tree). Now that family line is showing up as ancestors. But it isn't just his grandparents that show up as potential - it is bringing several generations of potential ancestors from that old family line (which was removed from my tree 3 yrs ago). I can understand one generation of potential ancestors in a line, but why do they have all of them showing up in ThruLines if I haven't added the closest potential ancestor. I understand it is automated but programmers can adjust this and should. I've stopped exploring my ThruLines because it is so heavy in these wrong Potential Ancestors. Now just waiting for them to tweak it. It is very exciting though to see ancestry finally bringing more features to our dna matches. Thank you for the video tutorial!

[@GabxLanita]

We have the same problem, my husband father does not know his biological father but Thrulines keeps showing us his step family's ancestors.

[@DR-rw5uq]

Oh no, typo in your video title.

[@stephenpeterson7309]

Well, you have ThruLines.

[@NYBestFan]

Will THruLines also search unlinked trees?

[@BlaineBettinger]

No, the tree has to be linked and searchable.

[@sandranelson4851]

*

[@das3339]

Have to have a tree and depend on other trees? This is problematic--the trees out there are not very accurate, largely because people clone other trees.

[@BlaineBettinger]

That's fully addressed in the video.