Using DNA matches to find your father (or someone else) - FREE updated tool: What are the Odds +

[@matttolmanaz]

it is a wonderful tool. Wish I had known about this when I started searching for my wife's biological parents. It could have possibly saved me lots of time.

[@AncestryAimee]

So true!

[@Paul_Sheila]

I am a WATO user. Thank you so much for this video, as it explained why I might re-enter my data into the new WATO+!!

[@AncestryAimee]

You're welcome! It’s pretty cool

[@nanfrostsfashionfocusstyle6250]

I have watched this twice and could watch it again. So many nuggets of information that are useful. It seems like there is a lot you can get for free but at $55 for a year, you can't beat it. I'm going to give it a try, Aimee based on your interview. I first thought this is what I was getting in Ancestry but this is so much more. At least I think so.

[@AncestryAimee]

I hope it helps you! So glad this helped!

[@patranye]

Loved the interview Aimee! I'm not dealing with any adoptees or illegitimate children in my tree but if I were I'd be on the fast train to using this tool!

[@AncestryAimee]

Thanks!

[@manfordrowe3427]

Two great presenters! Aimee poses great questions and makes useful clarifications. Jonny is always a great presenter, managing to simplify complex problems as best as can be done. As far as the tool goes, I have used WATO many times to validate some hypothesis that I have cooked up. I suspect WATO+ will apply some more constraints and improve the suggestions. I have a relatively complex problem tying two trees together spread over 150 years that I am going to have to try. Jonny's content convinced me that it is likely worth the effort to set it up.

[@AncestryAimee]

Can’t wait to hear if this improved version helps you!

[@randywallis-vd2ez]

Aimee will this help me determine who my 5th G grandfather is? I know who the 4th is but it’s a brick wall between the 4th & 5th. Thanks Randy

[@AncestryAimee]

It can, but you’re working with really small amounts of DNA, like an average of 25 maybe 30. The difficulty is sort your DNA matches so that you know that you’re working in the right area for that brick wall. Good luck!

[@kathrynludrick4821]

My pat grandfather was adopted in 1890s. I knew his biological surname was Griffin. My bro's Y-DNA test confirmed Griffin surname. I had one shared match that i couldn't place bc the match's surname didn't fit. I discovered that my pat great grandfather had been married twice, and that my shared match was a descendant of my great grandfather's daughter from first marriage. My match is 1/2 2C1R (185 cm). I worked up a tree on daughter from my great grandfather's first marriage and was able to identify other matches that i had had no clue who they were. I had tried Johnny's tool but didn't have enough info to use it in my situation.

[@AncestryAimee]

Wow! Great work! I can see how this was complicated. Those 1/2 relationships can show up in his tool but you have to select them and if you don’t know of any often they are missed. But congratulations on figuring out your family mystery! Very impressive!

[@kathrynludrick4821]

Great vid

[@AncestryAimee]

Thanks!

[@DonovanFamilyHistory]

Could you do a video on comparing the difference between two different scenarios. Scenario 1: 2nd cousins with the MRCA being identical twins. Scenario 2: instead of being 2nd cousins, they are instead half 1st cousins? I have all the shared match data in a Wato tree, but there doesnt seem to be a way to designate identical twins.

[@AncestryAimee]

Good suggestion! Thanks for sharing it!

[@DonovanFamilyHistory]

@@AncestryAimee I would be happy to provide you all of my sample match numbers if you want to use it as a demo (anonymous though). I have 10 kits that i used in the wato calculation (5 grandchildren of the hypothesis, 1 great-grand, and then 3 2nd cousins of the grandchildren.)

[@AncestryAimee]

Thanks! I'm not sure when I'd hit it, but you can email me anytime!

[@AngelaKHarrell]

Seems like a tool I would want to try but I have three questions: 1. How much is the tool? 2. How limited is it in terms of how far back it can trace DNA matches (since it sounds like he stated he currently is relying heavily on census data only back to 1936)? 3. In the same vein as before, how limiting is it for people of African American ancestry in terms of going past the 1870 "brick wall"? We're you at a genealogy conference of some sort? Thanks so much for the video. This tool sounds very promising!😊

[@AncestryAimee]

1. It’s free. I think you have a limit on only running a certain number of hypothesis on the free version. But it is free. There are some additional features on the paid version. But it’s not terribly expensive for an annual membership. 2. Autosomal DNA can only go back about 5 to 7 generations. The comment about the census data is for use in the age related questions when you’re looking at the age of the father or mother. He’s using those to look at statistically, the odds of one individual or another individual being the father based on population statistics.

[@AncestryAimee]

3. DNA is not limiting as far as hitting the 1870 brick wall for those of African-American descent. The problem is identifying the common ancestors because the trees are so difficult to build. But if you have a DNA match. You are related.

[@AncestryAimee]

Yes, I did film that at RootsTech in Salt Lake City. It’s a terrific Genealogy conference, you should come next year!

[@katharineskilesdaline4535]

I just used this tool 2 days ago to help identify the grandfather of a DNA match whose mother was adopted. It targeted (89%) one of three brothers as the father of his mother but it did say that it was based on the ages of the brothers and the DNA shared between the match and the brother's sister and her child and me and 4 of my siblings (we are half nieces and nephews to the brother's sister). The next step, per your video, is to try and pinpoint where each brother lived at the time our match's mother was born. Problem is: with adoptions the child could come from anywhere depending on the registry:(

[@AncestryAimee]

Glad it’s helping! Doesn’t the child have a birth certificate and known birthplace?

[@katharineskilesdaline4535]

@@AncestryAimee Yes, but it's the mother's birthplace that's unknown, should I ask the Match if he has his mother's birth certificate or place of birth? Is that what you mean?

[@AncestryAimee]

Yes. Sorry I wasn’t clear.

[@jaimimeyer222]

I have dna linked tree in ancestry and am trying to find my grandma biological parents where do I start w wato plus?

[@SamStone1964]

Have you looked at the shared matches for your closed relevant DNA matches.

[@LAYERSOFLIFE24]

I'm freakin out LOL

[@LAYERSOFLIFE24]

So I'm listening again, because it seems you can do this whole process for only 1 mystery person at a time. I'm trying to find my adopted father's parents, so I assume I can only do this whole process for either my grandfather or grandmother. Have I got this right Aimee?

[@SamStone1964]

​@@LAYERSOFLIFE24 If you're on Ancestry have you clicked on shared matches for Parent 1.

[@jackweston7530]

i have found out i might have 2 daughters what do i do

[@AncestryAimee]

Have you done a DNA test?

[@jackweston7530]

@@AncestryAimee too expensive

[@AncestryAimee]

They have sales on them regularly, particularly around Mother's Day & Father's Day which are coming up. If you want to find them, you'll need to do a test. I would recommend Ancestry - it's the largest database so you have better changes of matches that can help you out.

[@jaimimeyer222]

I have dna linked tree in ancestry and am trying to find my grandma biological parents where do I start w wato plus?

[@AncestryAimee]

Put the matches in the tree for that line, pull out the GEDCOM from Ancestry, and then upload it, following those directions on the site and in the video. Good luck! I hope you have success!