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Ancestry DNA question about names in matches when searched

Ancestry DNA question about names in matches when searched

Posted: 22 Jul 2015 2:54AM GMT
Classification: Query
Hi,

I'm a little confused about names that pop up when you do a search for a name or even on just looking at my matches for 4th-6th or 5th-8th cousins.

I did a search for the surname of Stewart (my dads side) and one of my matches (when doing a search) shows the surname Stewart but also shows some other surnames that come up as matching in my tree. 

Only one of the surnames was Unknown, literally UNKNOWN. So I looked at the matches with that surname and it is to about 4 different lines in my tree including my moms!

Soooooo, how can I have a dna match to my mom and dad and this "surname" of Unknown??

How can dna say your Unknown matches my Unknown especially if they are Unknown???

How can matches come up in both sides of my family that ARE NOT related. My mom's side came from Norway and she is 2nd generation Norwegian American while my dads side came from Germany about 4 generations ago.

So do these comparisons just pull similar names or are they trying to say you are related to an Unknown in that persons tree and your Unknow in your tree?

Hopefully someone can understand m ramblings because I am stating to confuse myself! Lol

Re: Ancestry DNA question about names in matches when searched

Posted: 22 Jul 2015 11:23PM GMT
Classification: Query
The box with the matching surnames on a DNA match's page is there to help you figure out the relationship. It doesn't mean that you are related to them through those surnames. Ancestry is showing you the surnames that you have in common with that match. It's up to you to examine their trees and find the connection.

As for the Unknown surname. A lot of people use Unknown for the surname when they don't know what the actual surname is. Others use ??? or _____ when they don't know the surname.

Re: Ancestry DNA question about names in matches when searched

Posted: 23 Jul 2015 12:00AM GMT
Classification: Query
Hi,

Thanks for trying to help. I understood those points already, I just am confused on how I can have a link to someone else with an unknown if that is to represent a surname neither of us then know who the person is so to pull that name up for both of us as a possible "match" how can we make a match??

And how can they try to show names in both of my parents lines that I would match to the other person??

Re: Ancestry DNA question about names in matches when searched

Posted: 23 Jul 2015 3:11PM GMT
Classification: Query
When your DNA is processed, the 1st step determines the actual matching of DNA segments. This happens whether there are trees attached to each account or not.

Then a (probably different) computer looks through your tree and then your match's tree and locates any surnames you have in common. The computer sees UNKNOWN as a surname like any other. This computer is not making any DNA judgement calls. It is just finding names (words/digits) in common. It is not saying these Smith, or Jones or UNKNOWN lines are your Smith, or Jones or UNKNOWN lines. This part is up to you to determine.

As far as UNKNOWN as a "surname" goes, I have way more "hints" to that as a "name" than I do to "Smith", the surname of my brick wall 2nd great grandmother. I can't seem to find any info on her until after her marriage & name change to Griffith. I do get tons of Smith hints but way more "UNKNOWNS".

Re: Ancestry DNA question about names in matches when searched

Posted: 23 Jul 2015 3:20PM GMT
Classification: Query
Keep in mind that a surname of Unknown is really just the tree's creator using that word in the surname field. It's not AncestryDNA's algorithm identifying an "unknown" common ancestor. AncestryDNA just looks at all surnames in your tree, all surnames in your DNA match's tree, and then provides you a list of shared surnames. In AncestryDNA's eyes, it thinks "Unknown" is an actual surname rather than a placeholder.

Perhaps put more simply, two Unknowns don't imply a common ancestor. Let's say your Unknown turns out to actually be a Smith and a DNA match's Unknown turns out to be a Johnson...it's less confusing that way. Two Unknowns might actually have the same surname (both may be Smith), but there's nothing DNA-wise to suggest that's more likely than any other possible surname for any Unknown individual in a match's tree.

I'm getting a little confused by your questions about names in both of your parents lines. Are you asking how a DNA match can have surnames that match your dad's side of the tree and your mom's side of the tree?

Re: Ancestry DNA question about names in matches when searched

Posted: 23 Jul 2015 9:55PM GMT
Classification: Query
Thanks Karen!

I was getting very confused about if I was supposed to be related to that name or if it was just getting "pulled out" from somewhere.

I had some Smiths come up on my side, but one was my dad's the other was on my mom's side. That confused me even more because it seemed like they were trying to say my mom and dad were related! But now I know that it probably is NOT a match more like you said they just were going through looking at similar Surnames only.

Have a great day@

Re: Ancestry DNA question about names in matches when searched

Posted: 23 Jul 2015 9:59PM GMT
Classification: Query
Hi Russell,

Sometimes I would get a surname match in another tree (like Smith) and it would show a Smith for my dad and right under that was a Smith for my mom's side then another Smith for my dad. I was very confused thinking they were matching my mom and dad's Smith surname together. Making them related then, but now I see they are not really showing them as related against another tree. Some of this can get confusing when just starting out and trying to read your dna.

Thanks for the help!

Re: Ancestry DNA question about names in matches when searched

Posted: 24 Jul 2015 3:05PM GMT
Classification: Query
It definitely can get confusing. Thanks for explaining that - I see what you mean. Best of luck to you going forward!
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