Project 7: DNA

1. Click DNA Matches at the top of the page, or select it from the DNA menu. (A link to your DNA matches is also displayed next in the top banner of your family tree screen.) A list is displayed on the page of MyHeritage users who have DNA test results that are similar to yours. Each person in this list has info for his or her estimated relationship to you, and the DNA match quality (shared DNA percentage and segments).
2. To learn more about the nature of DNA matches, click the three-button icon (right side of the screen) and select "What Are DNA Matches?".
3. The DNA Results screen has information for the following items:
   • Name of the match person, with age and country location if available.
   • Estimated Relationships—This is your relationship to the DNA match person (several possible relationships may be included). To display a chart with relationship details, click the info button next to the relationship title.
   • DNA Match Quality statistics, including shared DNA percentage and centimorgans, shared DNA segments, and largest DNA segment in centimorgans.
   • Theory of Family Relativity™ items (if available)—Click a "View theory" link for information (see Choice C below for details on the Theory of Family Relativity.
   • Shared ancestral surnames (if available)—These surnames may indicate common direct ancestors. Hover over a surname link for details.
   • Shared ancestral places (if available)—From the list on the left, select an ancestral place. Hover over an ancestral place link for details.
4. To see additional matches, at the bottom of the page click a page number or arrow, or type a page number and press Enter. You can also use the drop-down list to change the number of results per page.
5. To view the MyHeritage tree for a DNA match person, click View Tree. (You may need to request permission for viewing rights.)
6. To contact a DNA match person, click his or her Contact link. Then type the message title and text, and click Send.
7. To add notes about the DNA Match person,
   a) Click the Notes icon (upper-right corner of the info box);
   b) Type your notes; and
   c) Click Save.

8. To filter the list of DNA matches,
   a) Click Filters (top of the window);
   b) Click any of these links: "All tree details", "All relationships", "All locations", or "All Ethnicities"; and
   c) Select one of the filters to limit the number of DNA matches that appear. You can repeat the process to add filters in other columns. When a filter is selected, its name appears as the column link title. To clear the filters, click the "Clear Filters" link.
   Note : You can also filter DNA matches by country in the DNA Matches section of the Overview screen.
9. To sort the list in a different order, click Sort and select a sort criteria from the list.
10. To search for a name in the list,
    a) Click the magnifying glass icon;
    b) Type the name (first, last, or both) to search for, and
    c) Click the icon again or press Enter.
11. To export your DNA matches list to a file,
    a) Click the three-button icon and select "Export entire DNA matches list"; and
    b) Click OK. My Heritage will email the file you when it is ready.
12. To export DNA segment information to a file,
    a) Click the three-button icon and select "Export shared DNA segment info for all DNA matches"; and
    b) Click OK. My Heritage will email the file you when it is ready.

1. To review DNA match information for a person in the list, click Review DNA Match for that person. (For the Theory of Family Relativity™, see Choice C below.)
2. Names of people with shared surnames are displayed, with your ancestors on the left and the DNA match person's ancestor's on the right. To see a list of shared ancestral surnames up to 10 generations, click "View all ancestral surnames" (bottom of the list).

3. The Shared Ancestral Places section displays a world map and place list. You can do the following things here:
   • To zoom the map, use the mouse scroll wheel or click the plus or minus icons on the map. Drag the map to move it in any direction.
   • From the list on the left, select an ancestral place. Ancestor events appear as pins on the map, which you can click to view and compare info with your match person in the boxes below the map. To see all ancestral places shared with the DNA match person, up to 10 generations, click "View all ancestral places" (bottom of the list).
4. In the Shared DNA Matches section, each shared DNA match person appears in the center column of the screen. Estimated relationships and shared DNA percentages between you and other match persons appear to the left, and similar information comparing the original match person with other matches appears on the right. To see more DNA matches, click "Show more DNA matches" (bottom of the list).
5. In the Pedigree Charts section, the MyHeritage pedigree chart appears for the selected DNA match person. You can click the "View Full Tree" link (lower-right corner of the chart) to see the person's full tree.
6. In the Shared Ethnicities section, the list on the left highlights shared ethnicities, if any. The map on the right shows ethnicity areas in common, if any. For more information on ethnicities, see Choices B and C in Goal 3.
7. To review new DNA matches that you may not have seen previously, in the top menu bar click the red dot (if available) next to the DNA icon.
8. The Chromosome Browser section compares DNA segment information between you and the match person. For more information on the Chromosome Browser, see Choice A in Goal 5.

Resources

1. Watch the video or read the article to learn more about getting started with your DNA matches.
   
   MH—How to Get Started with Your DNA Matches—2:58 - 2019
   MH—Your MyHeritage DNA Results and Verifying Matches - 2019


2. Learn how to organize your DNA matches using labels.
   
   MH—How to Use Labels to Organize Your DNA Matches—2:58 - 2023
   
   
   
   
3. Here are some additional tips for organizing DNA matches.
   
   MH—5 Tips for Managing Your Matches and Discoveries—2:55 - 2023
   
   
   
   

1. Open a DNA match screen. A Theory of Family Relativity diagram appears near the top, showing a relationship tree for common ancestors, siblings, and cousins.
2. To see more details, click View full theory (upper right).

3. On the resulting screen, click Path 1 or Path 2 , etc. to see how ancestry in your tree is shared with other MyHeritage trees (Path numbers). Below the Path link, information appears describing the number of MyHeritage family trees used in the Path, and the confidence percentage. You can use the horizontal scroll bar at the bottom of the screen to see the full width of the diagram.
4. To view details for any ancestor listed on the screen, hover over that person's name. The following information is available:
   • Relationship of the ancestor to you
   • Relationship of the ancestor to the DNA match person
   • Birth and death information
   • "View in tree" link
   • "View profile" link
   • "Search records" link (opens record search results for the ancestor)
5. To compare details for a shared ancestor, click the green circle (middle of the screen). A side-by-side comparison window appears for that ancestor in your tree and the DNA match person's tree.
6. To see details for the tree containing the shared ancestor,
   a) In the right side of the screen, hover over the name of the website, and
   b) Click View tree.
7. To see details for the owner of the tree containing the shared ancestor, hover over the owner's name (right side of the screen). Links are available for the person's profile, and for other websites managed by the person. You can also click Contact to send a message to the person, or Invite to invite the person to view your tree.

Resources

1. Learn more about the Theory of Family Relativity.
   
   MH—The Theory of Family Relativity™ for DNA Matches - 2019
   MH—Update to Theory of Family Relativity - 2019


2. Get an inside look into The Theory of Family Relativity.
   
   MH—Suggested Relationship Paths: An Inside Look at the Theory of Family Relativity™—81:00

1. To take a DNA survey,
   a) Select Survey in the DNA menu;
   b) Choose a survey to participate in, and
   c) Click Start.
2. To upload your DNA results from another provider to MyHeritage,
   a) Select Upload DNA data in the DNA menu;
   b) Select the necessary answers in the left side of the screen;
   c) Click Upload to navigate to your raw DNA results file; and
   d) Click Open to select the file.

Resources

1. Learn how your DNA test results can help you find unknown relatives.
   
   MH—How to Find Unknown Family with MyHeritage DNA—28:50 - 2019

1. Here are some strategies for approaching your DNA match list.
   
   Two Ways to Approach Your MyHeritage DNA Match List


2. Learn about DNA matching with MyHeritage, on Kitty Cooper's blog.
   
   MyHeritage DNA Matching Is Here - 2016


3. Learn how to manage matches from your DNA test results.
   
   Managing Matches


4. Read this article for tips on sifting through DNA matches.
   
   Sifting through DNA Matches


5. Learn about effective ways to contact your DNA matches.
   
   LT—13 Secrets to Getting Replies from DNA Cousin Matches


6. Learn about using the Gedmatch database for DNA match results.
   
   FE—Genetics and Genealogy— 42:58 - 2015
   3 Ways to Use GEDMatch in Your DNA Research


7. Learn how to triangulate your DNA matches using Gedmatch.
   
   How to Triangulate Your DNA Matches with Gedmatch—11:50 - 2019