Confused....

[Falconer]

Hi,

Complete beginner here so forgive my ignorance.

I have over the past 6 months searched nearly 600 of my matches here.

So far I have identified only 10 that match me anywhere on Chromosome 14.

I have first and second cousins listed here on my Maternal side. None of them, or their triangulated matches, match me anywhere on Chromosome 14.

When I view the 10 Chromosome 14 matches I have identified they all match me, and each other, at almost the same location and at almost the same Cm. length.

As it appears none of my Maternal match's actually match me on Chromosome 14 is it safe to assume these 10 matches are from my (Unknown) Paternal side?

[Carpathian]

Hi,

Complete beginner here so forgive my ignorance.

I have over the past 6 months searched nearly 600 of my matches here.

So far I have identified only 10 that match me anywhere on Chromosome 14.

I have first and second cousins listed here on my Maternal side. None of them, or their triangulated matches, match me anywhere on Chromosome 14.

When I view the 10 Chromosome 14 matches I have identified they all match me, and each other, at almost the same location and at almost the same Cm. length.

As it appears none of my Maternal match's actually match me on Chromosome 14 is it safe to assume these 10 matches are from my (Unknown) Paternal side?

When I view the 10 Chromosome 14 matches I have identified they all match me, and each other, at almost the same location and at almost the same Cm. length.

At what Cm. length?

So many relatives, so many chromosomes...

I'm wondering why you seem to be concentrated/fixated upon chr 14. What is it that are you trying to prove? Maternal vs. paternal line?

[Falconer]

I am trying to find a match that will give me some clue to my unknown Grandfather. I am the last of my Paternal line and have no-one else to DNA test. I was initially surprised that I had virtually no matches on Chromosome 14 and thought perhaps the test was faulty. However I have now found the 10 as described previously. Interestingly they match me on Chromosome 14 ONLY with no match anywhere else. They range in size between 15.7 Cm and 13.2 Cm. They all show a large overlap with each other. The surname interests do not include any of my known surnames........

[Carpathian]

I am trying to find a match that will give me some clue to my unknown Grandfather. I am the last of my Paternal line and have no-one else to DNA test. I was initially surprised that I had virtually no matches on Chromosome 14 and thought perhaps the test was faulty. However I have now found the 10 as described previously. Interestingly they match me on Chromosome 14 ONLY with no match anywhere else. They range in size between 15.7 Cm and 13.2 Cm. They all show a large overlap with each other. The surname interests do not include any of my known surnames........

"I am the last of my Paternal line and have no-one else to DNA test"

So am I, in being the last male in my paternal line and having no siblings to test with. But I had parents who cared to some degree, and some distant cousins who knew our ancestry while my parents were still alive. When I asked them, they provided me with valuable information that made the search easier.

"They range in size between 15.7 Cm and 13.2 Cm." That's really a slight amount. Slight means distant, in terms of genetics and generations involved.

"The surname interests do not include any of my known surnames........" Surnames matter. Locations matter. Without any match of those elements you won't be able to get very far. Genetic genealogy will tell you to whom you are related, and sometimes, but not always, the degree to which you are related with any accuracy. It cannot tell you specifically HOW you are related to anyone. The more distant the relationship is, the more murky the prediction becomes. Only traditional genealogical methods of research can reveal a documented relationship.

Aunts and uncles? Known distant cousins who are still alive? Go ask them. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by asking them.

[Falconer]

Thank you for the advice Carpathian....

My Father was deserted by his parents together with his two sisters at age 2 in 1918. All their birth certificates are contadictory with his mother giving two different maiden names. Records from the Childrens Home they were sent to have been destroyed. No marriage for the parents found in either of the maiden names given. Neither of the children heard from their parents ever again. Parents not located on 1911 UK census. I have spent thousands of hours trawling through dusty old archives over the last 35 years trying to unearth just a single clue as to who they were, and what became of them. Believe me 'Distant cousins' would be a miracle! I understand DNA is not a ''magic bullet' but as it may be the only option left to me I admit I get a little excited now and then....

[Carpathian]

Thank you for the advice Carpathian....

My Father was deserted by his parents together with his two sisters at age 2 in 1918. All their birth certificates are contadictory with his mother giving two different maiden names. Records from the Childrens Home they were sent to have been destroyed. No marriage for the parents found in either of the maiden names given. Neither of the children heard from their parents ever again. Parents not located on 1911 UK census. I have spent thousands of hours trawling through dusty old archives over the last 35 years trying to unearth just a single clue as to who they were, and what became of them. Believe me 'Distant cousins' would be a miracle! I understand DNA is not a ''magic bullet' but as it may be the only option left to me I admit I get a little excited now and then....

In most cases there are usually records or traces that remain. Finding them can be challenging and frustrating. Keep searching. Never give up your quest.

[Fern]

As it appears none of my Maternal match's actually match me on Chromosome 14 is it safe to assume these 10 matches are from my (Unknown) Paternal side?

Hi Falconer ... no, it's not safe to assume these matches are from your paternal side. It's always possible they're from a (distant) maternal line and have "washed out" in your cousins. I wouldn't disregard them, though - just treat them with caution. So you could still have a working hypothesis, but no firmer than that.

Segments of 15cM and 13cM should be "true". But they could be very old ... too far back to be of real help (https://isogg.org/wiki/Identical_by_descent suggests 4C as the closest).

If you're interested in pursuing Chr 14 further, you could buy a one-month Tier 1 subscription at Gedmatch (US$10) and use one of the Tier 1 triangulation tools to see which of your Gedmatch matches line up on that area of Chr 14.

[Falconer]

Hi Fern,

Thank you. I did as you suggested with Gedmatch and have similar results. I only have 27 matches anywhere on Chromsome 14 from over 8000 matches. All checked with browser and all in the same general area, and similar length. They also all triagulate. A couple I recognise from here. My cousin from my Mothers side is also listed there and does not match....

I will keep digging ......