Uploading your pedigree chart by paternal or maternal only?

[sbrobin]

I am setting up my profile, and uploaded a gedcom file exported from ancestry.com to the paternal and maternal ancestry line under my profile. Where it says "upload a paternal gedcom" and "upload a maternal gedcom," I uploaded the same exact file for both. Consequently, when I view the pedigree charts, it appears that they are both the same. Is there a way to export your tree from either ancestry.com or FTM so that it only exports your gedcom for your paternal line or your maternal line? Or am I not doing something correctly in my profile to get it to just show my pedigree chart for my paternal separately from my maternal? Thanks for any help.

[nathanm]

I've wondered the same thing, so delayed uploading any GEDCOM so far. My family tree has over 7000 people in it, including all the collateral branches. The file itself is over 15 MB, so I'll probably want to trim all those and just include direct ancestors, but I still wonder about splitting it into paternal and maternal pedigrees. Any thoughts from those who've used the uploaded GEDCOMs to find a common ancestor with one of your matches?

[dwight]

2 things:
1) the advantage of uploading your complete GEDCOM is that it then automatically generates your surname list - it may require a little editing (I have a few "Unknown" surnames in my tree) but all in all, it's easy.
Anybody viewing your GEDCOM can choose the "direct line" option or not.

2) the problem i noticed doing exactly this (using ancestry.com-generated GEDCOM file to upload to FTDNA) is that it mangled some of the names. Specifically in at least one case it wants to pull what is an "alternative name" and use it as the primary name to display. In another case, it displays a female ancestor's name using her husband's surname, even though her maiden name is there as her surname in ancestry.com.

I've wondered the same thing, so delayed uploading any GEDCOM so far. My family tree has over 7000 people in it, including all the collateral branches. The file itself is over 15 MB, so I'll probably want to trim all those and just include direct ancestors, but I still wonder about splitting it into paternal and maternal pedigrees. Any thoughts from those who've used the uploaded GEDCOMs to find a common ancestor with one of your matches?

[Ann Turner]

2 things:
1) the advantage of uploading your complete GEDCOM is that it then automatically generates your surname list - it may require a little editing (I have a few "Unknown" surnames in my tree) but all in all, it's easy.
Anybody viewing your GEDCOM can choose the "direct line" option or not.

I don't know if this has changed, but when I uploaded my GEDCOM, the automatic surname generator for Family Finder included a limited number of generations (from memory, about 5).

[dwight]

hmmmmm.... have to check that.
and standalone programs like Legacy produce complete lists? i assume they would (?)

I don't know if this has changed, but when I uploaded my GEDCOM, the automatic surname generator for Family Finder included a limited number of generations (from memory, about 5).

[k.o.gran]

I am setting up my profile, and uploaded a gedcom file exported from ancestry.com to the paternal and maternal ancestry line under my profile. Where it says "upload a paternal gedcom" and "upload a maternal gedcom," I uploaded the same exact file for both. Consequently, when I view the pedigree charts, it appears that they are both the same.

If you've done a Family Finder test, then a full family tree is the only useful variant for others to use. I just uploaded the same full tree to both paternal and maternal as you did. People who have matches with you still have the option to only see direct line.

[Jim Barrett]

Is there a way to export your tree from either ancestry.com or FTM so that it only exports your gedcom for your paternal line or your maternal line?

FTM, at least older versions, would let you create direct line of descent files. You could create one starting with you most distant known paternal ancestor down to, but not including the most distant, living, paternal ancestor. You could do the same thing with you maternal line.

Like you, I loaded everyone.

[Time Traveler]

Legacy has a Surname Summary Report where you can tag your direct line and produce a listing. The problem is that it will list surnames (maternal and paternal) of individuals who married aunts, uncles, and so on. What I do is tag the directs and export them to a new file. Then the listing will include only your direct lines. It's very easy to do. I sent this list to all of my FF matches. In the case of two of them there were surname matches, and then I created a pedigree chart or a descendent listing which include the pertinent details for each surname.

Time Traveler

[sbrobin]

So the general consensus is that it doesn't matter if you upload the full gedcom for both maternal and paternal lines, because people will be able to filter it however they want?