Today I am answering a new question for our Research Like a Pro with DNA Q&A series: “Should I sort my 23andMe matches by percent or strength of relationship?” The RLP with DNA study group member asked this question during assignment 1, which includes sorting DNA matches into color clusters using the Leeds Method. The full question is: How does 23&Me determine “Strength of Relationship?” Is this a more valuable sorting mechanism to use for...
If the descriptive relationship terms full or half are unfamiliar to you or find it a challenge to describe relationships, this blog post may help you. Figuring out the exact relationship you share with a DNA match can be challenging at times. When the relationship is a “half” relationship, it can be even more tricky. The amount of shared DNA between two matches doesn’t directly indicate whether a relationship is full or half. Traditional documentary...
We have all heard of someone being a first cousin once removed or another relationship “once removed,” and sometimes it gets confusing, and you may think, “…Ummm, we are cousins, that’s all that matters.” If you are at an extended family reunion, that pretty much IS all that matters! If you are invited, you know that you are attending with people descended from the same parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents. Perhaps you’re lucky to have a...
