Visualising Ancestry DNA matches–Part 1–Getting ready

This is the first post of a series that will demonstrate, step-by-step, how to use a free Excel-based network analysis tool to explore and get more from your Ancestry DNA matches.

You can find an index to this series here.

I first posted on this subject a year ago (under the title DIY Ancestry DNA Circles). Since then, I have experimented and refined the methods I’m using. I think my process is ready for prime time, and that a lot of genetic genealogists would get a lot of value from it. The tool is NodeXL Basic – a free template created by the ‘Social Media Research Foundation’ – which gives Excel the ability to create network charts. It has made a huge difference to how I look at my Ancestry DNA matches.

What you will learn

• how to visualise your Ancestry DNA shared matches, 
• find DNA circles for yourself and among you matches
• keep track of little clues that you discover along the way
• update with new information easily

The people I have in mind while writing these posts have a reasonable basic knowledge of how to get around on their computer (open a file, find and click on a menu item), but no special skills in Excel. You don’t need to be able to write formulas (but if you can you’ll be able to supercharge your analysis).

Example

An example of the type of visualisation it’s possible to create from match lists is below. These are very quick, just to provide a general idea of where this exercise is headed. There’s a lot more you can do.

Each dot represents a person on my match list – I could have included name labels but have left them them off for online display. I’ve also added some additional information to some of my matches, and I have retained those labels. Two of my matches in the green cluster descend from John Allsop and Ellen Fearn. Having looked at some of the trees of people in my red cluster, I suspect they may be connected to my ‘Mack’ family ancestors who lived in Belfast.

If I decide to focus on the Mack family, for example, I can see right away a group of close matches whose trees I should examine. I will know which ‘private’ or ‘no tree’ people I could contact in relation to that branch, or who I could ask to upload results to GEDmatch to compare DNA directly.

The dots are sized according to the amount of DNA I share with them. Larger dots are closer relatives. Which brings me to another point. I can see relationships here that I can’t see by navigating through Ancestry shared match pages! On Ancestry, the shared match page for each match only shows people who match and who are (approximately) fourth cousins or closer to you. That means that on the match page for one of your thousands or distant relatives you may see one of your fourth cousins. You won’t see that distant relative on the shared match list for the fourth cousin.

Take a look at the green cluster above. There is a smaller, ‘distant relative’ dot at the bottom of the main grouping who is connected to three of the larger, fourth or closer cousin dots. I don’t see that distantly related person on the my fourth cousin shared match pages! But maybe that person has something in their tree that is the key to working out exactly where those others fit in. I also wouldn’t easily see from navigating ancestry pages, or even with any ease the in common with lists, the big clue that they may be related to my ancestors John Allsop and Ellen Fearn.

Once I get through loading data and navigating the interface, I’ll provide some more detailed examples of use.

What you will need

• Excel 2007 (or more recent) installed on a Windows machine.
  Knowledge of Excel is not required. If you are able to follow the “what you need” steps, you should be able to follow the rest. I will make suggestions for more advanced users of Excel who want to get even more from their. Sorry Mac users, but the tool I’m going to suggest is Windows only.
• AncestryDNA match and in-common-with lists
  Obviously you will need to have done an AncestryDNA test.
  To obtain these lists, use the DNAGedcom client [PDF link with instructions]. There is a very modest cost involved – $5 US for one month of access. It’s the most convenient way to get the shared match information from Ancestry and well worth the money. Follow the directions, and download your match and in-common-with (ICW) lists.
• NodeXL Basic Excel Template
  Follow the directions on the website to install the Basic (no cost) template.
  Take care, as there are links to both a Pro and a Basic version. Its the free Basic version you need – make sure the download link you click has the word “Basic” in it. You should not be prompted for a licence number or payment when you install.
  
  

In my next post, I’ll show you how to load your information into the template and generate your first graph.