A DNA match can show that two people share biological ancestry, but the family relationship still has to be worked out. I use match groups, shared DNA, family-tree reconstruction and documentary records together to identify where those connections are most likely to sit.
Questions DNA can help investigate
- Unknown parent or grandparent questions
- Adoption and donor-conception research
- Confirming or challenging a documented lineage
- Identifying the common ancestor behind a match cluster
- Separating maternal and paternal match groups
- Breaking through a documentary brick wall
Working with your DNA results
I work with results from AncestryDNA and GEDmatch and can assess other platforms case by case. The most useful form of access depends on the question and may include collaborator access, match lists, shared-match information, screenshots, tree links or permitted exports. Please do not send passwords through the enquiry form.
Before work begins, I explain what access is needed and why. A useful starting summary includes the tester’s known family tree, the identity of any known close matches, the amount of shared DNA and the relationship or ancestral line you are trying to understand.
From matches to a family connection
I usually begin by separating useful match groups and building enough of their family trees to see where they intersect. Ages, locations and amounts of shared DNA are then compared with the documentary tree. A strong case often develops from several matches pointing towards the same family, supported by records from the relevant generation.
How the findings are presented
Depending on the agreed scope, the result may include a written explanation of the match evidence, reconstructed trees for relevant families, a chart or table showing how match groups connect, documentary source references, a research log and recommended next tests or record searches.
How a DNA project is scoped
A tightly defined question about one match or one known relationship may fit the Quick Search. Unknown-parentage and distant-match cases are charged at £35 per hour and normally begin with a five-hour stage, because several family networks may need to be reconstructed before a hypothesis can be tested.
Timing depends on the number and quality of matches, the information in their trees, the generations involved and the availability of supporting records. New testing or replies from other matches may improve a case, but neither can be guaranteed.
DNA, privacy and unexpected results
DNA information is sensitive, and I handle it discreetly. No outcome can be guaranteed, and unexpected discoveries are possible. Research can identify a well-supported candidate or family group without producing a definitive named individual if the match evidence is too distant or the records are incomplete.
Checking the paper trail
Once a likely relationship appears, I look for the civil, census, parish, probate or other records that place the relevant people in the same family. Predicted relationship labels are useful clues, but the report explains the actual evidence behind the proposed connection.
When the matches leave the question open
Sometimes the available matches narrow a case without identifying one person. In that situation I record which groups were investigated, which possibilities were ruled out and which additional tester, record or family branch would be most likely to clarify the answer.
Related case study and guides
The Henry Logan case study shows how DNA can reconnect a family where the nineteenth-century paper trail remains incomplete. The GEDmatch interface guide explains several tools that can support match comparison and organisation.
For changes to your Ancestry results, the AncestryDNA 2026 update guide explains the new regional estimates, Regions by Grandparent and how I would turn a new clue into a research question.