Our DNA Color Cluster charts can be more powerful when they are organized. Here are seven organization tips. If you have any other suggestions, please let me know! 1. Sequence Numbers When you first enter your list of 2nd & 3rd cousins using the Leeds Method, add a column for “sequence number” so you can always “unsort” your chart and get your matches back in their original order when needed.  2. Black vs Red Font (Known vs Unknown) Name in BLACK font? These are the people whose relationship is known. Name in RED font? These are the people with an […]

What Is Overlap? Overlap is when a DNA relative is sorted into more than one Color Cluster. In the example below, Daisy sorts into both the Blue and Orange Clusters. Three types of overlap have been noticed: extreme overlap, isolated overlap, and heavy overlap. What Is Extreme Overlap?  Extreme Overlap is where a lot of overlap occurs, often over many columns of color. Extreme overlap likely represents endogamy or pedigree collapse where ancestors are closely related. Unfortunately,  at this time there is no known method for “separating” cousins with this kind of overlap. What Is Isolated Overlap? Isolated Overlap is […]

When I first developed DNA Color Clustering, I thought Ancestry.com’s “4th cousin” matches would not share enough DNA to be helpful. I was afraid the resulting chart would be too messy. I was wrong! The key? Create the clusters based on 2nd and 3rd cousins (who share between 90 and 400 cM), and then add high “4th cousins” into these already created clusters.  Step 1: Create a DNA Color Cluster chart using the Leeds Method. REMINDER: Use AncestryDNA’s 2nd & 3rd cousins matches who share less than 400 cM with the test taker to create a color cluster chart using Excel. […]

After creating DNA Color Clusters using the Leeds Method, the next step is to identify the surnames associated with these groups. Traditional Genealogists If you are a genealogist who already knows the relationships of all or most of these “second” and “third” cousins, the process is fairly simple. Personally, I label the columns according to the surnames of the 8 great grandparents. Adoptees & other Unknown Parentages However, if you are an adoptee, working with an adoptee, new to genealogy, or for whatever reason cannot label your color clusters with the appropriate surnames, then this method will hopefully reveal surnames […]

Unsure of how other people were sorting their Shared Matches from AncestryDNA, I developed my own method: the Leeds Method of DNA Color Clustering. This simple and quick method helps you easily visualize how your close cousins are related to you and each other. I created this method while working with an adoptee, and it works wonderfully for unknown parentage cases where the cousins are strangers and their true relationships are unknown. It also works wonderfully with traditional genealogy. In fact, it is being used to break down some more recent brick walls! DNA Color Clustering: The Method Step 1: […]

For another look at how Color Clustering works with 4th cousins, I created a Color Cluster chart then added the test taker’s top twenty-five 4th cousin matches. I was able to easily sort all but one of these 4th cousins into Color Clusters! Original Color Cluster Chart (click here for Color Cluster Method) This test taker’s AncestryDNA 2nd & 3rd cousins fell into 4 Color Clusters, labeled C1 through C4, with three “unclustered” cousins. 2nd & 3rd cousins who are in more than one cluster are in red: Barbie, Ken, & Mark. 2nd & 3rd cousins who did not have shared […]