Earlier this week, MyHeritage raised the upper threshold for AutoClusters to 400 cM. Excitingly, this allows us to see some of our closer matches in our clusters! (By the way, this is the number I recommend when starting the Leeds Method.) What Are AutoClusters? According to MyHeritage, AutoClusters is an “automatic tool that organizes your DNA matches into clusters that likely descend from common ancestors.” This tool, which was developed in collaboration with Evert-Jan Blom, is based on the Leeds Method. The chart creates clusters for approximately 100 of your DNA matches, though it does not use your closest matches....
Shared Clustering is an automated tool created by Jonathan Brecher that clusters your DNA matches. Like the Leeds Method and other automated tools, it creates clusters showing how your DNA matches are related to each other. These clusters help you visualize genetic relationships. Best of all, this is a free tool that can be used with any testing site! Jonathan just released an update that allows you to create clustering without downloading your data. Instead, you manually enter the information into a spreadsheet. It’s more time consuming, but it works well! Before you get started, you’ll need to download the Shared...
When using an automated clustering tool such as Genetic Affairs’ AutoCluster or DNAGedcom’s Collins Leeds Method, the output is in the form of a matrix. Here are some screenshots to help you better understand these clusters in this matrix format. The Names In the matrix, the names are listed in the same order from left to right (along the top) as they are from top to bottom (along the left side). Each cell represents the intersection of two people. The Color Clusters Like the Leeds Method, color clusters are created showing the people who have a close connection to each...
When creating a Leeds Method color cluster chart with a spreadsheet or a related, automated tool, I suggest starting with your 2nd and 3rd cousins. For many of us, we can safely use matches 400 and 90 cM. But, why 2nd and 3rd cousins? If we sort our matches based on our 1st cousins, they would sort into two groups: maternal and paternal. But, if we sort our matches based on our 2nd cousins, they could sort into four groups. To fill in some of the gaps, we also include 3rd cousins. In doing these sorts, we often create 4...
Most of you are probably familiar with AncestryDNA’s relatively new tool, Custom Groups, which allows you to add a colored dot next to your DNA matches. These colored dots can be used for whatever you decide including indicating clusters, your eight great grandparent lines, or a specific group you are working on. A new tool at Genetic Affairs allows us to use the custom groups to create clusters. We can also use the “extend” option to grow these clusters even larger. The extend option gathers the shared matches of the DNA matches in whatever group you’ve selected. A few days...
Recently, I diagrammed some clusters created by the Leeds Method and/or an automated method like AutoCluster. Surprisingly, the people in a cluster are not always related to all of the other people in a cluster. And, the people in a cluster are not always descended from a single common ancestor or ancestral couple. Sometimes, the people in a cluster are descended from two generational levels as shown in the diagram below: What Is a SuperCluster? A SuperCluster is a group of clusters that are closely related to each other. You can see a SuperCluster by looking for grey squares between...
The Collins Leeds Method is a commonly used tool for clustering your DNA matches based on the Leeds Method. To get started, you need to do the following: install the DNAGedcom Client gather your data use the Collins Leeds Method (CLM) tool Below are detailed steps for each part of this process. The result is a CLM chart. Installing the DNAGedcom Client Go to https://www.dnagedcom.com Create an account & log in. Click on the “?” in the upper right corner. Go to “Getting Started” under “DNAGedcom Client” and choose the installer for Windows or Mac. Click on the “Installer” for...
AutoCluster is a commonly used tool for clustering your DNA matches based on the Leeds Method. To get started, follow these steps: Creating an Account and Adding a Website Go to www.geneticaffairs.com, create an account, and log in to your account Under the “Websites & Profile” tab, click on “Add Website” Choose your testing company – for example, Ancestry – and click on “Add AncestryDNA Account” Use your login and password information for THAT company and then click “add new website” and confirm with “Yes, add website” (Note: If the website repeatedly fails to accept a password, try using another...
Today, I will continue with the same data I’ve used the past two days: Analyzing a Cluster Chart and What Are the Grey Squares on a DNA Match Cluster Chart? This time, though, I am creating Superclusters. First, the “old” CLM chart I’ve been analyzing the past two days (without superclusters): Next, the same chart but “simplified” with the grandparent labels: B, C & D. Then, the “labeling chart” I’m using which shows the letters A, B, C & D stand for the 4 grandparents of the test taker. Lastly, the Superclustered chart: SETTINGS The settings I ran for this...
Both AutoClustering and the Collins Leeds Method (CLM) create DNA Match Cluster Charts. The charts have colored clusters of people who are likely descended from common ancestors. Yesterday, I talked about how I analyze the clusters. Today, I wanted to explain more about the grey squares that are outside of the colored clusters. Above is the same CLM chart I shared yesterday. Each color group is a “cluster.” Below is a chart a friend – John Motzi – made representing the same data. I had categorized each cluster as belonging in group A (dad’s dad), B (dad’s mom), C (mom’s dad),...
