DNA Color Clustering: Identifying “In Common” Surnames
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 for each color cluster. These surnames are clues as to how these groups are likely related to the test taker.
Identifying “In Common” Surnames
Step 1: Create DNA Color Clusters
In this case, the adoptee identified the Blue Cluster as her biological mother’s. We were trying to identify her biological father, so we concentrated on the Orange and Yellow Clusters. (The Green column did not have a cluster.)
Step 2: Determine which matches have trees and which do not have trees and label accordingly.
I looked at each match to see if they have a tree – whether attached or not attached! I then labeled them to indicate “tree” or “no tree.” Since we were trying to identify a biological father, we did NOT work with the Blue Cluster the adoptee identified as maternal.
Step 3: List the great grandparent surnames for each match with a tree. If they don’t have great grandparent matches, use whatever surnames they have included.
To find the surnames, look at the tree. Use great grandparents if available. If the tree doesn’t go back that far on any lines, just use whatever surnames are available. Occasionally you might need to go back to great, great grandparents.
Step 4: Identify common surnames, if any, in each Color Cluster.
Find the common surnames, if any. I find this step truly amazing! I have highlighted the shared surnames:
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- Orange Cluster: Griffin & Bartles
- Yellow Cluster: Paulson, Austin, and Gray
Step 5: Assign potential surnames to the Color Clusters, if identified, and use these clues to further your research!
At this point, you have clues as to what surnames you are looking for in each cluster. Continue your research using these clues!
You also might be able to look at first cousins or other “close family” matches to help label these clusters.
Happy Clustering!
Hi Dana! Thanks for your comment today on my blog post about RootsTech 2018 (mckellkeeney.com)! I’ve actually been using your Color-Clustering the past couple of weeks for myself, my husband and so far for two of the adoptee cases I’m working on. I haven’t had a breakthrough yet, but I’m hoping! I started with my own – I have about 72 2nd and 3rd cousins on Ancestry (that’s leaving out the ones I know to be 1st cousins or 1C1R), so it took awhile. More than 10 minutes for sure, ha ha!
For my husband, he only has 12 2nd and 3rd cousins on Ancestry, so that went a lot faster.
I wasn’t sure for your groups of surnames for those who have trees if you are doing that on a Sheet 2? I just added the surnames to a column on Sheet 1 at the end of the row for each match. I kind of like everything on one page if possible, but I’m not sure if it works as well as the way you are grouping surnames.
I expanded to the top 10 4th cousins for my husband and for the charts I started for two adoptees. I am unclear on how you figure out which cluster the 2nd-3rd cousins go in from results from other testing companies, but I’ll read your posts again. It’s easy to figure if there’s an unusual last name match from another company to an Ancestry match that will link it to that cluster, but most of them have no trees, so…
Please let me know any other tips! Thank you!
Hi, McKell. I’m glad you have seen my color clustering method and are using it!
When I mentioned 10 minutes, I think I had worked on 20 people’s accounts, and the most matches was about 25. So, yes, it can take more time sometimes! I also recently worked with a lady and I stopped at 200 2nd/3rd cousins! That took a lot of time. 🙂
I like the surnames on one page, also. Actually, I print out my Color Cluster chart and then write directly on the printout (either the front, if room, or the back). I love, especially when working with adoptees, to keep all my notes on one page. If I get more info, or an updated chart, I print it out & staple it to the first. I am a paper person!
As far as other testing companies, I haven’t posted that yet. But, I’m working on it! Hopefully, you’ll know some of these people and where they belong and can figure it out.
Stay tuned for more! I have lots more to share on my blog!
Dana
Hello Dana,
I am working on your DNA color clustering and like it so far. Once you add your 4th cousins and come up with some possible surnames do you then start building one tree adding your matches if you know the common ancestor?
Hi, Linda. Yes, that’s what I do. But, I do it on paper and only use the people that are needed for the research I’m doing. I try to build the tree, on paper, to include as many of the DNA matches as possible. I need to post about this! It’s hard to explain in words 🙂
I’d love to see a post on this when the time is right!
Hi! I am fortunate enough to have had a distant cousin mention this technique to me. My mother was a foster child and I have been able to figure out who her bio mom was, but have no idea who her father was. I have done this, up to the point where I have some names in my color clusters. But I do have a few questions.
I’m not sure I know what to do with the surname matches. Do I build more mirror trees based on this? No 3rd cousins for my mother have trees, others are totally private or have just a handful of people. The majority of people are 4th cousins. Should I concentrate on those who have common surnames? And what do the common surnames mean to me and my relation to them vs the others?
I also have 5 columns. How many should I have? In addition, I am black. One of the columns appear to be primarily of whites (I have to assume some are probably descendants of slaveholders). Since our MCRA will probably be several generations back, should I ignore this column for now?
Sorry for so many questions! I have been trying to pack in as much learning as possible in order to get a name for mother. So far, this technique has been the most helpful!
Hi, Grace. I’m glad you’re finding this method useful, and hope you can discover the true identity of your mother’s biological father.
I’ve never used mirror trees, but I only started working with adoptees and those with unknown parentage early this year. My understanding is that mirror trees were more useful before AncestryDNA started providing additional information.
You said no 3rd cousins have trees. Is that the same for 2nd cousins?
My suggestion is what you suggested… concentrate on the common surnames. And, yes, I’d “ignore” the tree that appears to be a distant white ancestor for now.
Five columns is a great number. Four makes it “easiest” because that usually represents our 4 sets of great grandparents. But, some people will have 3, or 5, or more. The key is identify which of the Color Clusters appear to be on your dad’s side and look for common surnames.
Also, I am white and haven’t really worked with black ancestors, especially going back to slavery. I’m wondering if part of the problem is that some of the descendants of this person who was likely a slaveholder took on different surnames?
Lastly, I recommend you get your DNA (or your mom’s) in as many places as possible. You never know where that closest match might test! So, I always recommend testing at AncestryDNA and 23andMe, and transferring your AncestryDNA raw data to FamilyTreeDNA & MyHeritage – both for free. I also recommend GEDmatch, which is also free, but please read the terms of agreement as it is a 3rd party. Hope this helps!
Quick question about clustering the surnames. You say to use the 4th Generation names if there is a tree. What about going farther back? Should I also be including any matching surnames for 5th and 6th generation? There are a couple of trees that I’m comparing that I know that they don’t share a common ancestor until you go farther back than 4th generation.
Joel, Absolutely! I should have pointed that out. Working with 4th generations is just the “easy” first step. If your relatives are further back, or you don’t find the answer with 4th generations, I’d definitely move on to 5th & 6th generations. Hope this helps!
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Hi Dana, I put all of my top 4 matches from my mothers side into 4 groups. She was adopted and doesn’t know her biological family. What does it mean when you find people with 2 of the same color? I have 1 person that matches all 4 colors. Would this be someone significant?
Hi, Houston. You might try watching this video of me teaching the Leeds Method. My part starts at about 40 minutes in: https://www.rootstech.org/video/you-can-do-dna?lang=eng
And, a person who matches all 4 colors should be related to the people in all 4 groups. But I think it might be helpful if you go watch this free video.
Best wishes!
Hi Dana. Your step #3:“To find the surnames, open the match’s “pedigree and surnames” page and look at the surnames under the “4th Gen” column.”, where would I find this Pedigree & Surname page? Which site are you referring to?
Thank you.
Hi, Carla. It appears things have changed! You just need to look under the “trees” tab – which is the one that should open when you first open the page. They no longer show “4th gen” column, so you would just want to look back to the great grandparents. (I’ll update the post. Thanks!)
Dana
Hi Dana. Thanks for your prompt reply. So I should look at each matches’s trees, hopefully it goes back that far and start searching for common surnames. The idea is then to create a working tree with these surnames. I’m trying to find my mother’s father’s birth family/surname/tree/branch…. Anything. He was a foundling. I know it’ll be a needle in a haystack. I’m only working with about 10 2nd-3rd cousins ranging from 176cM-93 to a ton of 4th-6th cousins down to 20cM. After going down to about 60 cM I had about 10 colors. I stopped at that point. Now I’m onto your step 3. I’ll play with it and see what I come up with. If I understand it correctly, my 1st 4 colors should be my mother’s great grandparent’s couples. But if I color coded to the 4th-6th cousin range, am I now looking at her great great grandparents? How would I delineate between the generations? Should I stop at a certain cM and not go any lower? Thank you Dana.