5 “Next Steps” to Do After the Leeds Method

Have you clustered your DNA matches but are wondering what to do next? Whether you’ve used the Leeds Method, an automated tool, or identified a group of Shared Matches, the work (and fun) has just begun!

I’ve put together my top 5 strategies for working with your DNA clusters to determine how the matches are related to each other and then how the tester is related to the matches. These steps can help you identify close biological family as well as more distant relatives.

Step 1: Identify Repeating Surnames

Although trees are not required to do the Leeds Method, they become indispensable when you’re trying to figure out how you’re related to your matches. Within each cluster, try to find individuals who have detailed trees or sufficient information for you to build one for them.

List the surnames of the 8 great grandparents or 16 great, great grandparents. While it’s unlikely to easily find all 8 or 16 surnames for every person, your main objective is to identify any recurring surnames. For instance, in this example the surname Beddingfield is found on all 3 trees. This is likely how the people in this cluster are related to each other.

Step 2: Diagram the Cluster (or Genetic Network)

The next step is to diagram some of the matches in the cluster so we can visualize their connections. In this case I’ve also added a lower 4th match. All 4 matches are descendants of Thomas Beddingfield and Winnie Artelia Pearce.

Step 3: Create a Hypothesis

The diagram shows you how the people in a cluster are related to each other. Now it’s time to determine how the Tester is related to the people in the cluster by examining the diagram paying special attention to how much DNA the individuals share with the Tester. My hypothesis is that the Tester is a great grandchild of this Thomas Beddingfield and Winnie Artelia Pearce. Although the Tester’s grandfather’s name was Hunter, it appears his father was a Beddingfield.

Step 4: Verify DNA Amounts are Appropriate for Expected Relationships

Next, we need to make sure that the amount of shared DNA is appropriate for the expected relationships. The Shared cM Project allows you to enter the amount of DNA shared with the match and see if the amount makes sense. This does not confirm your hypothesis, but it can help support it. And, if the percentage is very low or not possible, more work is needed.

Step 5: Do Traditional Genealogy

Now it’s time to do tradition genealogy research! Research these new potential ancestors and relatives seeking records that either support or challenge your hypothesis.  You should also look for additional DNA evidence.

And, finally, write a proof argument!

Conclusion

Using the Leeds Method to create clusters is just the first step in identifying how our DNA matches are related to each other and how we are related to them. This methodlogy can often help you find unknown ancestors including biological parents, grandparents, and more distant family members. These post-Leeds Method steps will hopefully equip you to get more from this tool!

The Beddingfield Case

Most of these images are taken from my presentation titled “One Man, Multiple Names: A DNA-Based Case Study.” It is a fascinating story of a man who went by at least two aliases in his life.

I have recorded this presentation with Legacy Family Tree Webinars and you can watch it (click here) with a paid subscription or free, 7-day trial. (I highly recommend the membership!) I will also be presenting this case as part of a full day seminar in Nashville at the Tennessee State Library and Archives to the Middle Tennessee Genealogical Society in a couple of weeks. The date is Saturday, November 18th, and it’s an in-person event only. I’d love to see YOU there! You can find out more by clicking here.