The dizzying array of genetic relatives cast up by an autosomal DNA test can be a challenge to untangle! Understanding how to investigate a group of shared matches and identify a common ancestor is a great start, but you need problem-solving approaches in your genetic genealogy toolkit too.
For instance, what should you do if the ancestral line you want to explore isn’t yielding ANY genetic matches? This fairly common situation can have several explanations, so you should work through the options systematically and logically to identify the cause, then tailor your onward strategy accordingly.
First though, check your work on that ‘no-match line’ to ensure you haven’t wrongly identified
an ancestor early on and built on this mistake thereafter. Once you’re sure your traditional research is valid, you can turn to the ‘DNA First Aid’ approach (shown in schematic - page 45) which requires you to...
• Observe the symptoms;
• Consider
