Our atDNA Projects

See also Upload atDNA Results to GEDmatch

As more of our family members take autosomal (atDNA) tests, the results become more difficult and time-consuming to track. This project is intended to reduce duplicated effort - and share our findings. All corrections (and there will be many) and suggestions for improvement are appreciated:

My father and his maternal first cousin, for example, each have more than 20,000 atDNA matches - and over 1,000 close cousin matches. I started putting together some charts to track how we're all related, and then thought other family members might be interested in them as well.

My plan is to collect and share stories about the different families on the site. Story contributions are greatly appreciated.

These projects (and the website) are in the early stage of development. Thanks for your patience as the site grows and improves.

Please Upload atDNA Results to GEDMatch

Although Ancestry.com has many great features, it doesn't provide a chromosome browser for detailed atDNA analysis. Please consider uploading your atDNA test results to GEDMatch - it's free. Here's Why - and How.

About the Projects

All of the data comes from matches on Ancestry.com. My tree, with living persons information shielded, is available at http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/83283031/family.

Each atDNA project contains a detailed graphic (a "DNA Tree") that shows how the DNA matches (that could be identified) are related. Each project has (or will have) an associated family history section on the site, where stories about the family line and ancestors will be presented.

How to Use the atDNA Charts

Click on any chart below to open the image in a new browser tab. Click on the image to zoom in to full size. Read the image from left to right. Usernames in green are DNA matched to the family, and are believed to have the genealogical paper trail that's depicted. Note that some paper trails could have errors; the person thought to be a fourth-great grandfather, for example, could be an uncle or cousin.

Close the browser tab when finished.

Early American Ancestors

A very large number of descendants from the earliest settlers in New England are all related to each other - as are descendants of the earliest Virginia settlers. An atDNA match, even when combined with a paper trail to the 1600s, isn't a confirmation of such a distant paper trail. In many cases, the actual atDNA match may be to another line. However, I've chosen to include very distant relatives in these charts as long as they have a paper trail that appears to be well-researched - and they DNA match to one of my parents.

Paternal

The Ireland, McCool, Walker and Wright families are ancestral lines of Kevin's paternal grandfather, Harry Lee Ireland. The Nichols, Gwartney, Galyean, Hassell and Albin families are ancestral lines of Kevin's paternal grandmother, B. Clarease Nichols.

Ireland

McCool / Swain

Read about our extensive Ireland - McCool - Walker - Swain AncestryDNA Project - and our McCool y-DNA Project.

George McCool's second wife was Elizabeth Swain - the mother of ten of his eleven children. We have a Swain Research Project that's providing a great deal of new information.

Walker

The Walker connections still present many questions. On the one hand, multiple DNA matches from our family to the Walkers appear very helpful. On the other, the higher-than-expected strength of several of the matches indicates that we may still be missing some key information.

Wright

Nichols

After clicking the image below, it will open in a new browser tab. Click on the new image to zoom in and then scroll to the far left.

Coffman - Experimental

This experimental tree includes unconfirmed relationships. After clicking the image below, it will open in a new browser tab. Click on the new image to zoom in and then scroll to the far left.

Hassell

Coming soon.

Gwartney

After clicking the image below, it will open in a new browser tab. Click on the new image to zoom in and then scroll to the far left.

Albin

After clicking the image below, it will open in a new browser tab. Click on the new image to zoom in and then scroll to the far left.

Galyean

After clicking the image below, it will open in a new browser tab. Note the image is quite large (1.3MB) and may take a minute or two to download. Click on the new image to zoom in and then scroll to the far left.

Maternal

The Williams and Hastings families are ancestral lines of Kevin's maternal grandfather, Gilbert Hastings Lewis. The Haven family is an ancestral line of Kevin's maternal grandmother, Margaret Irene Hevenor.

Williams

Hastings

Although everyone on this chart is an atDNA match to my mother, the match in many cases may be to another one of her lines. However, they all have a Hastings paper trail so they're included here.

After clicking the image below, it will open in a new browser tab. Click on the new image to zoom in and then scroll to the far left.

Haven

After clicking the image below, it will open in a new browser tab. Click on the new image to zoom in and then scroll to the far left.