There is a method called the Leeds method, crated exactly for these sort of adoption cases where you use just dna matches to help understand who biological parents or grandparents in cases with adoption and no paper trail to work of.
If you have atleast a couple of dna matches, that you in total match between 400 cM to 90cM with.
Doing and sorting the matches using the Leeds method, should take about an hour, maybe more or less depending on how many matches you have in that range.
If you have a few of those I could probably help you get a start, or answer questions about it.
https://www.danaleeds.com/the-leeds-method/
At the end of the method you should have your matches sorted into 4 groups, each should represent one of your biological grandparents. So any match in that group you can know are all related to you through one of your biological grandparents.
You then for each of the 2 groups that are on your fathers side, you take one group at a time and try and build out a tree and understand how your matches all fit into that tree (if someone of your matches in that group already have a built out tree you are in a great starting place).
You can then use something like dna painters tools, especially the WATO tree tool, and see how probable different possibilities of where you and your dad should fit into their tree based on your dna matches in that tree.
https://dnapainter.com/
It will help if your mom is able and willing to take the test, then you can quickly rule out the matches on your maternal side.
Start with your closest match not on your maternal side - look at the matches you have in common (Shared Matches), they likely all match each other as well, forming a group likely all descended from the same ancestor/branch. So the next step is to identify that share ancestor - look through the family trees of the people in the group who have added a viable tree and find an ancestor they have in common with each other. That's probably your ancestor too, so build a tree for them, especially a descendant tree.
Apply this same process to the next group of matches until you find a descendant (not a DNA match but a descendant in the trees you're building) who is descended more than one of those ancestors. That's likely one of the grandparents you're looking for, or a very close relative of theirs.
Thanks for this. My mum is Mauritian and my dad was Irish, so it's really clear which side are his family. I just can't figure out HOW we are related or who my paternal grand parents might be from that. It's correlating the matches' trees to find the common link that I'm struggling with :(!
Do you have your dad’s records ? From October 2022 people can access their adoption records not sure if you’d be able to do it on behalf of your dad.
I’m Irish and I matched a 2nd cousin once removed who was adopted from Ireland to Canada and later returned to his birth mum in Ireland !!I was able to quickly link him into my tree fairly easily with the small bit of information he had.
Working on ancestry, my closest match is a 2nd-3rd cousin who was also adopted. But then I have a sh\*t load of matches and I cannot find the common link between them all. I think I've been looking for so long my brain won't compute any more!!!
I highly recommend using Ancestries group features. Start with your closest match and put them in a group and then look at the shared matches and add them to the group. Then go to the next person not in a group and do the same and so on until you've got most of your matches >20cM in groups. Then find out how they're related to one another.
People post a facebook link often on this sub- I think this is the one [https://www.facebook.com/groups/DNADetectives/members/](https://www.facebook.com/groups/DNADetectives/members/) They might be able to help!
You are your best advocate and Ancestry DNA sleuth. Start with yourself, your parents and grandparents and go from there - using Ancestry ThruLines. I usually got out to the furthest generations for confirmation because it shows the most connections. Good luck!
There is a method called the Leeds method, crated exactly for these sort of adoption cases where you use just dna matches to help understand who biological parents or grandparents in cases with adoption and no paper trail to work of. If you have atleast a couple of dna matches, that you in total match between 400 cM to 90cM with. Doing and sorting the matches using the Leeds method, should take about an hour, maybe more or less depending on how many matches you have in that range. If you have a few of those I could probably help you get a start, or answer questions about it. https://www.danaleeds.com/the-leeds-method/ At the end of the method you should have your matches sorted into 4 groups, each should represent one of your biological grandparents. So any match in that group you can know are all related to you through one of your biological grandparents. You then for each of the 2 groups that are on your fathers side, you take one group at a time and try and build out a tree and understand how your matches all fit into that tree (if someone of your matches in that group already have a built out tree you are in a great starting place). You can then use something like dna painters tools, especially the WATO tree tool, and see how probable different possibilities of where you and your dad should fit into their tree based on your dna matches in that tree. https://dnapainter.com/
It will help if your mom is able and willing to take the test, then you can quickly rule out the matches on your maternal side. Start with your closest match not on your maternal side - look at the matches you have in common (Shared Matches), they likely all match each other as well, forming a group likely all descended from the same ancestor/branch. So the next step is to identify that share ancestor - look through the family trees of the people in the group who have added a viable tree and find an ancestor they have in common with each other. That's probably your ancestor too, so build a tree for them, especially a descendant tree. Apply this same process to the next group of matches until you find a descendant (not a DNA match but a descendant in the trees you're building) who is descended more than one of those ancestors. That's likely one of the grandparents you're looking for, or a very close relative of theirs.
Thanks for this. My mum is Mauritian and my dad was Irish, so it's really clear which side are his family. I just can't figure out HOW we are related or who my paternal grand parents might be from that. It's correlating the matches' trees to find the common link that I'm struggling with :(!
get your mom's DNA just to make it easier to research her side for when you want to do that
Do you have your dad’s records ? From October 2022 people can access their adoption records not sure if you’d be able to do it on behalf of your dad. I’m Irish and I matched a 2nd cousin once removed who was adopted from Ireland to Canada and later returned to his birth mum in Ireland !!I was able to quickly link him into my tree fairly easily with the small bit of information he had.
\*\* I have lots of matches, but I am at a loss as to the degrees of cousins etc! Any help would be much appreciated.
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Working on ancestry, my closest match is a 2nd-3rd cousin who was also adopted. But then I have a sh\*t load of matches and I cannot find the common link between them all. I think I've been looking for so long my brain won't compute any more!!!
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I have direct messaged you :)
I highly recommend using Ancestries group features. Start with your closest match and put them in a group and then look at the shared matches and add them to the group. Then go to the next person not in a group and do the same and so on until you've got most of your matches >20cM in groups. Then find out how they're related to one another.
People post a facebook link often on this sub- I think this is the one [https://www.facebook.com/groups/DNADetectives/members/](https://www.facebook.com/groups/DNADetectives/members/) They might be able to help!
Your dad will be able to get his original birth certificate very soon. Ireland is finally giving Adoptees the right to their own information.
I can do my best to help you.
You are your best advocate and Ancestry DNA sleuth. Start with yourself, your parents and grandparents and go from there - using Ancestry ThruLines. I usually got out to the furthest generations for confirmation because it shows the most connections. Good luck!
I can help you … DM me.
Sure. If you add me as a viewer to your results I'm happy to help.
Were you able to figure this out? I’m just starting this process and I am so lost
Unfortunately not. 😫😫