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4th Cousin? or not....

Discussion in 'DNA Questions and Answers' started by Mitch_in_Notts, Oct 2, 2023.

  1. Mitch_in_Notts

    Mitch_in_Notts LostCousins Member

    So I have a new match on My Heritage of 220cM(3.1% shared DNA), 9 segments, 81.3cM Largest Segment.
    Having created the person in my Ancestry tree I have traced his line back to Joseph BENSON and Jane INMAN who marry in Leeds in 1835. This new match is descended from their eldest Son Charles BENSON b1837. My Birth Father is not named on my Birth Certificate, but IF I have accurately calculated who my birth Father is, then I am descended from Charles' Youngest sister Emily BENSON b1859.
    BUT that makes the new match and myself 4th Cousins. According to DNA painter 4th Cousin is well outside the range(0-139) for 220, which is closer to 2nd Cousin level. Could I be entirely wrong with my 'guess' for my birth Father, or because, apparently my birth parents are very distantly related, could this warp the range levels?
    Or is 220 possible for 4th Cousin?

    Thanks, a confused, Mitch
     
    Mitch_in_Notts, Oct 2, 2023
    #1
  2. peter

    peter Administrator Staff Member

    The information at DNA Painter is based on the same data that you can see in the chart in my DNA Masterclass.

    A 220cM match is not feasible for a 4th cousin connection - it isn't completely impossible, just exceedingly improbable given that the average shared DNA for 4th cousins (see the table in the Masterclass) is just 14cM. Either you are more closely-related than you think, or you are related through multiple lines. 220cM is typical for 2nd cousins, not 4th cousins. If your parents were closely-related that would go some way accounting for the higher match, but it's unlikely to account for the whole of the discrepancy.

    You also need to be wary of the figures that MyHeritage reports - they can be very generous, especially when one of the cousins transferred their test to MyHeritage from another site. If you can compare your DNA with your match at Ancestry or GEDmatch you should get a more accurate reading.
     
    peter, Oct 2, 2023
    #2
  3. Mitch_in_Notts

    Mitch_in_Notts LostCousins Member

    Peter thank you for your reply. The lack of a reply by me is because we have been tearing our tree apart trying to find a connection between the 220cM match - which is only available on MyHeritage - and a match I have on Ancestry of 401cM. I now have confirmation from 401 which side of their family I match to.
    I am though now confused. I had 401 down as a Half 2nd Cousin, which I now realise is not possible according to DNA parameters. BUT Ancestry says the relationship is straight 2nd cousin. Could someone confirm who is correct?

    My line:
    Me
    My Father 1958
    My Grandfather 1923
    CWW 1892 married to KLA, his second wife.

    401 line:
    401
    401s Mother 1942
    401s Grandfather 1918
    CWW 1892 married to ES, his first wife.

    So by my reckoning the two grandfathers are half brothers as they have different Mothers, My Father and 401s Mother are half first cousins and thus 401 and me are half second cousins. BUT Ancestry shows 401 and me as full second cousins. Who is right?, if Ancestry is correct 401 can be my second cousin, if I am right 401 is outside the parameters for being my half second cousin, so I need to find a different option to be my Father (we have 4 possibilities who are closer).

    Many thanks

    Mitch
     
    Mitch_in_Notts, Oct 9, 2023
    #3
  4. peter

    peter Administrator Staff Member

    It's important to differentiate between the suggested relationship that appears in a list of matches - which is often just one of many possibilities - and the suggested relationship that Ancestry show when there is a Common Ancestors connection.

    The former relationship should be ignored - it might be right but it is often wrong. It's what they deem the most likely relationship based on the shared DNA, the age of the two cousins, and their database of past matches. However, when you look at the full list of possible relationships even the 'most likely' might only be given a 28% probability.

    They don't ever show someone as a half-cousin, because it's never the 'most likely' relationship - there are many more full cousins than half cousins.

    Common ancestors is based on trees so they will show half-cousin if appropriate. Indeed they often show two people as half-cousins when they're full cousins simply because they have given one of their shared ancestors a slightly different name.
     
    peter, Oct 10, 2023
    #4
  5. Mitch_in_Notts

    Mitch_in_Notts LostCousins Member

    Thanks Peter,

    I now realise that when I add the previous suggested Father to me on my tree, then the 401cM match becomes a Half Second Cousin on Common Ancestors (which is not a possible relationship on DNA parameters). It is the person page of them on the family tree that only shows 'Second Cousin' rather than 'Half Second Cousin' as the relationship, hence my confusion.
    And yes my (Adoptive) Dad has lots of Common Ancestor DNA half matches, because of the spelling issue with Scottish surnames eg between 'Mac' and 'Mc' and, for example, MITCHELL and MITCHEL.

    Regards

    Mitch
     
    Mitch_in_Notts, Oct 10, 2023
    #5

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