Y-DNA Matches Guide

Detail View Vs. Table View

The difference between the two views is as follows:

• Detail View - Displays detailed information individually per match, and includes which tests your match has taken.  
  • You can use the Sort by button in the upper-right corner of the page to sort your matches. 
• Table View - Displays your matches' information in a table.
  • You can sort the table by each column header in ascending or descending order. 

Match Information Overview

Note: The option to download your matches list and segment data is currently unavailable as we work on enhancements. We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience.

The following is listed for each match:

• Name - Displays your match's name. Matching suggests you share a common ancestor on your direct paternal line.
  Note: On the Detail View, below a match's name, the DNA tests your match has taken are displayed. In both views, You can click on your match's name to see the following information:
  • Email - Your match's email address.
  • Earliest Known Ancestor - Your match's self-reported earliest known paternal and maternal ancestor. 
  • Haplogroup - Y-DNA and mtDNA haplogroup. Your match's mtDNA haplogroup is only displayed if they have taken an mtDNA test. 
  • Ancestral Surnames - Your match's self-reported ancestral surnames if they have provided this information.

• Markers Tested - STR test level of your match. Only markers that you both have tested are used for matching. Matches must be within the STR matching thresholds.

• Genetic Distance - Number of mutation differences between you and a match. Fewer differences can indicate a closer relationship to the shared paternal line ancestor.

• Big Y STR Difference - Number of differing Big Y STRs between you and the match out of the number that you both have. Big Y results have slightly different coverage.

• Y-DNA Haplogroup - Haplogroups represent a shared paternal line ancestor that might have lived recently or thousands of years ago. Big Y results provide the most detail.

• Paternal Country of Origin - Self-reported country of the match’s earliest known direct paternal line ancestor.

• Paternal Earliest Known Ancestor - Self-reported details about the match’s earliest known direct paternal line ancestor. The match or their Family Tree may have more details.

• Match Date - Date you and your match were matched. 

Markers Overview 

At the top of each view, Markers tabs ranging from 111 through 12 are displayed. Click on a Markers tab to see the matches you have at that test level. 

Markers are the STR test levels tested:

• You will only have matches for markers for which you have tested.
• Only markers that you and your match have both tested are used for matching.
• Matches must be within the STR matching thresholds.
• On each tab in parentheses ( ), the number of matches that you have for that marker level is displayed. For instance, in the sample image above, there are 17 matches for 25 Markers. 

Actions

In both views, Actions are listed to the far right of your match's information.

The following actions are available: 

• Family Tree icon - If your match has a public Family Tree, you can click this icon to view it.  
  • - Signifies that your match does not have a public Family Tree. 
  • - Signifies that your match does have a public Family Tree. 
• Note icon - Click on this icon to add/edit a note for your match.  
  • - Signifies you do not have a note added. 
  • - Signifies that you do have a note added. 
• FTDNATiP™ Report icon - Click to open the Most Recent Common Ancestor Time Predictor based on Y-STR Genetic Distance. 

Search Options

The Search field is located in the upper-right corner of the page.

You can search for matches using the following options: 

• All - Search for matches using all search options. 
• Name - Search for matches by name. 
• Y-DNA Haplogroup - Search for matches by Haplogroup. 
• Paternal Country of Origin - Search for matches by self-reported Paternal Country of Origin. 

Sort Options 

You can sort your matches by: 

• Table View - Click a column header to sort your matches in ascending/descending order by column details. 
• Detail View - In the upper-right corner of the page, click Sort by. Then select the option for which you want to sort your matches. You can click the option again to toggle between ascending and descending order. 
  The following sorting options are available: 
  • Genetic Distance
  • Markers Tested 
  • Big Y STR Differences
  • Y-DNA Haplogroup 
  • Paternal Country of Origin 
  • Paternal Earliest Known Ancestor 
  • Most Recent Matches 

Filter Options 

The Filter option is located at the top-center of the page next to the 12 Markers tab. When you click Filter, the filter slide-out menu is displayed on the right of the screen. 

The following filters are available: 

• Genetic Distance - Allows you to filter matches by genetic distance. 
• Groups - Allows you to filter matches by Group Projects. Only Group Projects to which you belong are listed. 
• Family Tree Types - Allows you to filter matches by the type of Family Tree they have. 
• Match Date - Allows you to filter matches by the date you were matched with them. 
• Test Taken - Allows you to filter matches by the type of test(s) they have taken.  

FTDNATiP™ Report

FamilyTreeDNA’s Most Recent Common Ancestor Time Predictor based on Y-STR Genetic Distance is a program that predicts the time to the most recent common ancestor for two men based on their Y-chromosome STR matching and STR mutation rates. FTDNATiP™ provides powerful and precise calculations of Time to the Most Recent Common Ancestor (TMRCA) by incorporating mutation rates specific to each STR marker.

To use the Time Predictor:

• To the far right of your match or in the Action column, click the FTDNATiP™ Report icon .

For more information, see Y-DNA FTDNATiP™ Report.