DNA Genealogy Problem Solver
Are you stuck at a research roadblock, struggling to interpret your centimorgans, or unsure how to map your chromosomes? Tell us what you’re trying to figure out below. Select a category to filter your challenges, or browse all 12 common genetic genealogy problems to find your recommended starting point, expert guides, and custom client-side tools.
🔍 Troubleshooting Dashboard
12 Problems ListedI have a DNA match but don’t know how we’re related.
Input your shared centimorgans (cM) to discover every statistically possible cousin, sibling, half-sibling, or aunt/uncle relationship using Poisson statistical modeling.
I have too many DNA matches and feel overwhelmed.
Learn how to organize, cluster, and prioritize your genetic cousin lists. Master systematic match grouping using the Leeds Method and automated AutoClusters.
I am searching for my unknown biological family.
Explore specialized DNA testing strategies, database transfer workflows, and forensic genealogy methods tailored specifically for adoptees and parentage searches.
I don’t know which side of my family a match belongs to.
Learn how to leverage “In-Common-With” (ICW) shared matches, chromosome segment overlaps, and triangulation to separate maternal and paternal lines.
My shared cM seems way too high for our relationship.
Shared DNA can sometimes distort relationship estimates. Discover how pedigree collapse, endogamy, and chromosome pile-up regions skew your cM numbers.
I want to identify an unknown ancestor or break a brick wall.
Combine DNA matches with traditional record logs and källforskning. Use census sheets, civil registrations, and parish books in a continuous feedback loop.
I want to choose the best DNA test for my genealogy goals.
Compare the four major testing goliaths—AncestryDNA, MyHeritage, FamilyTreeDNA, and 23andMe—by database size, tools, and regional match pools.
I want to understand what my ethnicity estimate means.
Admixture estimates are statistical guesses based on reference populations. Learn how they are calculated and why they shift over time.
I have my DNA results but have absolutely no clue how to use them.
Start from the ground up. Enter the Genetic Voyage DNA Academy to study structured tracks covering foundations, matches, segments, and tree-building.
I want to compare matching chromosome segments visually.
Compare up to five DNA matches simultaneously on a visual grid. Map overlapping triangulated segments across Chromosomes 1 through 22 in real-time.
I need country-specific vital records and parish registers.
Access our hand-curated, authoritative sitemap directory of over 800 direct links to government state archives and church databases across 50 countries.
I need pre-made templates to organize my DNA matches.
Download our suite of 8 customized Excel worksheets, including Chromosome Mapping files, Leeds Method sheets, match logs, and research trackers.
Genetic genealogy is a multi-disciplinary science. It requires combining basic biology, statistical probability, and traditional historical research. Trying to perform advanced segment triangulation before understanding how autosomal DNA is inherited often leads to incorrect conclusions. Choose a single, highly specific goal for each research session and use the target tool sequentially to establish biological proof.