Several years back when MyHeritage introduced their #DNA kits they also enabled you to upload your raw data from other sites. Well, as you can imagine I was all over that because I know how important it is to have your information in as many places as you can, to fish in as many ponds as you can. But let’s put it this way; when I uploaded mine, my mother’s, my father’s and my aunt’s and my mom’s cousin’s I was less than enthusiastic when I saw the matches. Why? Because my mom’s second cousin wasn’t even a match for my mom and I knew she should be.. after all, she was on Family Tree DNA. So after that, I just stopped paying that much attention. Don’t get me wrong when I got a message about new matches I just couldn’t stop myself from looking, but I really didn’t hold much stock in the matches. (Let me note that I wasn’t the only person I’d seen that didn’t think their DNA matching was that credible. ).
Well that all changed this past week when on January 11th it was announced that MyHeritage had made some major improvements to their DNA matching processes. They said that the changes would provide more accurate DNA Matches; more plentiful matches (about 10x more); fewer false positives; more specific and more accurate relationship estimates; and indications on lower confidence DNA Matches to help focus research efforts. Not to mention that they’d added a chromosome browser. Something that everyone wants at all the DNA sites but could only get on Family Tree DNA, 23andMe or by transferring your info to Gedmatch.
MyHeritage DNA currently has more than one million people in the DNA database. 1.075 million to be exact. As I said before, I didn’t test at MyHeritage but I took advantage of their FREE upload from; Ancestry, Family Tree DNA or 23andMe. So the other evening when I got a “you have matches” email from MyHeritage I thought I’d check it out and I was pleasantly surprised.
First of all my mom’s second cousin is a match to my mom.. first one on the page. That gave me hope. As I checked some of the in common with matches, I even saw people who I’d found on other sites. As you know I’m trying to use my DNA to solve the Beaton/Batten Mystery. To catch you up my great-grandfather; William and his sister; Annie were both adopted by different families in Kingston, Ontario. Through DNA I’m hoping to figure out who their parents were. So the in common with relations are really important and I think ultimately that will be what will solve the mystery.
To give you an idea how the companies compare below is a table of the shared cM between my mom’s cousin; Margaret and my mom’s sister; Violet. As you can see MyHeritage is pretty much in line with the other DNA companies.
| Ancestry | FTDNA | Gedmatch | MyHeritage | |
| Mom | N/A | 89 cM | 69.8 cM | 65.1 cM |
| Violet | 139 cM | 153 cM | 163 cM | 152.9 cM |
I’ve always admired MyHeritage and the way they do business. They always seem to be looking for new and innovative ways to look at information and to help you be successful in finding your family records. So it only makes sense that once they realized their DNA information wasn’t quite right that they would address it and correct it and they have.
So now I’ll be going through my mom’s and her sister’s in common with connections with Margaret’s. Someday I know that the Beaton/Batten mystery’s brick wall will come tumbling down. Hopefully, 2018 is the year. That’s why I’m always looking for cousins.
DNA Angel Project
If you enter The DNA Angel Project January Edition you may win a MyHeritage DNA kit so that you can see for yourself what all the talk is about regarding MyHeritage’s new and improved matching system and their chromosome browsers. To find out more and to enter just click HERE
*Note this contest is open until January 21, 2018