LibraryConceptsCluster Research Method for DNA Match Groups
Concept
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Cluster Research Method for DNA Match Groups

This method organizes your DNA match list by identifying which matches are actually related to each other through shared ancestors, creating distinct family groups from what would otherwise be a scattered mess of genetic connections. Once clustered, you can research each group's documented family trees to find who connects them all.

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Why It Matters

The Cluster Research Method, sometimes called the Leeds Method, is a technique for organizing DNA matches into color-coded groups that correspond to each of your four grandparent lines, making it easier to identify which branch of your family a match belongs to. This visual grouping transforms an overwhelming list of hundreds of matches into manageable family clusters.

AI tools can automate the sorting and labeling of match clusters, cross-reference shared matches at scale, and suggest probable common ancestors within each cluster, dramatically speeding up the process of assigning unknown relatives to specific family lines.

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