I’ve created this summary article that includes links to the various step-by-step instructional articles I’ve published about Genetic Affairs, a wonderful DNA analysis tool. I’ll add more articles as they are published.

Genetic Affairs is a third-party tool created by Evert-Jan Blom that works through the Genetic Affairs website for FamilyTreeDNA and 23andMe and is integrated into products for other vendors such as MyHeritage and GEDmatch. Unfortunately, one vendor, Ancestry, has issued a cease-and-desist order, preventing the usage of Genetic Affairs and other third-party tools altogether for customers who have tested there.

Different features are available at different vendors based on their product offerings, as noted below.

AutoCluster

Article: AutoClustering by Genetic Affairs

This article explains the basics of AutoClustering of matches and how AutoClusters benefit genealogy.

• AutoClustering through Genetic Affairs can be used on tests at Family Tree DNA and 23andMe.
• AutoClustering is integrated for all users at MyHeritage. You can transfer your DNA file to MyHeritage if you have not tested there.
• Autoclustering is available at GedMatch under the Tier 1 level tools.
• Autoclustering is no longer available at Ancestry due to the cease-and-desist order issued by Ancestry.

AutoTree and AutoPedigree

Article: Genetic Affairs Reconstructs Trees from Genetic Clusters – Even Without Your Tree or Common Ancestors

This wonderful tool scans your matches and their trees, and constructs trees of you and your matches that share common ancestors. The best thing about this tool is that it reconstructs trees of your matches to each other in a cluster, even if you DON’T share a common ancestor in a tree with your matches (that also match each other.) This tool is HUGELY helpful in identifying ancestors that are unknown to you and includes the option for Y and mtDNA to be incorporated into the trees if you’ve taken those tests at Family Tree DNA.

• AutoTree and AutoPedigree can only be used with results at Family Tree DNA, but not at any of the other vendors. You can transfer your DNA files from other testing companies to FamilyTreeDNA if you have not tested there.
• 23andMe does not support trees.
• Ancestry has issued a cease-and-desist order against Genetic Affairs.
• MyHeritage includes AutoClustering by Genetic Affairs within their product offering, but not AutoTree and AutoPedigree.

AutoPedigree + WATO

Article: Genetic Affairs: AutoPedigree Combined AutoTree with WATO to Identify Your Potential Tree Locations

WATO, short for “what are the odds,” is a calculation method that provides ranked hypotheses that show you where you “might” fit in the composite tree of your matches. This is the “AutoPedigree generate hypothesis automatically” option under AutoCluster analysis and is particularly useful for people with unknown parentage, unknown close relatives, or clusters that they can’t identify.

• AutoPedigree+WATO can only be used with results at FamilyTreeDNA, and not at any of the other vendors for the same reasons as AutoTree/AutoPedigree. I encourage my matches to upload their DNA files from other vendors for free to FamilyTreeDNA so that everyone has more information points to work with.

AutoClusters at MyHeritage

Article: Utilizing MyHeritage AutoClusters to Analyze your DNA Matches

• MyHeritage incorporates AutoClusters into their advanced DNA toolset for customers. Utilizing AutoClusters with DNA tools like Theories of Family Relativity and Triangulation provide a powerful 1-2-3 punch to identify family groupings.
• Additionally, MyHeritage provides trees, Smart Matches, Shared Ancestral Surnames, Shared Ancestral Places, Shared DNA Matches and the ability to download both your shared match information along with shared segment data.
• This article provides step-by-step information about how to use each tool and is paired with a free webinar.

AutoKinship 

Article: Genetic Affairs – New AutoKinship Tool Predicts Relationships and Builds Genetic Trees

• The AutoKinship tool constructs multiple genetic trees for each cluster based on your clustered matches at 23andMe, and their relationships to you and each other.
• An AutoCluster is included with AutoKinship along with membership and segment information for each cluster, including triangulation for cluster members.
• A relationship matrix shows how closely your matches are related to each other.
• AutoKinship paints your matches on your chromosomes and provides overlapping segment information
• The Surname Enrichment option provides common surnames in each cluster and shows you which members list each surname at 23andMe. 
• A stand-alone manual version of AutoKinship is available at Genetic Affairs for MyHeritage profiles, with a tutorial, here.

AutoSegment at GEDmatch

AutoSegment is available at GEDmatch under the Tier 1 tools.

AutoSegment at GEDmatch clusters your TRIANGULATED matches together in cluster groups and paints those segments on your chromosomes by cluster.

Article: AutoSegment Triangulation Cluster Tool at GEDmatch

• AutoSegment can perform this function at GEDmatch because Genetic Affairs can determine not only that your matches match you, but that they also match each other, and on which segment(s).
• AutoSegment colored cluster cells indicate triangulation, not just matching.
• AutoSegment offers several options, including the option to remove segments in known pileup areas.
• AutoSegment provides a Pileup Report, whether you choose to remove segments in pileup regions or not.
• In addition to the normal HTML cluster file, AutoSegment also offers an Excel option.
• The Excel file also groups your clustered matches by chromosome.
• AutoSegment provides the option of viewing where each person matches you, including segments that triangulate and those that do not triangulate with others.
• AutoSegment provides an option to upload the results to DNAPainter.
• AutoSegment provides information on linked clusters where individuals are members of more than one cluster.
• AutoCluster provides cluster analysis in various formats, complete with links to trees.

New AutoKinship Tool at GEDmatch

Genetic Affairs partnered with GEDmatch to produce the super-sundae of reports, a new version of AutoKinship at GEDmatch. The new AutoKinship report adds new features, allows for more kits to be included in the analysis, and integrates multiple reports together:

• AutoCluster – the AutoClusters we all know and love
• AutoSegment – clusters based on segments
• AutoTree – reconstructed tree based on GEDCOM files of you and your matches, even if you don’t have a tree
• AutoKinship – the original AutoKinship report provided genetic trees. The new AutoKinship report includes AutoTree, combines both, and adds features called AutoKinship Tree. (Trust me on this one – you’ll see in a minute!)
• Matches
  • Common Ancestors with your ancestors
  • Common Ancestors between matches, even if they don’t match your tree
  • Common Locations

Maybe the best news is that some reports provide automatic triangulation because, at GEDmatch, it’s possible to not only see how you match multiple people, but also if those people match each other on that same segment. Of course, triangulation requires three-way matching in addition to the identification of common ancestors which is part of what AutoKinship provides, in multiple ways.

Article: AutoKinship at GEDmatch by Genetic Affairs

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Disclosure

I receive a small contribution when you click on some of the links to vendors in my articles. This does NOT increase the price you pay but helps me to keep the lights on and this informational blog free for everyone. Please click on the links in the articles or to the vendors below if you are purchasing products or DNA testing.

Thank you so much.

DNA Purchases and Free Transfers

• FamilyTreeDNA – Y, mitochondrial and autosomal DNA testing
• MyHeritage DNA – ancestry autosomal DNA only, not health
• MyHeritage DNA plus Health
• MyHeritage FREE DNA file upload – transfer your results from other vendors free
• AncestryDNA – autosomal DNA only
• 23andMe Ancestry – autosomal DNA only, no Health
• 23andMe Ancestry Plus Health
• LivingDNA

Genealogy Products and Services

• MyHeritage FREE Tree Builder – genealogy software for your computer
• MyHeritage Subscription with Free Trial
• Legacy Family Tree Webinars – genealogy and DNA classes, subscription-based, some free
• Legacy Family Tree Software – genealogy software for your computer
• Charting Companion – Charts and Reports to use with your genealogy software or FamilySearch

Genealogy Research

• Legacy Tree Genealogists – professional genealogy research