If you’ve taken an autosomal DNA test and you’re working to determine how your matches are related to you, meaning which ancestors you share, you’ll want to download your DNA match list.

There are three types of files that you can potentially download from each of the major autosomal DNA testing vendors.

Raw DNA file – If you want to upload your DNA file to another vendor for matching at their site (MyHeritage and FamilyTreeDNA,) you’ll need to download your raw data file from the vendor where you tested. I provided step-by-step instructions for this process at each of the vendors, here.

DNA Segment File – This file contains the segment information with each of your matches, including the start and end locations of your matching segment(s), the total number of matching (shared) centiMorgans (cM) above the vendor’s matching threshold, and sometimes the longest segment.

If you want to sort a spreadsheet to look for all of your matches on specific areas of chromosomes, this is the best way to achieve that goal. I use this information at DNAPainter when painting the segments of matches with whom I can identify a common ancestor.

You may be able to download filtered lists or individual match data as well, as opposed to an entire match list spreadsheet, but the methodology varies at each vendor.

Ancestry does not provide segment information at all. 23and Me combines this information with the next file.

Match List – This file will contain your list of matches along with other information about the matches which you will find genealogically helpful. I find using this file easier than viewing each match separately at the vendors when trying to obtain an overview or when searching for a particular surname in either my match list or their ancestral surnames.

I can also sort by haplogroup, for example, which can sometimes help immensely if that information is available.

Ancestry does not facilitate or allow downloading your match list. 23andMe combines this information with your matching DNA segments in one file.

Here’s a handy-dandy summary by testing vendor.

Vendor	Raw DNA File	DNA Segment File	Match List
23andMe	Yes, instructions here	Yes, instructions in this article	Yes, instructions in this article
FamilyTreeDNA	Yes, instructions here	Yes, instructions in this article	Yes, instructions in this article
MyHeritage	Yes, instructions here	Yes, instructions in this article	Yes, instructions in this article
Ancestry	Yes, instructions here	No, does not provide	No, does not provide

I’ve written step-by-step instructions for how to download your Match List and DNA Segment file(s) at each vendor.

23andMe

Please note that 23and Me is the only vendor to limit your matches, which means you will only receive a file containing:

• 1500 matches if you tested before the V5 chip, so before August 9, 2017, and have not established communications with matches that would have rolled off of your list otherwise. (I have 1805 matches, so have established contact with 305 that would otherwise have rolled off the end.)
• 1500 if you tested on the V5 chip, so beginning August 9, 2017, but did not establish communications OR did not purchase the health option, OR did not purchase the yearly membership. If you established communications, those matches won’t roll off, and if you purchase the membership, the match threshold is raised. You may still need to establish contact to keep people from rolling off the larger list as well.
• 5000-ish (23andMe doesn’t say exactly) if you tested on the V5 chip for BOTH ancestry and healthy AND purchased the yearly membership.

You will only receive match information for people who are listed on your restricted match list, not people who have rolled off as closer matches arrived. Therefore, I encourage you to retain your old match lists because some of your matches will be gone each time you download.

23andMe combines your match list with your segment file.

Sign on and select DNA Relatives on the toolbar.

Next, select “See all relatives.”

Scroll to the very bottom and click on Request DNA Relatives Data Download.

Your file will be prepared, and you’ll receive an email when the file is ready to be downloaded. Mine only took a minute or two, and I simply waited on my 23andMe page until the message appeared.

Save and open the downloaded file, and you’ll see a variety of information about each of your matches, in closest-match-first order, including:

• Match name
• Chromosome segment match information, including start and end locations, genetic distance (centiMorgans cMs,) and SNPs
• Maternal and paternal sides if your parent or parents have tested
• Number of matching segments
• Relationship information
• Birth year
• Percent shared DNA
• Haplogroups
• Notes you’ve made
• Family surnames
• Family locations
• 4 Grandparents’ birth country
• Family Tree URL, external to 23andMe, if provided by tester

FamilyTreeDNA

At FamilyTreeDNA, your match list and segment information are contained in two separate files.

Sign on and click on Family Finder Matches under Autosomal DNA Results and Tools.

You’ll see your matches. At the top of your match list, on the right side, click on “Export CSV.”

You can select “All Matches” or “Filtered Matches.”

If you haven’t selected a filter, you won’t be able to make that selection. Generally, you want the entire match list.

Your match list will be prepared and downloaded.

You’ll find:

• Match name
• Relationship information
• Shared DNA total
• Longest segment
• Linked relationship if you have linked that person to their profile card in your tree
• Ancestral surnames
• Haplogroups if tested
• Notes you’ve made
• Bucketing – Paternal, maternal, both, none
• X-Match amount

Note – If you’re a male, valid X matches (meaning matches that are not identical by chance,) will always be on your maternal side because you received your Y chromosome from your father instead of a copy of his X. I wrote about X matching, here.

If your match is a male, an X match will always be through his mother’s line.

Segment information is available in a separate download on the chromosome browser page.

Under Autosomal DNA Results and Tools, click on the Chromosome Browser.

You’ll be able to select people to compare in the chromosome browser, but to download all of your matching segments to all of your matches, click on “Download All Segments.”

If you select people to compare your relationship, and then click on “Download Segments,” you’ll only be downloading the segments for the people you are comparing.

To download all of your segments, be sure the “All” is showing in the link and download before selecting anyone for comparison.

MyHeritage

MyHeritage also provides two separate files for matches and chromosome segment information.

Select DNA matches, then the 3-dot menu, then “Export DNA Matches.”

If you also want your individual segment information for your matches, also order the second file on that menu, “Export shared DNA segment info for shared DNA matches.”.

You’ll see a message that your report is being prepared and will be sent to the email address on file.

If your file doesn’t appear in your email box, check your spam folder.

Your match list provides:

• Match name
• Age
• Country
• Contact link
• DNA managed by (if not the tester)
• Contact link for DNA manager
• Relationship information
• Total cM
• Percent of matching DNA
• Number of matching segments
• Largest segment
• Has tree and tree manager
• Number of people in their tree
• Tree link and link to contact tree manager
• Number of SmartMatches
• Shared ancestral surnames
• All ancestral surnames
• Notes you’ve made
• Has Theory of Family Relativity

Now that you have these files, what do you do with them?

Evaluating

Is there anything that stands out as remarkable, perhaps that you didn’t know or notice before? Patterns that might be informative?

I had a huge brick wall on my mother’s side that has since fallen, but retrospectively, had I reviewed these lists when that wall was still standing firm, there was a huge hint just waiting for me.

My mother has a very unexpected Acadian line through her great-grandfather, Anthony Lore, so 12.5% of her heritage.

On my match list, I see a large number of French surnames, but I didn’t know of any French ancestors on either side of my tree. Many surnames repeat, such as LeBlanc, d’Entremont (which is really unusual), Landry, and deForest. Why were these people on my match list? This is definitely smoke, and there must be fire someplace, but where?

Looking at the locations associated with these matches’ ancestors would have provided additional clues.

However, simply googling my great-grandfather’s surname in combination with those French surnames I listed above produced these 3 top search results.

Yes, you guessed it. Anthony turned out to be “Antoine” and Lore is spelled in a variety of ways, including Lord. His family is Acadian.

That’s Anthony Lore, which is how he was listed on the death certificate of his son, in the software on my computer, above, and here is Antoine Lore at WikiTree, below.

As you can see, that brick wall falling opened a whole new group of ancestors, and along with it, my appreciation of endogamy😊

Match lists facilitate viewing the big picture and can be a very useful tool for people seeking unknowns or trying to group people together in a variety of ways.

Do you have any brick walls that need to fall?

How can or do you utilize your match lists?

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DNA Purchases and Free Uploads

• FamilyTreeDNA – Y, mitochondrial and autosomal DNA testing
• MyHeritage DNA – Autosomal DNA test
• MyHeritage FREE DNA file upload – Upload your DNA file from other vendors free
• AncestryDNA – Autosomal DNA test
• 23andMe Ancestry – Autosomal DNA only, no Health
• 23andMe Ancestry Plus Health

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
• Newspapers.com – Search newspapers for your ancestors
• NewspaperArchive – Search different newspapers for your ancestors

My Book

• DNA for Native American Genealogy – by Roberta Estes, for those ordering the e-book from anyplace, or paperback within the United States
• DNA for Native American Genealogy – for those ordering the paperback outside the US

Genealogy Books

• Genealogical.com – Lots of wonderful genealogy research books

Genealogy Research

• Legacy Tree Genealogists – Professional genealogy research