Relatives at RootsTech is back! Woohoo!!
Relatives at RootsTech literally shows you your relatives that have signed up for RootsTech. Your list of cousins based on the FamilySearch one-world-tree provides a plethora of DNA testing candidates, many of whom may already have tested at one of the vendors. Better yet, based on how you can filter the results, you can easily find both Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA testing candidates.
It’s always insanely busy right before RootsTech as we work on our presentations, but I always get “squirreled” with a “bright shiny object” the day Relatives at RootsTech is released. Relatives at RootsTech is usually available a month before RootsTech and a short time after – so you have a limited time to contact your cousins. This year, the final day is April 12th.
I discovered that Relatives at RootsTech is available when one of my cousins shared her link on social media.
When I click on her link to see if, according to FamilySearch, we share ancestors, I’m prompted to sign in or create a FamilySearch account if I don’t already have one.
Then, I simply opt-in to Relatives at RootsTech for this year.
Relatives at RootsTech is available for anyone who signs up for in-person attendance or virtual attendance, which is free. Translated, it costs nothing to sign up for virtual RootsTech, which means you can access Relatives at RootsTech for free, too.
Initially, I can see if I’m related to my cousin, and then when my own relatives list is ready, I can share an invitation on several platforms, including just an email link, so that other people can see if they are related to me. Then, they receive their own list of relatives with whom they share ancestors. Such fun collaboration!
Here’s the link to see if you’re related to me
If you’d like more information, you can view this Relatives at RootsTech page.
Relationships
After I opted in for this year, I was shown how I’m related to that specific cousin.
Your Connection
Relatives at RootsTech provides a path from you and any cousin you select to display to your common ancestor. You can view your connection and message that cousin through the platform.
Be sure to evaluate the connection shown. You probably can’t verify the accuracy of their side, but you can certainly verify the accuracy of your side.
If you’re uncertain, it’s a good time for research. If you’re sure there’s an error, you can work on modifying the FamilySearch tree.
Multiple Displays
I love the multiple display options.
Looking at my own Relatives at RootsTech list, I can see 300 of my total 3,377 relatives, and the map for those who have opted-in to display their location.
While you can only display 300 in the “All” category, by selecting any other filter, such as Location, Ancestor, or Family Line, you can see the top 300 in that category which will probably show people not includes in the top 300 unfiltered matches.
One of the best parts about Relatives for RootsTech is that you can filter in a number of ways.
By:
- Location
- Ancestor
- Family Line – meaning maternal and paternal
- Search by RootsTech attendee
DNA Candidates
I’ve been locating test candidates for both Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA for each of my ancestral lines for years. It’s a wonderful way to learn about their history and find lineage-specific matches. I’ve discovered several surprises over the years, thanks to Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA test results
In this case, the first thing I did was to filter by ancestor and select Nancy Ann Moore – a woman whose mitochondrial DNA I’d dearly love to have. It may well be a clue to the origins and identity of her mother who remains unknown, despite decades of research .
So far, I have two people who have signed up for RootsTech who descend from Nancy. I checked our connections immediately to see if they descend from Nancy through all females.
I love reaching out to my cousins, because who knows what other information they may have that I don’t. Through collaboration with cousins, I’ve received photos, a diary, stories, newspaper clippings, old letters and more – and you know for a fact that people who registered for RootsTech this year are actively interested in genealogy.
So, click here to see if we’re related. This will allow you to opt in to Relatives for RootsTech, and you can enjoy meeting your cousins!
Be sure to check back often, too, because more people will register between now and April 12th.
If we see each other at RootsTech, be sure to tell me if we’re related and through which ancestor!!
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Hi Roberta,
I will be attending RootsTech virtually, so I won’t have a chance to meet you in person, but it appears that we’re 8c1x. You’re in one of my more difficult branches to accurately document. But it’s exciting to see a name I recognize.
Wow, we are 9th cousins.
It looks like we are 8th cousins twice removed but not a mtDNA or Y-DNA connection. We connect at Mary Hunt and Thomas Wood.
We are 5th cousins once removed. FS shows our connection at https://www.familysearch.org/en/connect/902d49a6-414c-49ad-8370-4129535e9e83/friend/MMMX-VNT
FamilySearch says we’re 10C3R
Looks like we are very distant but it was along a line I wasn’t expecting. I thought it might be through German or French Canadian ancestors but it appears to be through Colonial America and the Wood/Lee line.
Hi, 12th Cousin, Roberta! I did the Relatives at RootsTech at your recommendation and I am so glad I did.
Roberta, I have question for you about MT DNA. My MT line is confirmed back to a five times great grandmother, Ann Ogan whose maiden name is not known for sure. The line before Ann is Scots/Irish in origin. I have a MT cousin at Family Tree that confirms this line. Some folks think that Ann’s maiden name was Martin and she was of Swiss Mennonite background in PA. What is confusing for me is that the MT DNA is rather rare, H15a1b and I have only three matches at FT. Two are zero distance and one of those is via an adoptee. A third one is of a distance of 1. That line is confirmed further back than mine and is of completely Scots folk who were in NC and TN. If it is further distance back than my line, what I am wondering is how a Swiss Mennonite could be part of it? Their pathway to the colonies was not until the mid to late 1700s. It is unlikely that a Swiss woman somehow got into a Scots heritage? Am I on the right track with this analysis or am I missing something?
I don’t know, but your skepticism is warranted. Perhaps the new Mitotree and Discover will help.
Happy to connect cousin!
I have wondered if we were cousins. We connect through my Lampton to Tempest Lineage which would also mean you’re a distant cousin of Samuel Clemens as well. In addition, my 3xGG, Beverly Taylor Lampton married my 3xGG Lucinda Estes Corum (though she is not in this direct relationship path to you). The Estes, Corum and Lampton families all intermarried. I do have 68 Estes through marriages to cousins in my Lampton and Corum lines.
According to FS, we are 12C2xR. Unfortunately, no DNA connects us at this distance.
Thank you for creating this wonderful blog!
You are most welcome.
The problem is that 90+% never reply to queries. Makes me wonder why they bother to do any genealogy at all.
I’ve had a much better response rate with this tool. Probably since we know they recently signed up for RootsTech and are active.
When I first logged in this year, there were already messages waiting for me! That is a first. And we are 8th cousins. 🙂
It looks like we’re 11th cousins! 🙂
Good Evening, Just discovered that we are 12th cousins. Our common relatives are John Clarke (1575-1623) (LLQT-X99) and his wife Mary Morton (1577-1605) (G1MY-N4P)
And we are 7th cousins 2x removed! Connected through the Drew family! My connection is via the not Nordic rockstar Zebulon Drew (Seriously that should be the name of the lead singer of a Nordic metal band.)
I like the Relatives at Rootstech gimmick. It’s a lot like the connection finder over at Wikitree. A known 3rd cousin popped up there. She’s from Argentina and luckily I found the connection LONG before she signed up for Familysearch. Good stuff. But, you need to verify the connections on Familysearch. Always verify. Pre 1600 genealogy still gives me trust issues, cousin.
Great blog! Sharing it on WT!
Hi Roberta – Looks like we’re 9th cousins 1x removed through your mother & my father. I’d love to meet you in person, but no Roots Tech in person for me this year unfortunately. 🙁 Thank you for all you do for the genealogically crazed. :). So good by for now from San Diego, CA.
I enjoy your blogs 8C1R. Looks like we are genealogy related through Thomas Wood 1632-1687 FS LY7R-F1C & his wife Ann Hopkinson 1635-1714 FS LRF7-6K7. I doubt that much DNA to connect us survived from that far back though. Enjoy Roots Tech! I’ll only be there virtually this year.
Hi, We are 7th cousins through the Cook line.