Match List

When DNA is passed from parents to children, a process called recombination occurs, which mixes up the DNA before it’s inherited. Despite this shuffling, certain DNA segments stay the same over generations. By analyzing thousands of these genetic markers, we find an approximate measurement of how much DNA two people share.

Relative Finder uses this data to identify those who share significant DNA with you. The more DNA you share, the closer your genetic relationship. This scientific approach allows us to map out your relative matches based on shared DNA.

It's important to keep in mind that DNA inheritance is random, and you don't inherit exactly 50% of your parents' ancestral regions. This means you may not have inherited certain regions or only a small portion of a region your parents have.

It's also quite possible that your DNA looks more like that of regions near your ancestors' homelands than their actual countries. The same principles can be applied to the Recent Ancestry reports of your DNA relatives.

Neighboring populations often share DNA due to historical trade, migration, or admixture (the mixing of previously isolated populations). This can result in unexpected percentages from neighboring regions. For example, people with deep family roots in Italy might have some DNA from Greece.

This is because the two countries share a long history of shared trade, migration and cultural exchange, leading to genetic overlap. Even if your ancestors are from Italy, your DNA might show some regions associated with Greece due to its historical connection.

Yes, siblings (except identical twins) share only about 50% of their DNA. Each sibling receives a different combination of genes from their parents, which is why you and your siblings may have different ancestry percentages in your results.