Method for Comparing DNA Matches at Ancestry for any Surname
by Dan Coats

This is a sample table to find patterns in your autosomal DNA cousin matches at Ancestry.  It doesn't prove them.  However, it does help eliminate theories that are incorrect and see possibilities for your most recent common ancestor: MRCA.   Sometimes this can help you figure out your next furthest ancestor or even lineage.   It will naturally have to be proven via Triangulations done on sites like Gedmatch to prove these theories.

To develop this table, choose the DNA button on one's homepage at Ancestry.   Choose DNA matches.    In the top right hand region of the page there is a button called SEARCH MATCHES.  Click on it.  Type in the surname you are currently working on.   Go into each person's tree to see if they have a common line to yours for that surname.   If so, transfer the info to your chart.  On many surnames, you will find patterns that can help guide you in your research.     Keep the one's that make sense.  If some of your cousin matches don't know how they go back as far as you know, then fill in those generations to the same oldest known ancestor as your knowledge takes you.

Make sure your line is backed up with Primary documentation first before you run this kind of report.  Primary documents are records created at the time of your ancestor from interviews with or by close family members.   They include Birth, Marriage, Death, Wills, Probates of Estates, Bibles, Census Records, Military Records and Newspaper Articles.

The first couple generations have been made private, but you will naturally fill those in with detail for each generation.  Notice that the columns at the right are names of possible ancestors you want to find cousin lines with or not with to build theory.  Change those names to be the ones that interest you for the surname you are working on.    Thank you, Dan for developing and sharing this!  His well sourced tree is up on Ancestrees under the member name of dancoats56 if you should like to study it.

Gen 1 Gen 2 Gen 3 Gen 4 Gen 5 Gen 6 Gen 7 Gen 8 Gen 9 Gen 10 Ancestry File DNA Match to Dan Coats James Coats b 1807 y/n Solomon Coats b 1756 y/n Wilson Coats b 1760 Caty Ruyle y/n John Coats b 1818 Polina Boswell John Bedford Coats b 1817 Sarah Womack William Coats b 1745 Margaret Irby Comments
Private (M) Private (M) Milo Coats 1879-1962 m Ella Hendricks John Henry Coats 1829-1901 m Millie Douglas James Coats 1807-1893 m Elizabeth Hart John Coats 1780 m Sarah Solomon Coats 1756-1806 m Temperance dancoats56 Self y y
Private (M) Private (M) Edna Coats 1909-1992 m Roy Reeves Pinkney Ewing Coats 1872-1959 m Loula Smith John Henry Coats 1829-1901 m Millie Douglas James Coats 1807-1893 m Elizabeth Hart John Coats 1780 m Sarah Solomon Coats 1756-1806 m Temperance John Coats Shared DNA: 103 cM across 5 segments y
Private (F) Private (M) Jasper Marion Coats 1869-1952 m Susan Florida William Burdett Coats 1830-1913 m Rebecca Williams James Coats 1807-1893 m Elizabeth Hart John Coats 1780 m Sarah Solomon Coats 1756-1806 m Temperance JanaBonny66 Shared DNA: 44 cM across 4 segments  y
Private (F) Private (M) Eliza Jane Edens 1866-1947 m Samuel Williams Talitha Coats 1842-1922 m William Edens John Bedford Coats 1817-1865 m Mary Sarah Womack John Coats 1780 m Sarah Solomon Coats 1756-1806 m Temperance permianprinting Shared DNA: 22.9 cM across 1 segments  n y y
Private (F) Private (F) Mattie Lee Tucker 1869-1910 m James Calvin Sadler Frances Jane Coats 1843-1923 m John Elmer Tucker Sanders Coats 1801-1874 m Elizabeth Hogan John Coats 1780 m Sarah Solomon Coats 1756-1806 m Temperance
nancyjhobbs		 Shared DNA: 11.8 cM across 1 segments n y