Geographical DNA Matching on Facebook

DNA Tools, Genetic Genealogy, Social Media / By

Most genealogists are aware of the fact that many of our ancestors did not roam far from their roots during their lifetimes. It is because of this fact that it is common to find many of our ancestors in small geographical areas. In relation to DNA matching, it would be valuable to have tools that help connect you with your matches that have ancestors in the same geographical areas as your ancestors.

For this purpose, the Ontario Canada DNA MatchFinder group was created on Facebook. Having been initiated in December 2018, the group has now grown to over 700 members who are quickly connecting with their DNA matches. The tool that the group makes use of was created by Dermot Balson, a long-time genealogist and spreadsheet guru.

The requirements to join the group are as follows:

  • You must have at least one or more direct ancestors from Ontario, Canada (eg. Grandparents, Great Grandparents, 2X Great Grandparents, etc)
  • You must have taken a DNA test with any of the major DNA testing companies (eg. Ancestry, MyHeritage, FamilyTreeDNA, LivingDNA, etc)
  • You must have downloaded your DNA file from the testing company and uploaded it to GEDmatch (see my blog post “Gedmatch/Genesis…What is it and why am I being asked about it?“)
  • You must have a Google Account. If you do not, visit Google’s Home Page and create one. This gives you access to Google Sheets which is their spreadsheet tool that runs the MatchFinder Tool used by the Facebook Group. You also have access to Google Drive which is where your files are stored. This is completely free to you.
  • You must join the Facebook group “Ontario Canada DNA MatchFinder“. You will be asked some entry questions to confirm you meet the requirements above to join. It is mandatory that you answer them or you will be declined.

Once you have joined the group, it is advised that you read the information about the group, the group rules so that you know what you can and cannot post as well as the main instructions for how to use the group and the MatchFinder Tool. This can be found at the top of the group and in the Announcement posts.

You’re asked to submit your GEDmatch kit number and Facebook Name as it appears to others. That’s it! You are now ready to find your matches using the MatchFinder Tool. The results will look something like image below.

Essentially, the MatchFinder Tool has “scrubbed” your GEDmatch match list to only those people that are in the same Facebook group that you belong to. Once you have this information, it’s simple enough to create a post in the group, tag everyone in the list of Facebook names so that they are notified of your post and attach a screenshot like the one above. Voila! The result is near instant communication with those DNA matches because they are notified. Most posts see responses from their matches within minutes which is a huge advantage over trying to connect with your DNA matches through the testing companies directly. You also know that there is a common geography you are dealing with here.

However, that is not to say that you do not connect with one or more of these matches on another line not associated with Ontario but it’s a great start. This is important to know when you start to communicate with these matches. Simply offer a list of surnames and locations that your Ontario ancestors lived and start there.

Are your ancestors from another part of the world? No problem! There are a number of other groups using the same DNA matching tool (some by other names) for various geographical locations as well as some groups using it to match those with similar surnames or other criteria. See the list below with links. Keep in mind that each of these group are independently managed so rules may vary from one group to another.

A 
Acadian & French Canadian Gedmatch & DNA Matchinghttps://www.facebook.com/groups/acadianandfrenchcanadiangedmatch/ 
Albertland Descendants (Port Albert, Wellsford) +Our DNA Linkshttps://www.facebook.com/groups/295813541010392/ 
Annaghdown Genealogy Forumhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/annaghdown/ 
Anglesey Wales DNA for Genealogyhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/416639498679647/ 
Atlantic Canada Gedmatch & DNA Matchinghttps://www.facebook.com/groups/275075752888201/ 
Australia DNA matchinghttps://www.facebook.com/groups/AustraliaDNAmatching/ 
Australia & New Zealand’s Proudest dark secret: Convict Ancestorshttps://www.facebook.com/groups/468873900324342/ 
Avoca, PA Genealogy Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/223613358456512/ 
B 
Barbados DNA Registryhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/BarbadosDNARegistry/ 
Barrett DNA Matchmaker Tool Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/100496454097424/ 
Beara DNAhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/1024162774380667 
Belgian  DNA Matchfinderhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/BelgiumDNA 
BFTWA DNA MatchMakerhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/BFTWA.DNA/ 
British Gedmatch DNA Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/BritishDNA 
C 
Cape Breton Gedmatch Group – DNA Cousinshttps://www.facebook.com/groups/capebretongedmatchdnacousins 
Carlow DNAhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/372352823360433 
CARNA AREA GENEALOGYhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/474939406689241/ 
Channel Island and adjacent French area DNA Registry – Gedmatchhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/312280886043845/
Cheshire DNA genealogy matchinghttps://www.facebook.com/groups/2014742125321145/
Clan O’Donovan 2020 Gatheringhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/282663512267639 
Clan Kellyhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/145357081258/ 
County Cork DNA Chat – Irelandhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/CountyCorkDNAChat/ 
Cork Ireland City and County Matchmaker tool, DNA Facebook Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/CorkDNAkits/ 
Co Antrim/Down DNA group – Northern Irelandhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/727683260920707/ 
Co Armagh DNA Matchmaker Group – Northern Irelandhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/237284437193831/ 
County Clare IRE Matchmaker Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/CoClareDNA/ 
County Kerry, Ireland Dna & Genealogyhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/237646913467671/ 
County Donegal DNA MatchFinder – Irelandhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/1879729458987625/ 
County Limerick DNA Matchfinder – Irelandhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/limerickdnamatchfinder/ 
County Longford IRE Matchmaker/Gedmatch Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/993363820865533/  
County Sligo DNA MatchFinder – Irelandhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/219210558755260 
County Tipperary IRE Matchmaker Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/TipperaryDNA/ 
Cuba ADN – Genealogía y Genética – Geneology and Geneticshttps://www.facebook.com/groups/Cuba.ADN/ 
D 
Descendants of the Clarkes of Portumna, Galwayhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/1456026597845733
Descendants of Farrells of Fermanaghhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/166439317346693/
Devon and Cornwall DNA Genealogyhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/387842078505135/ 
Donovan/O’Donovan DNA and Genealogyhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/325018078077125/ 
Dublin DNA Matchfinderhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/2106834872921844/ 
Dutch DNA MatchFindershttps://www.facebook.com/groups/1239334109522773/ 
E 
Earl Grey Orphans DNA Matchfinderhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/earlgreydnamatchfinder/ 
Eastern England incl Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk DNA Matchfinder – no part of name Formally Lincolnshire, Norfolk Suffolk & all surrounding Counties DNA Matchfinder https://www.facebook.com/groups/349719199026568/ 
European DNA Matchinghttps://www.facebook.com/groups/373324483430609/
F 
Families from Shelburne, Yarmouth County. Nova Scotiahttps://www.facebook.com/groups/770982362990105/ 
Fermanagh Matchmaker Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/FermanaghDNA/ 
Free Canada Adoption / Family Search and Reunionhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/CanadaAdoptees/ 
Finnish DNA Match Identifierhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/FinnishDNA/ 
Finn & Flynn Surname Ireland – Matchmaker Tool, DNA & Genealogyhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/1890117591241794/ 
Fouts Foutz Pfouts Family Research plus GEDmatchhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/925392084503798/ 
Franklin Geneology & DNAhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/656899428076936/ 
G 
Galway IRE GEDmatch / Matchmaker Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/GalwayMatchmaker/
Geni users DNA Matchfinderhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/genidnamatchfinder/ 
Gedmatch Genesis DNA Matchershttps://www.facebook.com/groups/gedmatch/ 
German dna MatchFinderhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/445674439291761/ 
German and Prussian Genealogy, records, dna, translations, culture and historyhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/German.Prussian.Genealogy.Records.DNA.Translations/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/German.Prussian.Genealogy.Records.DNA.Translations/  
H 
Healy surname DNA Matchfinderhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/197658344236595/
Herrity Genealogyhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/354109548588766/ 
Holland Surname DNA and Genealogy https://m.facebook.com/groups/2089516021163470
Houlihan (many spellings) Surname Genealogy and DNAhttps://facebook.com/groups/162869344130628 
I 
Irish DNA with Matchbox toolhttps://www.facebook.com/IrishDNARegistry/
Irish adoption Registry and DNA  MatchFinderhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/Irishadoptionregistryanddnamatchfinder/ 
Ireland & the Irish in New Zealand DNA Matchinghttps://www.facebook.com/groups/NZIREDNAMATCHFINDER/ 
Irish Australian DNA Matchfinderhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/irishaustraliandnamatchfinder/ 
Irish in Canada – Gedmatch Numbershttps://www.facebook.com/groups/1784613731583041/ 
Irish in Newfoundland DNA research and DNA Matchfinderhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/irishnewfoundlanddna/ 
Irish Peter Robinson Settlers Canada DNA Matchfinder https://www.facebook.com/groups/Peterrobinsondnamatchfinder/
Isle of Wight DNA Matchfinder Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/IsleofWightDNA/ 
Italian DNA Matchfinderhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/1415439891819574/ 
J 
K 
Kilkenny IRE Matchmaker/Gedmatch Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/278186463010959/ 
L 
Lancashire DNA Genealogy Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/1877532758992155/ 
Lemko Ancestry & DNAhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/319572048241913 
Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk DNA Matchfinderhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/349719199026568/ 
Lithuanian DNA Database (Gedmatch)https://www.facebook.com/groups/131532164230256/ 
London Irish DNA Matchfinderhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/361320698004652/ 
Louden (Lowden) Decendents in Scotland and Worldwidehttps://www.facebook.com/groups/293393734833592/ 
M 
Mayo DNA and GEDmatchhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/MayoDNA/ 
MacDonald of Nova Scotia DNA (Matchmaker Tool)https://www.facebook.com/groups/1301047346631512/ 
McDonnell Ancestry and DNAhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/296242500867363/ 
Mallow county Cork DNA Matchfinderhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/1361872750592474/
Mennonite and Amish Genealogy 606https://www.facebook.com/groups/189095388578034/ 
Midlands of England incl counties of Staffordshire, Shropshire DNA Matchfinder    Note by don’t include – formally Staffordshire Shropshire & all surrounding Counties DNA Matchfinder)https://www.facebook.com/groups/2512553972142686/ 
Monmouthshire DNA Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/2345002259113969/
My Island My Roots- Prince Edward Island (PEI) GedMatch & DNAhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/156179921571587 
N 
Nagle Family Forum & DNAhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/NagleFamilyForumDNA/ 
New England DNA/Gedmatch projecthttps://www.facebook.com/groups/380247892716040/ 
Newport Tipperary Genealogyhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/1959988984127825/ 
New Zealanders of Irish Descent Genealogy and DNA Family Finder Databasehttps://www.facebook.com/groups/NZersofIrishDescentGenealogyandDNAFamilyFinder/
 New Zealanders of Scottish Descent Genealogy and DNA Family Finder Databasehttps://www.facebook.com/groups/NZersofScottishDescentGenealogyandDNAFamilyFinder/
New Zealand & the World – Missing Links-Families Separated-DNA Searchhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/644446299353608/ 
New Zealand DNA Family Finder Databasehttps://www.facebook.com/groups/NewZealandDNAFamilyFinderDatabase/
North Cork Ireland DNA Matchfinderhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/928847060462770/
Northern England incl Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester DNA Matchfinderhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/948345842218318/ 
Norwegian Gedmatch DNA Matchinghttps://www.facebook.com/groups/norwegiangedmatchdnamatching 
O 
O’Connell surname DNA Matchfinder https://www.facebook.com/groups/1011462385693196/
O’Neal O’Neil O’Neill Neal Neil Family Research plus GEDmatchhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/517403642148123/ 
Ontario Canada DNA MatchFinderhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/OntarioCanadaDNAMatchFinder/ 
P 
Pittston, PA area Genealogy and DNA Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/108141893197521/ 
Potenza, Basilicata Genealogyhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/2006922279555460/ 
Preston Surname One Name Study &  DNA Matcheshttps://www.facebook.com/groups/PrestonSurnameonnamestudyDNAMatches/ 
Polish DNA Registryhttps://facebook.com/profile.php?id=331015014084639 
Prussian Genealogy / Ahnenforschung in Preussen – Roots, DNA & Historyhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/prussiangenealogy/  
Puerto Rican Genealogyhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/774487025935003/ 
Q 
R 
Romany Ancestry UKhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/1644261375851245/ 
Royal Stewart and Stuart Autosomal DNAhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/328285670906483/ 
S 
Scottish DNA (Matchbox Tool)https://www.facebook.com/groups/988052214556458/ 
Scottish DNA – Our DNA and Genealogyhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/718256871927746/ 
Shetland Genealogyhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/shetlandgenealogyAndFHS/
Shropshire DNA Matchfinderhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/460279441423906/ 
Slovak DNAhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/372167899920047/ 
Slovenian DNA Genealogy Matchinghttps://www.facebook.com/groups/579607429151606 
Somerset – Ancestors and Genealogyhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/411377125640051/ 
South East England DNA Matchfinderhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/420020002258264/ 
South Wicklow Genealogyhttps://m.facebook.com/groups/1587155731571225
Southern Italy DNA Matcheshttps://www.facebook.com/groups/SouthernItalyDNAMatches/ 
Suffolk UK DNA Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/421954895327065/
Sullivan/O’Sullivan Dna & Genealogyhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/SullivanOSullivanGenealogyDna/ 
Staffordshire & Shropshire Counties DNA Matchfinderhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/2512553972142686/ 
St Helena Genealogyhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/241710053242745/ 
Swedish DNA Matchfinder https://www.facebook.com/groups/Swedishdnamatchfinder/
T 
The IRISH SURNAME REGISTRY Plus the New Family Finder Databasehttps://www.facebook.com/groups/TheIrishSurnameRegistry/
U 
V 
W 
Walsh Surname DNA and Genealogyhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/WalshesofIreland/
Waterford DNA Match Maker Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/478296726254332/
Weatherly Pennsylvania DNA MatchFinderhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/2518988504795381/ 
Wexford Ireland Matchmaker Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/WexfordMatchmakerGroup/
Y