Genealogy with Dana Leeds

04/11/2025

Sorry I didn't share earlier, but I'll be part of a 2-hour DNA panel with WikiTree today. They're asking some GREAT questions! It's from 12-2 Eastern time today. Here's a link:

In 2022, we decided to celebrate our 14th birthday with a WikiTree Day. For our 15th birthday in 2023 we added a three-day WikiTree Symposium. For our 16th, it became a whole week of activities! For our 17th, this year, the week will be better than ever.

12/08/2025

Wow! Thank you to all of you who are supporting & watching my YouTube channel! This is hard for me to believe! 💞🥰

08/08/2025

🤯 So... my AI experiment was a total failure!

Last week, I thought I'd be clever and use AI to transfer my AncestryDNA clusters into Excel. It didn't work AT ALL! 🙄

But while I was experimenting and feeling frustrated, I tried something simple—just copying the cluster names into Excel. And WOW! The entire colorful matrix copied perfectly—names AND all those colored cells! 🎉

This accidental discovery completely changed how I approach cluster analysis, and it's SO much simpler than what I was trying to do with AI!

Want the full behind-the-scenes story? I share how this 20-hour video project came together, my experimental "3D Leeds Method" charts, and why your siblings might see completely different clustering results in my latest newsletter!

📬 Sign up for exclusive tips and behind-the-scenes insights: https://danaleeds.myflodesk.com/

🎥 Ready to try this Excel trick yourself? Watch here: https://youtu.be/59YtRx-ttpE?si=-3EjCPtiB03ipn8K

Ready to make your AncestryDNA clusters more useful? In this video, I’ll show you how to transfer your clusters to Excel, format them for clarity, and even e...

07/08/2025

Whew! It's been a long 2 days getting this video ready, but I just posted it! l show you how to transfer your clusters to Excel, format them for clarity, and even expand them with additional matches—so you can reveal patterns and uncover new insights!

I'm calling it a night, but I hope you'll check out the video here:

Ready to make your AncestryDNA clusters more useful? In this video, I’ll show you how to transfer your clusters to Excel, format them for clarity, and even e...

04/08/2025

Hi, everyone! Happy Monday! I'm excited to head back into my studio this morning to record my 3rd video about using AncestryDNA's Matches by Cluster feature. I made some pretty amazing discoveries last week, and am enjoying seeing how I can make these clusters better.

Yes, Ancestry is going to give us more control of our clusters. And soon, I hope! But, in the meantime, I'll be sharing ways you can create a master list that makes these matches really helpful and workable and ADD MATCHES into these clusters that weren't already there. WOW!

And it's just interesting to see kind of behind-the-scenes as to what is really going on! I hope to have it published by tomorrow evening, so stay tuned!

In the meantime, if you haven't seen my first two videos on this topic, here they are:

🧬 AncestryDNA's New Clustering Tool Explained (with Examples)
https://youtu.be/Wg2RTuaU5mw

AncestryDNA has launched its long-awaited Matches by Cluster feature (rolling out to Pro Tools members) — but what exactly are you seeing on the screen? I walk you through how to read and understand your clusters, explain what the colors and gray cells mean, and show you how they relate to your family lines using real case studies. Perfect if you're feeling unsure about how to make sense of this new tool!

🔍 Ancestry's DNA Clusters: How to Read Them and What Gray Cells Really Mean
https://youtu.be/AXZzmULj-o8

Wondering what those gray cells mean in your Ancestry DNA clusters? Many people assume gray equals endogamy — but that's not usually the case. I'll show you how to read your clusters, explain why Ancestry's algorithm produces so much gray, and share the history of clustering going back to the Leeds Method so you better understand clustering. Plus tips for cleaning up your clusters by removing close matches to see patterns more clearly.
If you've been confused by your clusters, these videos will help you understand them and take the next steps in your research! Can't wait to share video #3 with you soon!

🧬 AncestryDNA just launched its long-awaited Matches by Cluster feature — but what exactly are you seeing on the screen? In this video, I walk you through h...

22/07/2025

If you've ever stared at those gray cells in your clusters wondering what they mean, this video is for you. Here's the thing - most people assume gray equals endogamy, but that's usually NOT the case!

In this video, I'll walk you through:
🔍 How to actually read your clusters
🤔 Why Ancestry's algorithm produces so much gray
💡 Why starting with the Leeds Method makes everything clearer (like learning to add before using a calculator!)
🎯 Tips for identifying gaps and cleaning up your clusters

If you've been feeling confused or overwhelmed by your cluster results, this video will help you understand what you're looking at AND give you clear next steps for your research.

Also - I'm thinking about doing a LIVE video where you can ask me questions directly about Ancestry's clusters! Let me know in the comments if that's something you'd be interested in!

🎥 Here's the link! 👉

Wondering what those gray cells mean in your Ancestry DNA clusters? Many people assume gray equals endogamy — but that’s not usually the case. In this video,...