Ancestry DNA Relationship Message

On my main DNA matches page I have a match to Elizabeth of 8 cM putting her in a 5th- 8th cousin relationship.

This persons only shared matches with me are Joseph of 151 cM, a first cousin twice removed, the other Irene of 236 cM, a first cousin once removed. These two people are linked to me through my illegitimate maternal grandfather who fathered my illegitimate mother.

I cannot find a link to Elizabeth using her online tree linked to her DNA results and expanding on it. She also does not answer my messages although they have been marked as read.

On my Ancestry messages page for Elizabeth under “DNA relationship to (myself)” it states “Elizabeth is either not a DNA match or has not taken a DNA test”. Nowhere does it say Elizabeth is managing the test for someone else.

Can anyone give me an explanation to what this message means?

 

It normally means that the person concerned is not in your list of DNA matches for one of the reasons given - either because you don't share enough DNA or because they haven't tested. So it's odd that this message is appearing for someone who is in your DNA match list.

Having checked this out in my own matches, I am wondering if something may be amiss at present, possibly because of the recent changes. If I click to view the profile of a match then it tells me how we are related, but if I click to send a message to the match, then I too get this message that they are not a match to me.

You could try reporting this to Ancestry, or just wait and see if it gets sorted in a few days.

 

There's no problem sending a message, but if you select a DNA match, then click from there to message that match, in the RH pane you get the message (as above) that the person is not a match. It doesn't stop you sending a message, but clearly the message is incorrect.

On the profile page, the DNA relationship is shown as expected.

 

OK, but that's wasn't what you said above, only that you could send a message from the profile page.

 

I've done some further experimenting and it's not happening with all matches, but definitely is with some. I haven't time at present to investigate what's different about these matches, but maybe it is to do with the revised 8 cM cut off.

 

I've just tried with two 7cM matches and both show the relationship if I go to their profile page, but if I click to message them, then on the messaging page one shows the relationship and the other doesn't. So there's not a great deal of consistency!

With the one that does, I apparently messaged them back in 2018 (no reply!) so maybe that makes a difference? I guess understanding what makes the difference may depend on whether 'Elizabeth' is a match LeonardM saved from before the cut off changed, or not.

 

Easier said than done as I am apparently not the only one who has difficulties contacting matches or if successful, keeping the contact flowing.

 

I have checked my 6 -7 cM matches and have 6 common ancestors in this group, 3 in my maternal line, all 4C, (who I have ben able to place in my tree) and 3 in my paternal line.

I think raising the cut-off point to 8 cM has deprived users of useful matches.

No doubt, the low match would have something to do with sharing DND with only my maternal line? These matches have been useful in me being able build my maternal ancestor tree.