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Clustering

Clustering is a process used to group your DNA matches based on them matching each other and you. It is very simple way to identify matches that share common ancestors with each other but not the rest of you matches.

In theory and usually in practice matches should fall into one of four clusters – one for each grandparent. You will also have smaller sub-clusters for more distant ancestors.

Warning: Clustering may not be reliable for people who have endogamy, pedigree collapse (consanguinity), or any other group that tended to intermarry.

Tools provide automated clustering, but we recommend you do clustering by hand at least once to understand the process and possible refine your results more than an automated program would. Some of the clustering tools are quite simple and some are advanced.

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