How Ancestry sorts sides
AncestryDNA’s SideView feature tries to sort many of your matches into the two sides of your family, even if neither parent has tested. Ancestry does this by looking at how your DNA segments and your matches’ segments fit together. Matches that fall in one group are labeled as that side, and some matches may be marked as both sides or may not be assigned at all. Initially the groups are named Parent 1 and Parent 2. See what Parent 1 and Parent 2 mean.
Why a match can show both sides
A both sides label means the match appears to share DNA with you on both your maternal and paternal sides. Possible reasons include:
- Distant cousin intermarriage. Ancestors from your mother’s and father’s lines may be related to each other.
- Endogamy. If your ancestors came from a small or tightly knit community, people share many small segments from many ancestors.
- Pedigree collapse or double relationships. The same person may be related to you through two paths, as with double cousins.
- Small segments. Low cM matches can be false or coincidental and may be sorted unreliably.
The last point means a both sides label on a distant match should not be taken as strong evidence by itself.
Steps to find each parent’s side
- Find a known relative. Look for a match you can place, such as a cousin from your mother’s family.
- Open Shared Matches. The people who match both you and that relative probably share the same side.
- Label the group. Add them to a custom group or note, and rename Parent 1 or Parent 2 once you are confident.
- Use trees. Compare match trees for common ancestors and surnames, or use ThruLines if available.
- Add more anchors. Each new identified cousin on a side strengthens the label.
You can see how to scale this up in our AncestryDNA clusters guide.
If neither parent has tested
You can still work out sides with extended family. A cousin on your mother’s side who has tested is as good as a parent for sorting purposes. If you have no tested relatives, rely on trees and surnames, and make sure your DNA is linked to your tree first.
Siblings’ results
Full siblings do not receive identical DNA, so their match lists and ethnicity estimates can differ somewhat, though they share a lot. A half sibling will connect to only one parent’s side; see half siblings on AncestryDNA.
Will AncestryDNA show who my father is?
Not directly. Ancestry does not name your parents. If your father or a close paternal relative has tested, the match will appear as close family. Otherwise you may need to work through paternal-side matches and trees. Be prepared for surprises and consider support resources if the search is emotionally difficult.
FAQ
Can I rename Parent 1 to Mother? Generally yes, once you know which side is which. See the linked Parent 1 and Parent 2 article.
Does “both sides” mean the match is a close relative? No. It usually applies to distant matches or to people related to you through multiple lines.
Can I fix a wrong side? You can add your own notes and groups; see how to change a relationship label.