What Parent 1 and Parent 2 are
On AncestryDNA, Parent 1 and Parent 2 are default names for the two sides of your family that the SideView feature finds in your matches. They do not stand for your mother or father in any fixed order. Ancestry’s system can tell that one group of matches belongs together on one side and another group on the other side, but it cannot tell, from DNA alone, which parent is which. The assignment of “1” and “2” is arbitrary.
Why Ancestry does not know which is which
DNA from a single person looks the same whether it came from the mother or father. Ancestry can only label sides as maternal or paternal if it has information that anchors them, such as a parent who has also tested and is linked to you, or if you tell it. Without that, the two groups simply get neutral names.
How to identify each
- Find a relative you know. Pick a match who is clearly on your mother’s or father’s side, such as a cousin or aunt.
- See which group they are in. If a maternal cousin is in Parent 1, the Parent 1 group is likely your mother’s side.
- Check a second match. Confirm with another known relative on the same side to avoid a mistake from a single odd match.
- Compare trees. Look at common ancestors in the trees of Parent 1 matches to see whether they fit your mother’s or father’s family.
Matches marked as both sides, or not assigned, should be left out of this check. See finding your mother’s and father’s sides.
Renaming
Once you are confident, you can usually rename the labels to maternal and paternal or to the parents’ names within the match list or settings. The exact menu depends on Ancestry’s current layout, so check the help center if you do not see the option. Renaming helps because your groups will then be easier to read at a glance. For your own groups beyond sides, see AncestryDNA clusters.
If a parent has tested
If your mother or father has taken an AncestryDNA test and is linked as a parent in your tree, the sides can be set with certainty. Their shared matches with you are the matches on that side.
Accuracy and limits
SideView is based on estimates and works best with matches that share enough DNA to be reliable. Distant matches may be missing, unassigned or occasionally incorrect. Treat the groups as strong clues, and confirm with trees and known relatives. “Parental DNA” in this context only means DNA from one parent’s side, and it does not give a percentage of your ancestry.
FAQ
Is Parent 1 always my mother? No. It is arbitrary.
Can Parent 1 and Parent 2 change? The labels stay as you set them, but the groups may be updated as your match list grows.
What if a match is in both groups? Treat that with caution. See relationship labels for how to record what you know.