Genealogy with Dana Leeds

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,...

04/07/2025

I created a 15-minute tutorial about Ancestry's NEW clustering tool! But I'm out at the lake for the 4th of July, and the internet is SLOW.

It says it'll be ready in about 2 hours. I hope this link will be good once it posts, as I'll likely be asleep: https://youtu.be/Wg2RTuaU5mw

11/06/2025

I've made exciting progress this week on the family featured in the thumbnail of my latest video — the household with three Nancys!

As I’ve continued working on this case, I now believe there were three different men named William Points, all born in Kentucky around the same time. Untangling their identities is the next step. I’m now focused on determining whether my husband's William Points was actually the son of Francis Points and Susanna Beach. It’s turning into a fascinating mystery!

If you haven’t seen the video yet, I walk through four early census cases where the household structure isn't as straightforward as it first appears — especially with no relationships listed.

🎥 Watch the video here:

Who is really in that 1850, 1860, or 1870 household?These early U.S. census records were the first to list each person by name—but they left out one critical...

04/06/2025

A double rainbow & incredible clouds… God’s beautiful creation!

03/06/2025

🕵️‍♀️ Just posted a non-DNA video—but don’t scroll past!

If you’ve ever looked at the 1850, 1860, or 1870 census and wondered “Who are these people, really?”—this one’s for you.

These early censuses listed everyone by name—but didn’t tell us how they’re related. And that missing detail? It can lead to some very wrong assumptions.

In this new video, I walk through 4 real case studies—like the one where three people named Nancy are living in the same household 😲

👀 Play along and see if you can figure out the relationships before I reveal them.
I’ll show you the clues I used and the records that helped solve each puzzle.

🎥 Watch here: https://youtu.be/8GWfAZHQiI8

Let me know in the comments which case tripped you up—or gave you that “aha!” moment!

Who is really in that 1850, 1860, or 1870 household?These early U.S. census records were the first to list each person by name—but they left out one critical...

31/05/2025

It has been almost four months since I recorded a YouTube video! Well, I just finished recording my next one—in a hotel room—and I hope to have it edited and posted by Monday! This one is about identifying unknown people in census records before relationships were stated. It was a lot of fun putting this together!

Thank you to those who continue to watch and support my channel. YouTube has a huge learning curve and a lot of work, but it's also incredibly fun and rewarding.

📽️You can check out my previous videos here: https://www.youtube.com/

08/04/2025

GPT-4o image generation represents an incredible leap forward in AI technology since its introduction just a couple of weeks ago. Its attention to detail and ability to create text accurately are huge improvements over previous versions.

I uploaded a photo of me visiting my 2x great grandparents' headstone (J.R. and Elizabeth (Bennett) Coppenbarger) on a trip to Kansas about a month ago. Then, I gave it the simple prompt: "Make an illustration of this in Lego style."

I was amazed at how the Lego version captured the headstone text almost perfectly! The only minor errors were a few dates: Nov 12 (instead of 17), Oct 15 (instead of 16), Mar 8 (instead of 6), and 1924 (instead of 1914).

But the real magic is in the details! Compare this AI-generated Lego image to the original photo - look at the ornate leaf at the top of the headstone, the blue sky, the two bare trees in the distance, the placement of other headstones in the cemetery, and even the design on my shirt and my watch! (I'm not a huge fan of my appearance, but the wind blew hard! It is Kansas, after all. And I chose to erase the wrinkles that AI gave me! 😉)

This technology's remarkable precision in generating specific details and text truly sets it apart from anything we've seen before.

02/04/2025

Exploring what the updated image generator at ChatGPT can do. I briefly explained the Leeds Method and asked for a poster or social media post. For the 2nd one, I asked for a flyer, but it said it could only give me the layout (so the QR code doesn't work). I could work with and improve it, but I'm amazed at what it can do with minimal prompting!

Remember that working with AI is most effective as a back-and-forth conversation - these examples are just the beginning of what's possible. The more you refine your prompts and give feedback on the generated images, the better the results. This is really just scratching the surface of what the tool can do!

29/03/2025

I'm enjoying my time in San Diego at i4GG! Yesterday was AI Day, and today I was the first speaker of two days on genetic genealogy. I enjoyed sharing some tips and research I've been doing! And now I'm enjoying listening to the other speakers. 😊

If you're in person, please stop by and introduce yourself! And a big "hello" to all who are watching virtually!