ThruLines® helps you see how you might be related to your DNA matches. We look at the family tree linked to your test to find people in your tree who are also in your matches' linked trees.
If your tree is private and not searchable, you won't see ThruLines, and your matches' private, non-searchable trees also won't be visible to you. Your DNA matches might appear in more than one of your ThruLines.
ThruLines uses information from family trees; they don't change the information in trees. If there's inaccurate information in your tree, you may receive inaccurate ThruLines. Only you and those you invite to see your DNA results can see your ThruLines.
ThruLines are available for ancestors up to 5th great-grandparents. ThruLines don't appear for 6th great-grandparents and beyond.
How to get ThruLines®
Exploring ThruLines®
Go to ThruLines®
(Or, from any page on Ancestry®, click the DNA tab and select ThruLines.)
Important: To access ThruLines®, you must use two-step verification or sign in with Apple or Google and have an Ancestry® family history membership.
- On your ThruLines, select an ancestor to see which DNA matches could be related to you through them.
- The number of DNA matches related to you through that ancestor will be at the top of the page.
- You can choose between Relationships and List views.
- Relationships: Displays the selected ancestor at the top of a family tree view.
- List: Organizes DNA matches into family lines to highlight relatives that connect you to your DNA matches.
- People with the DNA symbol
by their name are your DNA matches. - People appearing as "Private" are either living or from private but searchable family trees.
Potential ancestors and ancestors from your linked tree
Ancestors from your linked tree appear at the top of your ThruLines. If you scroll down, you might see people with dotted lines around their names. These are potential ancestors—people who aren't in your tree but who are listed in other people's trees. To focus on the people in your tree or potential ancestors only, click 
and make a selection.
Accuracy
ThruLines rely on family trees from you and other Ancestry members, so their accuracy depends on the quality of those trees. Mistakes in family trees can cause inaccurate ThruLines.
Because ThruLines are tree-based, they don't prove your relationship to a DNA match. For example, even if your tree lists someone as your second cousin and appears as a DNA match and in a ThruLine as your second cousin, they could still be a first cousin once removed, a half-first cousin, or another relationship.
To see how you might be related, click on the amount of shared DNA with a match. This chart also shows how often a likely relationship happens based on the amount of shared DNA.
Troubleshooting
It may take up to 48 hours for your ThruLines to appear after you make changes.
No ThruLines® appearing
Only one side of your family is listed
Make sure both of your biological parents are in the tree Linking a Tree to AncestryDNA® Results to your DNA test and their relationships with you are marked as biological. For help, see Defining Relationship Types within a Family Tree.
You're the only descendant listed for an ancestor
If you see that you're the only descendant listed for a shared ancestor in ThruLines, it's likely because the information you have for that ancestor doesn't match the information your DNA matches have. ThruLines compares vital details like names, birth dates, and death dates. If there's a difference, ThruLines might not recognize them as the same person. To fix this, make sure your tree information is accurate. If it is, consider messaging your DNA match to discuss the differences. If you both update your trees to match, you should see a change in ThruLines within 48 hours.
Wrong relationships or relationships calculated for the wrong person
Usually, this is caused by your DNA results being linked to the wrong person in your tree. For help unlinking and relinking your DNA results to the correct person in your tree, see Linking a Tree to AncestryDNA® Results.
Ancestry linked with Apple or Google but still asked for a code
Sign out of Ancestry and sign back in using Apple or Google. Remember to choose “Sign in with Apple/Google” instead of entering your Ancestry username/email and password.
Verification code help
For more help with two-step verification codes from Ancestry, see two-step verification or contact us.
For help with Google or Apple verification codes, select the company whose code you’re having trouble with:
I used to have free access to ThruLines; why can’t I access it anymore?
ThruLines is now part of Ancestry family history memberships, which are now required for access.
What happens to ThruLines if I cancel my Ancestry family history membership?
If you cancel your Ancestry family history membership, you’ll have access to ThruLines until your membership expires (on the “Expires” date on your Account settings page). To access ThruLines again, resubscribe.
