| Distance | Relatedness | Explanation |
| 0 | Related | Your perfect 12/12 match means you share a common male ancestor with a person who shares your surname (or variant). These two facts demonstrate your relatedness, however if your name is one of the most common surnames, i.e. Smith, Tailor, Miller, etc, (trades or towns) then we always suggest you utilize additional markers to eliminate the possibility of a coincidental surname and genetic match. |
| 1 | Possibly Related | You share the same surname (or a variant) with another male and you mismatch by only one 'point' on only one marker. For most closely related or same surnamed individuals, the mismatch markers are either DYS 439 or DYS 385 A, 385 B,389-1 and 389-2. To ensure that the match is authentic you should utilize additional markers. |
| 2 | Probably Not Related | You share the same surname (or a variant) but are off by 2 'points' or 2 locations on just 12 markers. It is only possible that you and another related family members' line each have had a mutation. There are two ways with DNA testing to confirm or deny. One is to test additional family members to search for a line that shows a mutation that is 1 point closer to your sample. The other is to test additional markers. Refining greatly enhances science’s ability to determine relatedness -- geared towards the most accurate assessment of the number of generations to a shared ancestor. Only by further testing can you find the person in between each of you...this in 'betweener' becomes essential for you to find, and in their absence we feel you are not related. |
| 3 | Not Related | 9/12 - is too far off to be considered related. Unlikely but vaguely possible that the rule for Probably Not Related applies. |
| 4 | Not Related | 8/12 - You are not related and the odds greatly favor that you have not shared a common male ancestor with this person within thousands of years. |
| 5 | Not Related | 7/12 - You are not related and the odds greatly favor that you have not shared a common male ancestor with this person within thousands of years. |
| >5 | Not Related | You are totally unrelated to this person. |