Genetic Distance

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. The exception to this rule is in the case of a very broad surname that indicates a place or occupation (Miller, Taylor, Smith). In these cases the relatedness can be further examined more definitely with our 25 marker test.
1	Probably 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 and 389-1. Mismatch only in one and you are certain.
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 order the Y DNARefine 13-marker panel. Refining greatly enhances sciences 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 in excess of 2,000 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 in excess of 5,000 years.
>5	Not Related	You are totally unrelated to this person.

Distance	Relatedness	Explanation

0	Related	Your perfect 25/25 match means you share a common male ancestor with a person who shares your surname (or variant). These two facts clearly demonstrate relatedness.
1	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 same surnamed individuals, the mismatch markers are usually either DYS 439 or DYS 385 A, 385 B, and 389-1 from our first panel of 12 markers, and from the second panel: DYS #'s 458 459a 459b 449, 464 a-d, which have shown themselves to move most rapidly. The probability of a close relationship is very high.
2	Probably Related	You share the same surname (or a variant) with another male and you mismatch by two 'point' from the 25 markers we tested. For most closely related and same surnamed individuals, the mismatch markers are either DYS 439 or DYS 385 A, 385 B and 389-1 from our first panel of 12 markers, and from the second panel: DYS #'s 458 459 a 459b 449, 464 a-d, which have shown themselves to move most rapidly. The probability of a close relationship is good, however the results show mutations, and therefore more time between the two same surnamed person. Continued testing should find males near or perhaps identical to this group member.
3	Probably not Related	You share the same surname (or a variant) but are off by 3 'points' or 3 locations on the 25 markers tested. If enough time has passed it is possible that these two group members are distantly related family members. However that would nearly require that each line had passed a seperate mutation and one would have experienced 2! The only way to confirm or deny is to test additional family lines and find where the mutation took place. Expressed another way, assume your score puts you at 3 on the clock. Assume the person 3 from you is at the 9 position. 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 the possibility of a match exists, but further evidence should be pursued.
4	Not Related	21/25 is too far off to be considered related. Unlikely but vaguely possible that the rule for ONLY Possible related applies. It is important to determine what set of result most typifies 'most' members of the group you are 'close' to matching. You may be 21/25 with an individual, but 23/25 with the center (most common) of the group, and your potential relatedness to him is through the center of the group.
5	Not Related	20/25 You are not related and the odds greatly favor that you have not shared a common male ancestor with this person in excess of 2,000 years
6	Not Related	19/25 You are not related and the odds greatly favor that you have not shared a common male ancestor with this person in excess of 5,000 years
>6	Not Related	You are totally unrelated to this person.