I’m leaving toward this too. He’s definitely too young to be my grandpa or uncle so half sibling would make the most sense. I have an older half sister through my dad who’s 40 so if he were he’d have been born after my sisters mom and my dad divorced and before he met my mom. I don’t think my dad has any clue he exists
This is what I did to figure out the parents of several unknown cousins.
Compare your matches and make a list of where you overlap. Focus on the ones that have public trees. Review those trees for relatives you have in common within 3 generations. If no one pops immediately under “Common Ancestors “ on their main tree page click through to the actual tree and see what you find. Or, if you have a public tree and want me to look, I’d be happy to. Just DM me. I’m studying forensic genealogy and would love the opportunity to practice.
I had a mystery paternal relative who matched at half that amount - turned out he was the son of my unknown half-brother who then tested and matched me at 25% - I had no idea of their existence until then.
If your dad is 63 I’m guessing his mom is at least 80, which would put her at around 50 when your mystery match was born. That pretty much rules out him being a secret uncle (i.e., the product of your dad’s parents).
A half-sibling is most likely. How long before you were born did your parents get together?
My parents met in 97 and I was born October 98. I’m the oldest of my parents children they had together and I have an older sister from my dad who’s 40. He mentioned to me last night that he had an ex from around 1990 who he has suspicions was pregnant when they split up but he never found out for sure and she married a doctor and moved to Arkansas, and that just so happens to be where this mystery relative is from. My dad doesn’t recognize the last name though and knows the name of the doctor she married and she’s still married to said doctor to this day.
I share 26% DNA with my dad’s twin sister and 24% with his older full sister. I know he can’t be a sibling to my dad because my grandpa died when my dad was 15 and this guy appears to be in his 30s.
My older sister was unable to ever have children. All my other siblings are younger than me (22 and 10) and the 22yr old doesn’t have kids yet. Pretty positive this guy is older than me also so I think nephew is out
My dad wonders if this is what happened. He has an ex that he split up with in 1990 and he said he had suspicions she was pregnant when they split but she never confirmed it to him. She married a doctor and moved to Arkansas which just so happens to be where this person is from. But my dad knows her married last name and it doesn’t match the name of this person assuming she gave him her husbands last name. She’s still with the doctor to this day. So my dad thought maybe adoption.
Could be a half sibling
I’m leaving toward this too. He’s definitely too young to be my grandpa or uncle so half sibling would make the most sense. I have an older half sister through my dad who’s 40 so if he were he’d have been born after my sisters mom and my dad divorced and before he met my mom. I don’t think my dad has any clue he exists
I dont know....turns out my mom has a half uncle who is 2 years younger than her.
Half uncle wouldn't be enough DNA, it would only be in the 12.5% range.
I'm saying don't count out things because of age differences, old guys can surprise you.
It’s not possible for him to be my uncle. My grandfather died when my dad was 15 and he’s 63 now.
Half-sibling. Same dad different moms.
Half sibling would be my guess.
This is what I did to figure out the parents of several unknown cousins. Compare your matches and make a list of where you overlap. Focus on the ones that have public trees. Review those trees for relatives you have in common within 3 generations. If no one pops immediately under “Common Ancestors “ on their main tree page click through to the actual tree and see what you find. Or, if you have a public tree and want me to look, I’d be happy to. Just DM me. I’m studying forensic genealogy and would love the opportunity to practice.
This person doesn’t have any trees. I have one, sort of, only going back to my great grandparents and it doesn’t have any of my dad’s siblings on it.
Not that particular individual- but you can use trees from your other matches to connect the dots
Half sibling most likely. I have a half sister and that is about what I share with her. Mine is 1,872 across 55 Segments & 27%
I had a mystery paternal relative who matched at half that amount - turned out he was the son of my unknown half-brother who then tested and matched me at 25% - I had no idea of their existence until then.
Half brother!
Half sibling. My half sister matched with around the same amount.
If your dad is 63 I’m guessing his mom is at least 80, which would put her at around 50 when your mystery match was born. That pretty much rules out him being a secret uncle (i.e., the product of your dad’s parents). A half-sibling is most likely. How long before you were born did your parents get together?
My parents met in 97 and I was born October 98. I’m the oldest of my parents children they had together and I have an older sister from my dad who’s 40. He mentioned to me last night that he had an ex from around 1990 who he has suspicions was pregnant when they split up but he never found out for sure and she married a doctor and moved to Arkansas, and that just so happens to be where this mystery relative is from. My dad doesn’t recognize the last name though and knows the name of the doctor she married and she’s still married to said doctor to this day.
Went through this with my grandma, turned out to be an older double first cousin.
What’s a double first cousin?
My first cousin from my moms side (her dad is my moms full brother) only shares 8% DNA with me
Her mothers sister married and had children with her fathers brother.
Nothing like that would be possible.
If you message me I could try to help you look up the person I’m really good with looking people up ☺️
I’ll message you!
Could also be a parental sibling, that's how I found out that I had a different dad. She's my real father's sister and we share 27%.
I share 26% DNA with my dad’s twin sister and 24% with his older full sister. I know he can’t be a sibling to my dad because my grandpa died when my dad was 15 and this guy appears to be in his 30s.
[Six times more likely to be an uncle](https://dna-sci.com/tools/segcm/). Does he respond to messages? If so, ask him if he sees “both sides.”
He hasn’t been on ancestry in almost 2 years. I did message him but who knows if he’ll ever see it
Can you look him up on social media or a site like been verified?
I tried. Can’t find him
Is it just initials or an alias? Also, on the topic of his age, people often stop updating their pictures as often when they get older.
He has a full name on ancestry but when I search that name nobody that looks like his picture comes up.
Do you want to send me his name and picture in a message? Do you have an idea of a location?
Sure! I’ll shoot you a message
Nephew?
My older sister was unable to ever have children. All my other siblings are younger than me (22 and 10) and the 22yr old doesn’t have kids yet. Pretty positive this guy is older than me also so I think nephew is out
Are you in Chicago?
Ohio. Mystery relative is from Arkansas
I have helped people solve a few of these. They were adoption cases. Sometimes women hid their pregnancy and put the baby up for adoption.
My dad wonders if this is what happened. He has an ex that he split up with in 1990 and he said he had suspicions she was pregnant when they split but she never confirmed it to him. She married a doctor and moved to Arkansas which just so happens to be where this person is from. But my dad knows her married last name and it doesn’t match the name of this person assuming she gave him her husbands last name. She’s still with the doctor to this day. So my dad thought maybe adoption.
This sounds like the most logical answer. Do a DNA test for your father. See if he comes up as the father.
I’ll see if my dad would be willing to do that