A Y-DNA test can indicate whether or not two men share a recent male-line ancestor. You must have results from a Y-DNA test and a signed Release Form to be in the JAMES Y-DNA Project The JAMES surname is the 44th most common surname in the UK and the 71st most common surname in the US, and occurs in similar frequencies in Australia, New Zealand and Canada. In fact, the JAMES surname is growing in incidence and is more common in both the UK and in the US than it was 100 years ago. This is true not only because JAMES surname was adopted independently by many different clans throughout the British Isles during the late middle ages, but because it continues to be adopted throughout the English-speaking world by new clans right up to the present day. The purpose of this JAMES Y-DNA Surname Project is to help sort out all the discrete James clans which have arisen independently since the adoption of surnames began about 800 years ago, and to assist genealogists to coordinate this newly available genetic research with the existing documentary evidence. As Y-DNA is only present in males, we can only accept a James male with Y-DNA results. Ladies will have to have their James, brother, father, uncle or male James cousin test to represent their James family line.