Family Tree DNA was founded in 1999.  Family Tree DNA is a division of Gene by Gene, a commercial genetic testing company based in Houston, Texas. Family Tree DNA offers analysis of autosomal DNA, Y-DNA, and mitochondrial DNA to individuals for genealogical purposes. Our project began in October of 2006 with our first member joining in that year.  I joined in June of 2010, and later became group administrator.  Gradually, our numbers have increased which has allowed us to begin to isolate some lineages.  It is hoped that many more Marchant males will be tested so as to increase our delineation of all variations of the surname.

As group administrator of the Marchant/Merchant group, I wanted to inform you of changes that have been made to the groups’s public website.  As of March 1, 2014, Family Tree DNA is transitioning all external hosted websites to their server. The old website on the World Families server had some issues that made it difficult to update the results charts, discussion boards, and Patriarch pages.  The new website ( http://www.familytreedna.com/public/marchant/ ) does allow updates in a way that should be much more efficient.  The old site, for now, is still in operation, and I have included a link to it on our new site.

Please review the information on the new Marchant/Merchant website (see link above).  Note that you must search the pull down menus at the top of this page, particularly the “About This Group”, and “Y-DNA Results”, to see changes.  Along with “Background” which displays on the homepage, the pull down menus give you access to “Goals”, “News”, “Classic”, “Colorized”, “Map”, and “SNP” results.  If your oldest ancestor does not show on the results charts, you must login to your account, click on “My Account” and go to “Most Distant Ancestor”.  The Direct Paternal information will show once you select a country of origin, and include the name, birth year, and specific location in the second blank.  

In the “Background” and “Goals” sections, I have tried to use an approach which shows the connection of traditional Marchant genealogy with the DNA tests that we have taken.  I’ve included some general ideas about traditional research with the family that might not be inclusive of all lineages, but might help others see how their traditional research meshes with DNA studies. I see the “Goals” as our road to success for the group.

Please email me any questions, suggestions, or insights that might improve this website.  I will consider all suggestions within the guidelines provided by FTDNA to the administrators. Links to external Marchant sites may be appropriate if there is no commercial or business interest involved (no pay sites).

The main purpose that I have as administrator of this group is to encourage other Marchant/Merchant researchers to participate. My view is that we all win when others participate.  We either match them, and therefore become part of our lineage, or don’t.  If we don’t, then we can eliminate their lineage from our own study.  I hope you will encourage other Marchant/Merchant researchers with a male capable of providing Y-DNA in their direct lineage to join with us. We are open to all spellings and all lineages.  Remember, the DNA goes back to a time before last names were even used.  A match in Y-DNA carried by any male is still family.