Updated 18 April 2014

Use the menu bar (including the drop-down menus) across the top of the project page to navigate to any page of the project website.  (All of the pages are still under construction as at 11 March 2014). 

Surname DNA testing is the the best "add-on" tool available to genealogists!  The many advantages include:-

• Surname tests (Y-DNA) enable genealogists to verify their father's father's...father's paternal ancestry.  (The molecular (aka genetic) ancestry overrides the surname ancestry).
• Molecular ancestry information can be very powerful when combined with traditional paper trails and can uncover family secrets!

This project is keen for people from the United Kingdom, to please join it.

Like all surname projects, this one is intent upon proving connections using DNA.  But it is NOT just surname ancestry.  It is molecular (or as some prefer it, genetic) ancestry.

The best articles I have found to date for understanding just what 'DNA' is and how the results of testing can help you with your genealogy.

http://dna-explained.com/2012/08/19/autosomal-results-the-basics/

http://stevemorse.org/genetealogy/dna.htm

http://stevemorse.org/genetealogy/beyond.htm

Here is a hint for you if you have tested FF.

Once you (or anyone) joins a project, you can go to your FTDNA Home Page and hover your mouse over the FF Drop-down menu visible in the blue tool bar. Then select  "Advanced Matches" from that menu. Check FF and select whether you want to see your matches in either the full data base, or just in the specific projects that you have joined.

DNA testing to the correct level will certainly aid you in a number of ways but you must still have a paper trail if you want to name that ancestor when you find you have a match!  

DNA testing will also inform you whether your paper trail is correct.  (My favourite 'hobby-horse' is to tell you not to rely on the work of someone else UNLESS they have supplied you with references to enable you to check these for yourself). 

Please upload your gedcom to your FTDNA Home Page and check that you have stated your most distant known ancestors.

Finally, give a thought to all the women who have no males able to test.  

They are therefore forced to rely on 'Family Finder'.  

And if you are male, you will be "missing out" on finding the surviving members of your family if you ignore testing your atDNA via Family Finder.  

So too will those females be missing out.

Gail Riddell                                       

Voluntary Admin                

gailriddelldna@gmail.com