About us
The Nidderdale DNA project is a Y-DNA, mtDNA and Autosomal [Family Finder] geographical project for everyone with a direct paternal or maternal ancestral line originating in this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the County of NorthYorkshire.
If you have already had your DNA tested with Family Tree DNA as part of a surname project, a haplogroup project or another geographical project you are welcome to join this project too. There is no limit on the number of projects you can join.
New participants can order either a Y-DNA test to find out about their direct paternal line or an mtDNA test to learn about their direct maternal line. The Family Finder test is now a major part of our project connecting cousins and our DNA tree to each other we would recommend this test is now done on top of the YDNA test for Males and Females would find this test brings more to the project than a mtDNA test alone.
PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU JOIN: Participants must have a documented paper trail to Pateley Bridge or village in the boundary of NIDDERDALE - on the direct paternal line for the Y-DNA test or on the direct maternal line for the mtDNA test. Please ask for further information or help if you are not sure.
Nidderdale Boundary is much larger than most people think and can be split into two parts. The Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty covers 233 square miles(603 km2) covering parts of lower Wenslydale from the North at Jervaulx Abbey down as far South covering parts of Wharfedale and bordering Otley & Ilkley. According to Harrogate Borough Council they state that Nidderdale also covers Harrogate, Knaresborough & Boroughbridge.
The main parts of Nidderdale we will be interested in are the areas from Hampsthwaite to Pateley Bridge and up to Middlesmoor including the surrounding Villages.The valley has long had human activity for centuries and is well known for it's agriculture,mining, quarrying, textiles and water supply.
I hope the Nidderdale DNA Project will help everyone involved gain some insight into the families that originate in this area and also see where the families came from and went to. Another aspect of the study will help many family historians researching many families from Nidderdale understand how closely related these families actually are. From my own research of the area over the last 20 years tells me that nearly every family in Nidderdale has some kind of relationship with each other and I would like to see if the saying ‘Once related to one family in Nidderdale, you relate to them all’ is true. Male YDNA tests will let us know how many families have possible Celt or Viking ancestry and do we have other remnants from Roman occupation in the area. The Nidderdale Project like so many Surname and other Geographical projects recommend BIGY as the best test to do incorporating a Family Finder Test and one every man should achieve but a minimum 37 YDNA Marker test combined with a Family Finder test is a good staring point cost wise.
I am also hoping the Family Finder test locating genetic cousins will be of use to the project and enabling Male & Female participants find genetic matches with each other that can not be done any other way.
If you have ancestors born in any of the following places - you are eligible to Join - Many more places will be added.Aldfield, Angram, Agra, Ash Head, Askwith, Azerley, Bewerley, Birstwith, Bland Hill, Blazefield, Blubberhouses, Bouthwaite, Breary Bank, Bridgehouse Gate, Brimham, Carlesmoor, Colsterdale, Dacre, Dacre Banks, Dallowgill, Darley, Darley Head, Denton, Eavestone, Ellingstring, Ellington, Farnley, Fearby, Fellbeck, Felliscliffe, Fountains, Galphy, Glasshouses, Gouthwaite, Grantley, Greenhow, Grewelthorpe, Greygarth, Hampsthwaite, Healey, Heathfield, Heyshaw, Ilton, Lindley, Kettlesing, Kettlesing Bottom, Kirkby Malzeard, Langbar, Leighton, Lofthouse, Low Green, Low Laithe, Lumley, Laverton, Low Laith, Mickley, Middlesmoor, Middleton, Newstead, New York, Padside, Pateley Bridge, Ramsgill, Risplith, Roundhill, Sawley, Scar House, Sigsworth, Smelthouses, Staupes, Stean, Stubbings, Studley, Summerbridge, Summerscales, Summerside, Swetton, Swinsty, Swinton, Thornthwaite, Thruscross, Timble, Tiplady, Warthermarske, Wath, Warsill, West End, Weston, Wilsill, Winksley