The STIVERS project was set up to help our families learn more about our origins and to find out if we share a common ancestry.

• The Stivers name is believed to be Dutch, although there were Stiverses recorded in English records in the 1600s.
• The earliest known reference of the Stivers name in American records is dated 1683, when Robert Stivers, a blacksmith, was granted land in Elizabeth, New Jersey.
• By the end of the 1700s, there were at least four different Stivers families, living in New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and elsewhere, who we have tried to connect but so far have not.

It is hoped that, where a paper trail has eluded us, our DNA can provide an answer.

To ensure more in-depth results, it is recommended that you select a test that includes Y-DNA67 (preferred), Y-DNA37 (next best), or Y-DNA25.

If anyone has tested for lower markers, e.g. Y-DNA12, they can upgrade to the Y-DNA67 or Y-DNA37 tests.