READ THIS BEFORE REQUESTING TO JOIN! YOU MUST HAVE ALREADY TRACED YOUR DNA LINE BACK TO THE COUNTRY OF WALES IN ORDER TO JOIN THIS PROJECT! Due to the importance of determining the genetic profile of the indigenous populations of the British Isles, The Wales DNA Project will attempt to collect the DNA haplotypes of as many persons as possible who can trace their Y-DNA and/or mtDNA lines to Wales (the reasoning by many researchers being that there was less genetic replacement from invaders there than elsewhere, excepting small inaccessible islands and similar locales). Tradition holds that the Celts retreated as far west in Wales as possible to escape invading populations. This project seeks to determine the validity of the theory. This project is open to descendants from all of Wales. THE SURNAME LIST IS BY NO MEANS COMPLETE; IT IS FOR SUGGESTION ONLY. Other surnames will be accepted with DOCUMENTED ancestry from Wales. ALSO, PLEASE NOTE THAT having your surname listed here is NOT proof of Welsh ancestry. MANY SURNAMES HAVE MULTIPLE ORIGINS. Membership REQUIRES submitting ancestral information and administration approval. There is also a discussion group located here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/walesdna/