Welcome to Your Surname DNA Proj

World Families Network
Where Genealogy meets DNA Testing
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Welcome to Your Surname DNA Project

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You are viewing an old version of our website (circa 2005/2006). Much of the information is out-of-date and many of the links may no longer work. Please visit the new version of our website at worldfamilies.net.

The new Welcome page is located here.

Last Update 22 July 2005

Hello! Welcome to the fascinating world of Genetic Genealogy. A Surname DNA Project can help most people learn more about their ancestry. Many find earlier ancestors or prove a believed link to ancestry where the paper trails have been lost. For some, the learning comes quickly, while others may have to wait for a long while before the right (and critical) person is finally tested, who can shed light on their family. And - some are disappointed either by a lack of results or by a result that conflicts with their "paper trail".

This is general information about how World Families Network came to be involved in your Surname DNA Project. Many of the projects that we manage are not our ancestral families, but some are. (see a partial list at the bottom of the page)

Here's our story - the Barton DNA Project was started in 2001 and soon became the focal point of extensive cooperation and sharing. The merger of genetic information with traditional genealogy was an exciting breakthrough. In some cases, it answered questions that traditional research couldn't answer. Probably more importantly, it energized and expanded the group of people working on the histories of the Barton families. Today, we have one of the largest Surname DNA Projects in the world, but more importantly, we have a large community of Barton researchers working together to share their information and puzzle out issues. We have a Barton family-wide Historical Society, a newsletter, a database, a website, a DNA project with sponsorships to focus testing and a set of family websites. (Barton was #15 worldwide in the last ranking - we have 143 men in test)

Our learning evolved into the World Families Network in early 2004, where we created a website to help other Surname Projects by sharing our learning and providing a place to find general information. This was initially a passive helping through information and an offering of a free site to support surname projects with no internet website.

Since late 2004, we have been establishing projects to help more families have the same opportunities we have enjoyed. We only start projects where one does not already exist at Family Tree DNA - the premier DNA testing company (and our partner). We receive a modest compensation from FTDNA for this service - which we hope will allow us to keep doing this indefinitely.

Our overall plan is to start, and then nurture the projects, to find good leadership to take them over, to provide the project admin with ever-improving tools to manage their project, and to have fun doing something we enjoy. (Finding that common ancestor, proving a long held theory, or puzzling out a surprising result are all exciting to us.)

Here is a check list of first steps (you've probably already done at least one of these - or you wouldn't be reading this)

Provide your ancestry (Pedigree) which we'll put on the Patriarch page of your Surname (Go to http://www.wfnforum.net/index.php?board=10.0 and do a search for your Surname. Then follow the instructions)
Order a DNA test when you are ready
Communicate with other researchers that you have worked with, encouraging them to add their Pedigree to the Patriarch Page and to find and test a representative of their family
Post a brief message on Genforum encouraging those with an interest in the family to check out the website and to add their family to the Patriarch page.
Wait (probably impatiently - I always do) for the results to see who you match and what you learn.
Help your family find that unique individual, who knows the family, loves genealogy and is willing to share their time with a project to advance the family learning. As they become the Project Co-Admin (and maybe someday, the Admin), they'll make a world of difference in the progress and ultimate success of your project.
Promote, promote, promote! The more participation you have in your surname project, the more quickly folks will find their genetic families (and help you find yours) (As we are involved in so many projects, it really isn't possible for us to do the primary promotion or to be familiar with the nuances of your family)

In our approach, you'll notice a reliance on the Patriarch page. We have learned that this seems to be an important part of the "joining" process for someone who is uncertain or uncomfortable about DNA testing. Once a person realizes that they are now included in the Surname Family, it is easier for them to take the next step and join the DNA testing.

Examples of why and how a project may get started by World Families Network:

It's one of our ancestral names
It's been requested by a relative, friend or internet contact
It's a common name and a project isn't underway
It's a "collateral name" (married to a Barton)

We are here to help. If you have specific questions, please look over our Frequently Asked Questions (Click here) If those don't give you the answer you need, email us.

best regards,

Terry Barton

p.s. Use the following link to Search for your Surname Project: http://worldfamilies.net/search/search.php

- The listing under the "Testing Company" will take you to the FTDNA Project page, where you can order your test
- The listing under World Families Network will take you to our World Families Project site, with all the Pedigrees, Results, etc.

p.p.s. The Hodges and Wisinger Projects are ones that I started in 2004 for two of my family lines and are useful as a guide in imagining what your Surname DNA Project may become within a year. (Barton is so big and complex now that it isn't the best place to look when you are starting out.) World Families Network is our Home Page. (Caution - some of my family projects include an internal price sponsorship program. Those are not standard prices.)

I have also included a link to the Rowe Project, as it shows a project just emerging. (It provides standard pricing information.)

World Families Network http://worldfamilies.net/

Rowe DNA Project http://www.worldfamilies.net/surnames/r/rowe/
Barton DNA Project http://bartonsite.org/
Hodges DNA Project http://worldfamilies.net/surnames/h/hodges/
Wisinger DNA Project http://worldfamilies.net/surnames/w/weisinger/

Some of our Ancestral Surname Projects:

Allard, Armistead
Barton, Biggs, Birdsong, Blow, Briscoe, Bynum
Cheney, Clewis, Conway, Cresap
Deberry, Dillard
Edgerly
Fleete
Geer, Goudelock
Harlan, Hassell, Heald, Hinekley, Hockley, Hodges, Hornsby
Isom
Jennett
Kerby, Kilbourne, Kirby
Lathrop
Marriott, Mizell, Murff
Nance, Newsome, Norwood
Ogle, Oldham
Poindexter
Ramsford, Rentz, Robeson
Seat, Shackleford, Sheppard, Sherbourne, Sneed, Sowerby
Taaffe, Tate, Thompson, Tidmore, Tyler
Vess
Waddell, Wakeham, Wisinger, Woodard, Woodward, Wortham

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For more information, contact Terry Barton or Richard Barton

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Last Published: 07/30/2005 09:27:16