A surname DNA project is a genetic genealogy project which uses genealogical DNA tests to trace male lineage.
(In most cultures there are still few or no matrilineal surnames, or matrinames, so there are still few or no matrilineal surname projects. But note that DNA tests are equally important for the two genders, see genealogical DNA test.)
Because (patrilineal) surnames are passed down from father to son in many cultures, and Y-chromosomes (Y-DNA) are passed from father to son with a predictable rate of mutation, people with the same surname can use genealogical DNA testing to determine if they share a common ancestor within recent history.
When two males share a surname, a test of their Y-chromosome markers will determine either that they are not related, or that they are related. If they are related, the number of markers tested and the number of matches at those markers determines the range of generations until their most recent common ancestor (MRCA). If the two tests match on 37 markers, there is a 90% probability that the MRCA was less than 5 generations ago and a 95% probability that the MRCA was less than 8 generations ago.
Read more about Surname DNA Project: Markers, Testing Companies, Haplogroups
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