My FamilyTreeDNA Project Website Title- Background

Background

The PATRUM DNA Surname Project was established to provide a place and method for individuals with any variation of the PATRUM Surname (PATRAM, PATERAM, etc.) to connect with other family researchers. We welcome input and Family Trees from all PATRUMs, and we encourage any donations to the General Fund which will allow us to seek out additional participants.

The tests are administered by a company named "Family Tree DNA" . The actual test is quite simple. Participants are mailed a DNA Test Kit and all they have to do is swab the inside of their mouth a couple times. Then, mail the kit back, and that's all there is to it. It takes about 4-6 weeks to get the results back. There are four types of tests, the 12-marker, the 25-marker, the 37-marker, and the 59-marker. Each male will have one of several possible "alleles" at each "gene site." These differences are what distinguish individuals and their close paternal line relatives from other individuals and paternal lines. The more differences between any two individuals, the more generations there are that separate the two individuals from a common paternal ancestor. Two or three allele differences out of 12 gene sites, and four or five among 25, generally indicate that the common paternal ancestor pre-dates the widespread use of surnames, which began about 800 years ago. Of course, this is statistical probability and not absolute.