About us
DREGER SURNAME HISTORY
Commonly available information suggests that the Dreger surname arises from ancient Germanic origins. It could potentially derive from the term "drei" meaning "coin", so referring to a moneyer or councle member, or "draey" meaning "to turn", so referring to a profession that may work with spinning or turning tools such as a lathe. Most records of the common variations of Dreger trace back to what is presently Germany, The Netherlands, Denmark, Poland, or Russia. The spelling and pronunciation of the name has changed vastly over the generations, due to local custom, dialect, and the often modest education of earlier generations. To keep things simple, I will refer to our common lineage as "Dreger", but please do not feel as if your own derivation is any less valid within the project! Some sources list early Dregers as including Ullrich Dreger, a blacksmith in Zell am Andelbach in 1391 and Othmar Dreher, a citizen of Friedingen, Germany in 1545.
WHO CAN JOIN?
Any male with a surname of one of the Dreger derivatives. Sorry ladies, since this project involves genetic markers on the Y chromosome, you cannot participate. However, by convincing your closest make relative with your common Dreger-derived maiden name to join, you can estimate that the results apply to you as well. This could be your father, brother, paternal grandfather, paternal uncle, male cousin, etc.
If you fit these requirements and have had your ancestry genetics determined through other DNA services (Ancestry, National Geographic, etc.), please contact me at the above administrator email address. I will attempt to combine results from multiple sources and, when enough contributors have been amassed, will host the results on a separate independent website.
HOW IT WORKS
The results of your Y-DNA test essentially form a pattern, called a haplotype, that is unique to the lineage of your Y chromosome. The pattern is made up of individual genotypes for multiple genetic markers, termed microsatellites or STRs (short tandem repeats). Since the Y chromosome is passed down the lines directly from father to son, you will have the same Y chromosome pattern as your father, your biological brothers, your grandfather, etc. However, over many generations, small changes can occur at these microsatellites, altering the pattern and making divergent lineages distinguishable from one another. By collecting Y-DNA results from a large number of Dreger males, we can potentially determine relatedness within family groups and may be able to determine common distant ancestors. These results contribute, not only to the verification of genealogical "family tree" analysis, but also to a greater understanding of where the Dregers fit in with modern human evolution. Similar FTDNA projects have been able to assist individuals in determining relatedness to ancient members of the larger family group and relatedness of smaller family groups to external surname contributors. Genetic genealogy can be used together with paper trail genealogy to verify, strengthen and expand our knowledge of the Dreger history!
PROJECT GOALS
As an individual: You can garner a better understanding of where your family line genetically fits into the greater scheme of "The Dregers". You are contributing to the collection of a vast pool of information that can assist others in tracing our origins.
As a genealogist: By understanding the genetic relationships between different groupings of Dregers, you can open up new avenues of information that may assist your family tree build. I will attempt to utilize a personal example to demonstrate the possibilities of this research initiative. I know that my most distant paternal ancestor is August Dreger (1868-1922). If, through collection and comparison of Y-DNA haplotypes, I am able to determine that my particular family haplotype is identical (or highly similar) to the haplotype of another contributor, we could collaborate to share information. It may very well turn out that my most distant ancestor is related to the other contributor's ancestor, and in connecting those dots, we can expand our search area for information regarding the next most distant generation. Alternatively, if my haplotype matches the haplotype of a group of Dregers in a particular geographic region, that could serve as a strong hint for me to search resources local to that region for information on my own family line.
HOW TO JOIN
By ordering your test kit through a Y-DNA project, you can receive a discounted price.
Click HERE to join The Dreger Project.
WORD OF CAUTION
There is a sensitive issue that is worth mentioning here. While the results of your Y-DNA test CANNOT verify you as someone's long lost father, they CAN bring to light issues of non-paternal events. A non-paternal event is one in which a Y haplotype deviates significantly from the expected haplotype pattern of the surname ancestors. In other words, where an individual believes themselves to be genetically similar to the rest of their Dreger brethren, but their Y DNA results do not match. Some comparisons may differ by a few markers, and this is to be expected. However, if a haplotype comparison differs at many markers, we have to consider a previously unrecorded non-paternal event. Causes of non-paternal events could include: pregnancy outside of a marriage, adoption, a man taking the Dreger name when marrying a Dreger daughter, a man marrying a pregnant woman whose husband has passed, a Dreger daughter choosing to give her children her maiden name, or a clerical error in assigning the Dreger name incorrectly. If you find yourself in a situation with a non-paternal event, please do remember that you are still legally a Dreger! Family is more than just our genes! Alternatively, while our sample size remains small, some results may be misleading. As our sample size grows, some of these mysteries may be explained.
UPDATES
February 23, 2012: The Dreger Project is approved on FTDNA! The website will continue to be updated and is, at present, in its fledgling stages. Please have patience with me as I attempt to make this a hub for information regarding the Dreger lineage!
Commonly available information suggests that the Dreger surname arises from ancient Germanic origins. It could potentially derive from the term "drei" meaning "coin", so referring to a moneyer or councle member, or "draey" meaning "to turn", so referring to a profession that may work with spinning or turning tools such as a lathe. Most records of the common variations of Dreger trace back to what is presently Germany, The Netherlands, Denmark, Poland, or Russia. The spelling and pronunciation of the name has changed vastly over the generations, due to local custom, dialect, and the often modest education of earlier generations. To keep things simple, I will refer to our common lineage as "Dreger", but please do not feel as if your own derivation is any less valid within the project! Some sources list early Dregers as including Ullrich Dreger, a blacksmith in Zell am Andelbach in 1391 and Othmar Dreher, a citizen of Friedingen, Germany in 1545.
WHO CAN JOIN?
Any male with a surname of one of the Dreger derivatives. Sorry ladies, since this project involves genetic markers on the Y chromosome, you cannot participate. However, by convincing your closest make relative with your common Dreger-derived maiden name to join, you can estimate that the results apply to you as well. This could be your father, brother, paternal grandfather, paternal uncle, male cousin, etc.
If you fit these requirements and have had your ancestry genetics determined through other DNA services (Ancestry, National Geographic, etc.), please contact me at the above administrator email address. I will attempt to combine results from multiple sources and, when enough contributors have been amassed, will host the results on a separate independent website.
HOW IT WORKS
The results of your Y-DNA test essentially form a pattern, called a haplotype, that is unique to the lineage of your Y chromosome. The pattern is made up of individual genotypes for multiple genetic markers, termed microsatellites or STRs (short tandem repeats). Since the Y chromosome is passed down the lines directly from father to son, you will have the same Y chromosome pattern as your father, your biological brothers, your grandfather, etc. However, over many generations, small changes can occur at these microsatellites, altering the pattern and making divergent lineages distinguishable from one another. By collecting Y-DNA results from a large number of Dreger males, we can potentially determine relatedness within family groups and may be able to determine common distant ancestors. These results contribute, not only to the verification of genealogical "family tree" analysis, but also to a greater understanding of where the Dregers fit in with modern human evolution. Similar FTDNA projects have been able to assist individuals in determining relatedness to ancient members of the larger family group and relatedness of smaller family groups to external surname contributors. Genetic genealogy can be used together with paper trail genealogy to verify, strengthen and expand our knowledge of the Dreger history!
PROJECT GOALS
- Determine prevalent Dreger genetic haplotypes
- Determine relatedness between the Dreger derivatives
- Serve to foster communication and resource sharing between genealogists researching their Dreger heritage
- Follow the development of the Dreger name derivatives from its ancestral forms to its modern day varieties
As an individual: You can garner a better understanding of where your family line genetically fits into the greater scheme of "The Dregers". You are contributing to the collection of a vast pool of information that can assist others in tracing our origins.
As a genealogist: By understanding the genetic relationships between different groupings of Dregers, you can open up new avenues of information that may assist your family tree build. I will attempt to utilize a personal example to demonstrate the possibilities of this research initiative. I know that my most distant paternal ancestor is August Dreger (1868-1922). If, through collection and comparison of Y-DNA haplotypes, I am able to determine that my particular family haplotype is identical (or highly similar) to the haplotype of another contributor, we could collaborate to share information. It may very well turn out that my most distant ancestor is related to the other contributor's ancestor, and in connecting those dots, we can expand our search area for information regarding the next most distant generation. Alternatively, if my haplotype matches the haplotype of a group of Dregers in a particular geographic region, that could serve as a strong hint for me to search resources local to that region for information on my own family line.
HOW TO JOIN
By ordering your test kit through a Y-DNA project, you can receive a discounted price.
Click HERE to join The Dreger Project.
WORD OF CAUTION
There is a sensitive issue that is worth mentioning here. While the results of your Y-DNA test CANNOT verify you as someone's long lost father, they CAN bring to light issues of non-paternal events. A non-paternal event is one in which a Y haplotype deviates significantly from the expected haplotype pattern of the surname ancestors. In other words, where an individual believes themselves to be genetically similar to the rest of their Dreger brethren, but their Y DNA results do not match. Some comparisons may differ by a few markers, and this is to be expected. However, if a haplotype comparison differs at many markers, we have to consider a previously unrecorded non-paternal event. Causes of non-paternal events could include: pregnancy outside of a marriage, adoption, a man taking the Dreger name when marrying a Dreger daughter, a man marrying a pregnant woman whose husband has passed, a Dreger daughter choosing to give her children her maiden name, or a clerical error in assigning the Dreger name incorrectly. If you find yourself in a situation with a non-paternal event, please do remember that you are still legally a Dreger! Family is more than just our genes! Alternatively, while our sample size remains small, some results may be misleading. As our sample size grows, some of these mysteries may be explained.
UPDATES
February 23, 2012: The Dreger Project is approved on FTDNA! The website will continue to be updated and is, at present, in its fledgling stages. Please have patience with me as I attempt to make this a hub for information regarding the Dreger lineage!