The project began July, 2007, with one participant. Currently, there are thirteen male participants with a variation of the Rorer surname. The spelling of the surnames included in the study so far include Rorer/Rorrer/Rohrer/Rohr and Rorah. These members represent seven different haplogroups. R1b is the most common haplogroup in Western Europe and in this study. Haplogroups are clusters of haplotypes; your halotype is determined by the values at the markers tested with Family Tree DNA. People belonging to different haplogroups cannot be related within many thousands of years. Based on the haplogroups, our members represent at least seven distinct families.

Those members who know their immigrant ancestor's country of origin have listed Austria, Germany, Switzerland and France. One translation of the surname is that it refers to a person who lives near a place where reeds or rushes grow. Thus, the name does not reference a unique location. Many families in numerous localities could have adopted the name based on living near reeds and rushes.