The Violette Surname DNA Study will perform Y chromosome DNA tests for participants with the Violette surname or primary variant spellings. By comparing our test results and privately sharing our family information freely among the Study participants, we hope to achieve the following goals:

1. Verify kinship of specific participants. Two or more participants may confirm a common ancestor through identical test results.

2. Compare individual test results with those of other participants who have proven paper trails from historical family lines.

3. Prove or disprove descendancy from a specific individual by comparing test results with those of his known descendants.

4. Determine if the descendants of François Violet, who settled in the St. John River valley near what is now Van Buren, Maine, in 1789 and those of the Violettes of Virginia share a distant common ancestor.

5. Determine where Violettes living in North America originated by comparing test results of participants from France and England.

6. Help any individual believed to be a descendant of a Violette ancestor narrow the focus of his research, especially if little or no paper trail exists.

7. Establish a General Fund in order to recruit new participants by offering free DNA testing.

The Study goals are not in any particular order and are not listed in terms of priority. The volunteer Group Administrator may amend the Study goals at any time. Suggestions for new goals are welcomed.

Click on the "Results" link above for the current status of Study goals.