This is the official FTDNA Watkins Project for all Watkins, Watkin, Wadkins, Wadkin, Walkins, Walkin, surnames or any other variation. Anyone with any such surname, or who suspects they might be descended from anyone with any such surname, is welcome to participate in the Watkins Project to see if you connect to one of the Project’s Watkins lines. We are primarily a Y DNA project and make Y DNA haplogroup assignments for males who have taken the Y DNA test. We have organized the Project by creating subgroups for each of the various haplogroups of our Project members. We have other subgroups for people who don’t match any of our surname Project members and members without a minimal Y DNA 37 test for possible subgroup assignments. Neither the Y DNA 12 nor Y DNA 25 tests have enough markers (STRs mutations) to determine ancestral matches for subgroup assignments. We generally advise newcomers to start with the Y-37 test and then upgrade if needed or desired. If you are a female or a male who has not taken the Y test, and don’t wish to do so, this Project will be of limited benefit to you. One way, though, to use our project without a Y test is to use the Advanced Matching feature found in the drop-down menu under “myDNA” then “Family Finder”. Select Y-DNA 37, 67 and 111, and type “Watkins” in the box. Check the “No” box in the next line. This will give you a list of all male Watkins who have taken the Y test and are one of your Family Finder matches. Remember, though, that matching a Watkins male on the Family Finder test doesn’t mean you are in the same Watkins line. Your match may be on a different surname line altogether, and the fact that person is a Watkins, and in the Project, may be merely a coincidence. When your Y DNA results are available, we will assign you to the appropriate subgroup based upon your haplogroup matches. This helps you identify in which Watkins line you belong and visually compare your results to other members within your assigned subgroup. Sometimes people are surprised when they learn they either don’t belong in the Watkins line they expected or do belong in a Watkins line they did not expect, so please be aware of that possibility when you take the test. We have found that it is helpful to combine the Family Finder test with your Y DNA test, as it provides additional tools for those serious in finding their ancestral heritage. If you have not taken the Family Finder test we encourage you to do so, or to transfer your autosomal DNA from another testing site to FTDNA. In addition to the tools at FTDNA, there are many resources available on line for DNA matching research. We recommend starting with some basic information, such as that found at http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/basics/molgen/. The International Society of Genetic Genealogists, ISOGG, has assembled many articles to assist those new to the field. You can find them here: https://isogg.org/wiki/Beginners'_guides_to_genetic_genealogy. Feel free to contact any of the Administrators for assistance. Please check first with Scott Watkins or Tom Watkins. They will refer you to other Administrators for additional assistance as needed.