This DNA study includes many variations of the name Sifford, including Siffert, Siefert, etc. Apparently the spelling of the name was not consistent in the past, even within the same family. One of the goals of this study is to clarify the distinct family lines regardless of spelling. We will collect as much information from paper trails as possible, submitted by the members of the project. Then we will augment the paper trail by analyzing DNA samples from male Sifford et al descendants. For more information about DNA testing, see Genetic Genealogy. Although we will all benefit from this study, the actual participants for the DNA project is open to males with the Sifford et al surnames only. The test is done on the Y chromosome, which only males have, and the Y-chromosome is passed from father to son, along with the surname. Therefore, only male Siffords can participate. To do so, click here. PLEASE MAKE SURE I HAVE YOUR SIFFORD PEDIGREE AS FAR BACK AS POSSIBLE! To make up for being deprived of participating, however, women and men who do not have the Sifford et al surnames, but who are doing genealogical research of this name, can sponsor a male Sifford. We can get more and better results if we can offer "sponsorships" to the participants. There are two ways to do this: To donate to the project without a specific person in mind, simply click here. For brevity's sake, the project is known simply as SIFFORD. Even the smallest donation will help. To pay for a particular person, click on the "Join The Project" link to the left and fill in the blanks. Note that you can fill your own credit card information in the appropriate blanks. Again, PLEASE MAKE SURE I HAVE THE SIFFORD PEDIGREE FOR THIS PERSON AS FAR BACK AS POSSIBLE. If you need sponsorship aid, or have any other questions, please email the project administrators. If you would like to contribute to that fund, click on the CONTRIBUTE tab above. Note that the DNA test consists of two buccal swabs, and the kit is delivered to you through the mail. No travel, no blood! See DNA Collection Method for a tour of the procedure. Convinced? Then join the project and receive a discount on your test. The project pedigree database and analysis can be found at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~siffordsiefert.