Project Surnames
Stark, Starke, Starkes, Starks, Stork
Project Background
[This is the FamilyTreeDNA publicly supported Stark Family Y-DNA Project web site. The Stark Family Y-DNA Project Administrator's web site will have more comprehensive coverage of the Project goals and activities. Click HERE to go to the Administrator's Home Page.]
Who Can Join
Membership is restricted to Males with one of the above Project Surnames. The male Y-chromosome is handed down from father to son relatively unchanged through the generations. A comparison of the Y-DNA of two males with the same surname can determine their relatedness to each other. Groups of males with the same surname so tested and compared can define family groups and establish a probability they have a most recent common ancestor within the time frame that surnames were adopted in Western Europe (about the 13th and 14th centuries).
Genealogical research combined with Y-DNA testing can often determine and verify a most recent common ancestor of a group of males who have been found to be related. Because subtle mutations will occur over the generations, some family branches can often (but not always) be defined or verified — provided the genealogy is known and accurate. As the genealogical research of these families is being developed, Y-DNA test can often assist in furthering and refining the direction of the research.
Those who have participated in the Stark Family Y-DNA Project have come from many different lines of descent and nine unrelated groups of project participants have evolved. The Stark Family Y-DNA Project has clearly verified descendants of Aaron Stark [1608-1685] of Connecticut are not related to descendants of Archibald Stark of New Hampshire (father of General John Stark of Revolutionary War Fame); James Stark of Stafford County, Virginia; nor Dr. Richard Starke of York County, Virginia. However, descendants of Archibald, James and Richard are related to each other; although the identity of their common ancestor is not known.
This is an example of the benefits of combining genealogical research with Y-DNA testing. Even if a person doesn’t know their ancestry, a Y-DNA test may reveal their relatedness to one or more of the participants in this project.
The Plan
Because Family Tree DNA supports "surname projects," they have been selected to perform the DNA testing and analysis. Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) is one of the more prominent research firms in this field. The Houston, Texas based company was founded strictly for performing genealogical DNA testing and analysis. They work closely with Dr. Michael Hammer of the University of Arizona who is actively pursuing DNA surname research.
The project will compare these test results to the genealogical research to: determine relatedness; prepare reports; and define and separate the participants into family groups. These goals are best accomplished by individuals being tested over 25 (Kit Y-DNA12) or 37 (Kit Y-DNA37) markers . 12 (Kit Y-DNA12) marker test results are welcome; but our experience to date suggests the project objectives can best be achieved if new participants are tested beyond 12 markers.
A Word of Caution
Be aware that your test results could have an unexpected outcome. Some comparisons may vary by two or three markers which could be representative of lines of descent that are either older or younger than the currently observed lineages. The most difficult unexpected outcomes to explain are those in which a participant is not related as expected. These are classified as unrecorded "non-paternal events." Types of non-paternal events could be; pregnancy outside a marriage; adoption; man takes the Stark name when he marries a Stark daughter; Stark man marries a pregnant woman whose husband died; wife who was a Stark chooses to give her children her surname; clerical errors assigning the surname Stark to the wrong person. These are a few examples of unrecorded non-paternal events.
Some may not want to see a result indicating a “non-paternal event” — but we are all legal Starks and a small sample size could be misleading. Therefore, remember, as more participants join the project along your line of descent, the mystery could be resolved; or you and others related to you will have defined a new Stark family group.