The Barnett DNA Project- Background

Background

Welcome to the Barnett Surname DNA Project

We have an expanded home page at http://barnettdna.micbarnette.com
Please join us there.

About the Project:

The Barnett DNA Project is a scientific study of the surnames Barnett (as well as any other variation of the surname) using DNA, specifically the Y-Chromosomes of males. The project encompasses any surname now or previously spelled Barnet/Barnett/Barnette including Barnard, Bernard or any derivative thereof.

Be Creative With Your Spelling

When I was a child my grandfather told me if we spelled our name Barnet we were Jewish; If we spelled our name Barnett we were English or Irish; and if we spelled our name Barnette we were French.

My Barnett Colonial ancestors, my Revolutionary War ancestor and my Civil War ancestor all spelled their name Barnett. However, I spell my name Barnette.

It is my grandfather's fault that I spell my name differently from my ancestors. During the 1920s my grandfather and some of his brothers, but, not all, added the final "e" in our name. Sometimes my great grandfather used the final "e". Sometimes he did not. In any case, they did so at a time in history when it was popular to be or have things that were French. So, under my Grandfather's logic he was born English/Irish and I was born French!

It is known people from other countries have come to the United States and for whatever reason, usually to American-ize their name or make it easier to pronounce, have changed the spelling of their name to Barnet/Barnett/Barnette. Some of the countries and possible foreign origins of Barnetts are England (Barnes, Bernard, Barnard), Germany (Barnhard/Bernhardt, Barndt), France (Barnard/Bernard), Italy (Bernardi), Jews from Poland and Russia (Berjinski and other spellings) Spain and Hispanic countries (Bernardo). I am sure there are many others.

Project Stats