WELCOME TO THE BOWES (and variants) DNA PROJECT - Background

Background

Note: Current project statistics appear at the bottom of this page. 
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The Bowes (and variants) DNA Project is part of the Bowes (and variants) One-Name Study that is registered with the Guild of One-Name Studies. It includes many variants (see explanation below) and serves two related missions:

1) It provides an additional tool in the family history researcher's toolkit, often providing information and clues unavailable elsewhere. Individual participants can find genetic matches to other participants and subgroups who can share knowledge about their unique family and/or group history. They also learn what haplogroup their patrilineal ancestors belong to, whether Nordic, Western European, Northern Irish, Mideast, Native American, Jewish, Niall of the Nine Hostages or some other.

2) It contributes data to the Bowes (and variants) One-Name Study. This study encompasses all families with the Bowes surname, or one of its variants and possible variants, worldwide. It explores the origins, frequencies and evolution of the surname(s) and its various lineages and haplogroups. It includes developing a database over time of all historical records relating to these names.

While traditional genealogy zooms in on a particular pedigree, one-name studies zoom out on a surname generally. By joining the project you can further your own family research while contributing essential data to the study of these surnames worldwide. While contributing data to the One-Name Study you help provide greater context for understanding your unique family story in the context of the wider history of your surname.

Eligibility

1) Any male with one of our surname variants who has tested, or wants to test, may join using the Y chromosome test.

2) Any male whose biological father's surname is not included in our study but who has our surname(s) on his family tree, or any female who has our surname(s) on her family tree, may join using the Family Finder autosomal DNA test.

Requirements

The project has minimal requirements that ensure members get the best potential value for their participation.

1) All participants are expected to fill in their earliest known ancestor (EKA) field with name/date/location to the best of their ability, as well as to indicate their EKAs location for mapping purposes.

2) All participants are expected to supply their lineage as it relates to our study surname(s). Information about living individuals may be withheld or included. If included, they will not be released in a public forum. It may be supplied in any or multiple forms (email, .pdf, .ged ...). It's also very helpful, but not required, to upload a gedcom at your personal Family Tree DNA page for your matches and administrators to easily consult.

How to Join

1) If you have not tested yet, you will receive a group discount by purchasing your test through our project link. Simply click the Join Request tab at the top of any of these project pages and follow the second set of instructions there for a new Family Tree DNA customer.

2) If you are already in the Family Tree DNA database and wish to add our project to your project membership list, simply click the Join Request tab at the top of any of these project pages and follow the first set of instructions there for an existing Family Tree DNA customer.

If you have any questions, feel free to email us (above), or call Family Tree DNA at 718-868-1438.

How to Connect

You're welcome to join the Bowes (and variants) One-Name Study Facebook community whether or not you are in the DNA project. Feel free to post questions or comments on the Wall relating to your documentary or DNA research into to our subject surnames, or just "have a seat."

There is also a lower volume Yahoo! group.

About the Variants

The Guild of One-Name Studies allows for five additional variants to be registered per study. The Bowes One-Name Study currently includes Bowe, Bow, Boe, Bows and Boaz. These are infrequently adjusted as our body of knowledge takes shape.

In the DNA Project we cast a wide net to obtain any possible evidence that could support or refute historical theories about the origins of our surnames, and/or lead to new theories. The DNA Project variants often appear unrelated phonetically, but they have been carefully chosen using Irish, English and Scottish surname origin research. In a few cases they include participants' surnames that are similar to the Guild variants, have no DNA project of their own, and are too few at this time to start one. Over time it may become more clear which subgroups are independent families/surnames in their own right and deserving of their own study. At that time those groups may splinter off and formalize their own study.

Project Stats