This project is an attempt to analyse the ancestry of the Brownings of the south western counties of the United Kingdom: Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Gloucestershire.

For the purposes of the DNA project we are using the Y-DNA test, which tells you about your direct male line, that is, your father, your father's father, your father's father's father, and so on back in time. To participate in the test you should therefore be a male with one of the surnames shown. If you believe there is a BROWNING or variant in your direct male line. If you are female, you will need to ask your brother, father, uncle or cousin to take part and represent your tree. We encourage males who order a Y-DNA test to order 37 markers, if possible.

Whether male or female, you may also be interested in learning about your direct female line, that is, your mother, your mother's mother, your mother's mother's mother, and so on. Both men and women inherit mtDNA, although only women pass it on. For this purpose, you should order an mtDNA test, preferably the mtDNA Plus test which can indicate matches in more recent generations.

If you do not have any documentary evidence of a UK connection and your ancestry is from the US please join the Browning US Project instead.