The Chilvers FamilyTree DNA Project- Background

Background

The CHILVER(S) name seems to have been firmly rooted in Norfolk and Suffolk. The question is whether there is one line of CHILVERS originating from one male individual sometime back in time encompassing all the CHILVERS now around, or was the CHILVERS name adopted by different families? If the latter, then how many groups are there?
As a guide, in the 1851 UK census there were just 97 male CHILVERS listed as "head of family" and 19 CHILVER. Take that back a few generations, and the numbers of "families" would appear to be likely to reduce, as many of this hundred or so are probably brothers and cousins (if not later generations of others in the list). DNA testing of living CHILVERS may help sort some of this history out.