The Malta DNA-Genealogy Project

Project Goals

The Malta project has two main goals:

1. Our first goal is to investigate the ethnic and genetic diversity of the Maltese Islands as shown through the DNA of the descendants of those born in Malta and Gozo. Through the genetic story told in our yDNA and mtDNA, we can discover the heritage of the Maltese people over the centuries. We hope that some of what we learn through the results of this project can contribute to the knowledge of human migrations being studied by population geneticists.


2. The second goal, especially as we recruit more members, is to actually establish connections--a common ancestor--between some members. Genetic genealogy is a new tool in genealogy research that can supplement and help make breakthroughs in traditional records-based research. Once that common ancestor has been discovered, then much more productive research in the records can help fill out family trees.