Project Goals
Team Liddell et al seeks to in-gather all individuals bearing any of the variant surnames in the Liddesdale-derived surname cluster and who have DNA/mtDNA scores at acceptable interpretation levels to be consider related to each other broadly or within sub-groups.
While surnames, both past and present, are important, the first sorting will be done on the basis of matchable test results. Later, as the database grows, the Team will assist groups of specifically related individuals who otherwise don't match at all with the balance of the database to establish their own "spin-off" groups.
The primary and most common focus--that of in-gathering the kin from across the world--will be accomplished by Team Liddell through lateral and longitudual comparisons of individuals in the various lines. This will allow individual genealogists who have run into a wall in the records to at least have solid indications that a longer-documented line is related and then be able to focus further research on reaching that line. It will allow long-documented lines to compare one to the other as well as serve as a goal for the shorter-documented lines to reach to.
And, the ultimate research goal is to reach as far back in pre-recorded history as the test results will take us in determining who we are and where we came from.
One other ultimate goal in all this is just to have a lot of fun and learn of some new kinfolk we can love and share our lives with. Because the Liddells et al spread out over the British Empire and helped run it as well help found it, many of us will never ever actually see each other or hear each other speak in person--but the digital revolution has given us a new way to communicate.
In truth, we are no longer separated by oceans and centuries. We are, indeed, family once more!
You are invited now to drag your chair up to the family hearth and sit a spell, cousin. Just don't cuss in front of the chil'ren, and leave your swords and disputing outside the door, please.