About us
The principal aim of the project is to explore the ancestral connections of the people of Louth through DNA. Autosomal DNA tests such as Familyfinder allow persons to make connections with cousins who share common ancestors within the last 6-8 generations. This can assist in genealogical research where the usual avenues of inquiry have been exhausted. Many descendants of the Irish Diaspora abroad have Louth connections and the ability to make family connections in the ancestral county is now a reality through genetic testing.
A secondary long-term goal of the project is to determine the genetic signatures of some of the surnames particularly associated with County Louth. The Y chromosome carried by males is inherited directly from the father and so follows a direct paternal line. In societies were the surname follows a paternal pattern, the Y chromosome should follow the surname from father to son. As a consequence, analysis of the subtle differences in Y chromosomes can be used in surname studies to help determine the origins of surnames and see how men with the same surname relate to each other.
A secondary long-term goal of the project is to determine the genetic signatures of some of the surnames particularly associated with County Louth. The Y chromosome carried by males is inherited directly from the father and so follows a direct paternal line. In societies were the surname follows a paternal pattern, the Y chromosome should follow the surname from father to son. As a consequence, analysis of the subtle differences in Y chromosomes can be used in surname studies to help determine the origins of surnames and see how men with the same surname relate to each other.