* Discover information to help with our family history research * Discover which family trees are related * Discover information which may solve research problems, and/or resolve brick walls * Sort out multiple families found in the same location * Confirm or get clues regarding migrations * Confirm suspected events, such as illegitimacy and adoption * Find any mistaken connections in family trees * Validate family history research * Bridge gaps in the paper records * Confirm surname variants or find previously unknown variants * Discover information to define the major branches of the tree going back to the origin of the surname * Discover information about the evolution of the surname * Discover clues regarding the origin of the surname * Combine results with research in early records to determine the number of points of origin for the surname * Preserve DNA results for future research, to protect against any male line becoming extinct * Discover information about our distant origins