The Dowding and Dowden DNA Projects are using Y-DNA testing of male Dowdings and Dowdens to see how they link to the known Dowding/Dowden male lines that can be traced back to the 16th Century and to see how the lines are related to a common ancestor. To do this we are using FTDNA's Y-37 DNA test. We are also using autosomal DNA testing of living descendants of both sexes (FTDNA's Family Finder test or other companies similar tests such as from Ancestry.com which can be transferred to FTDNA) to find out how some lines which presently go back to brick walls in the 17 or 1800s link to a known Dowding/Dowden line that we hope to Y-DNA test as the Project progresses. We have a Facebook Group for members of the Project, and Dowding and Dowden profiles are slowly being added to WikiTree. See the links page for website addresses.