This project is established to find Y-DNA genetic similarities between males with the surname Heitlinger. Historically there appear to be two general groups: One group is Jewish and was from modern Southern Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. This area was under the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the 1800s. Another group is Catholic and is from Baden, Germany. I believe this group is related to the Heitlinger Weingut family. Lou Heitlinger is from this group and he and show no matching DNA. The first two participants in this project, one from the Jewish line and one from the Catholic line found that our DNA was very different so it is very unlikely we are closely related. Both groups have descendants in the United States. A 12-marker test is a good start and should show if you are part of one of these two general groups. A more defined test with more markers, that you can add on later, will show how closely your DNA matches up with those already part of this project.