About us
The goals of the Howland DNA Project are:
1. Maintain and refine the Y-DNA signature of Henry Howland of Fenstanton, presently represented by R-A9708.
2. Maintain and refine the principal downstream paternal branches presently associated with Henry's sons:
- R-FT62874 — Arthur Howland
- R-FTA35340 — Mayflower passenger John Howland
- R-FGC58211 — Henry Howland, Jr.
3. Confirm these branches through additional independent paternal descendants and identify downstream SNP mutations associated with particular sons, grandsons, and later paternal lines.
4. Recruit Big Y-700 testers from Fenstanton Howland branches that are not yet adequately represented, including independent descendants of Mayflower passenger John Howland's sons John, Jabez, Joseph, and Isaac.
5. Further refine R-FTA35340, including identifying downstream branches that may distinguish the paternal lines of John, Jabez, Joseph, Isaac, and their descendants.
6. Investigate the paternal relationship between the Fenstanton R-A9708 family and the East Kent R-FTE45147 family beneath their older shared R-A9703 ancestor.
7. Determine when the mutations defining R-A9708 and R-FTE45147 arose and identify any intermediate paternal branches between R-A9703 and the currently known downstream families.
8. Recruit direct paternal descendants of documented English Howland, Howlen, Howlyn, Howlin, Howling, and related surname families.
9. Give equal attention to English, American, and international Howland families without assuming that every family using the surname descends from Henry Howland of Fenstanton.
10. Determine which surname families share paternal ancestry and which developed independently.
11. Study genetically distinct Howland families, including those associated with Kent, Fenstanton, Monks Horton, Essex, London, Ely, and other locations.
12. Identify and document the mitochondrial DNA signature of Elizabeth Tilley through independent maternal-line descendants.
13. Support future mtDNA studies of other early Howland wives when qualified maternal-line descendants can be identified.
14. Compare Y-DNA and mtDNA results with parish registers, probate records, property records, vital records, family papers, and other historical evidence.
15. Use DNA evidence to test proposed paternal and maternal relationships, correct unsupported family connections, and prevent genetically unrelated Howland families from being combined.
16. Distinguish between what a defining Y-SNP can establish genetically and what still requires documentary reconstruction. A confirmed Y-SNP may establish biological membership in a paternal lineage even when one or more intermediate generations remain unidentified.
17. Share reliable findings with project members, genealogists, family societies, lineage organizations, and related DNA projects.
18. Encourage the responsible use of Y-DNA and mtDNA in genealogical and lineage-society research, including the evaluation of well-supported Y-SNP clades associated with documented historical ancestors.
19. Provide guidance to prospective testers and, when resources permit, consider financial assistance for tests that may answer an important research question.
DNA evidence may support, refine, confirm, or disprove a proposed genealogical relationship. A defining Y-SNP can establish biological membership in a paternal lineage, while documentary research remains necessary to reconstruct the precise chain of named ancestors within that lineage. Requirements for lineage-society membership are determined by the individual society and may change as DNA policies develop.