The Lonsdale DNA Project is dedicated to the advancement of genealogical research on the Lonsdale surname. The Project is the expansion of the former study of the Lonsdale families who had their roots in Lancashire, England.  But Lonsdale’s are found world wide, with many spelling variations. We are using Y-DNA testing as a research tool, to supplement the more traditional forms of genealogy research.  It has been expanded to include all Lonsdale’s who wish to find their common heritage through DNA testing and sharing of information.  Participation in this project is open to Lonsdale’s worldwide. This DNA project was originally started in order to further study the LONSDALE surname. With so many LONSDALE lines scattered around the world. It was hoped that it would help in determining which LONSDALE families are related and their original roots. My own line LONSDALE line, that I have been researching for 20 years is from the Burnley/Padiham area of Lancashire. With related families in Gisburn, Bolton-by-Bowland, Horton, Newsholme, Nappa and Paythorne, all in Yorkshire. These Lonsdale’s had been in the area since at least 1220. But early church registers show that there were two other groups in Lancashire. One was established round Eccles, west of Manchester, with families in Booths, Tyldesley, Leigh and Astley. In the following centuries they spread into the Manchester, Wigan and Bolton areas. The second was in the Liverpool area with families in Low Hill, West Derby, Bootle and Walton-on-the-Hill. The West Derby family produced 5 generations of shoemaker's between 1580 and 1720. Then we have the DURHAM Lonsdale’s. Whose line, some think, came across the Pennines from Cumbria. We also have the Yorkshire Lonsdale’s. They settled along the Humber, and seems to have taken the name from the Yorkshire River Lounde. We also have the Lonsdale’s of Norfolk. I know very little about this family line. There is also the Lonsdale line from Ireland. Some people say they settled in Ireland following the battle of the Boyne in 1690. But others some say that they originally came from Scotland. Add to that the small clusters scattered around the country. Plus the many thousands who have left these shores, and started a whole new lines. And we must not forget the Scandinavian line, LONSDALEN. Females must locate a male Lonsdale of their family of interest who will provide the DNA sample.  She may be the sponsoring person and be the e-mail contact for his results although the test should be ordered under the male Lonsdale's name.  Female Lonsdale’s who wish to document their direct maternal line with an mtDNA test may participate but their results are not actually part of our Lonsdale Surname Project.  Females with a documented Lonsdale line in their ancestry may also do the newest test offered by Family Tree DNA called the Family Finder test.  This test also will not be a part of our Lonsdale Surname project as such and those results can not actually be compared to the Y-DNA tests that are the basis for the project. Spelling Variations Have you ever wondered why there are so many spelling variations, or how they came about. The same family, in the church they have used for generations has variations in the spelling. But Why? Because many of the spelling variations are purely down to local dialect. Using Lancashire as an example. Even today, you can go to the next town or village. And they have there own accent. So pronounce words differently. You look in parish registers and a couple have a new child baptised every couple of years, and the name spelled the same. Then they have another child, and the name is spelled differently. Why you ask. There are a couple of answers. A different family member who perhaps lives in the next village, tells the name. OR the church has a new priest or scribe. But he isn’t local. He has moved into the area. The parents don’t know how to spell their name, so the scribe writes down what he thinks he has heard. And you can guarantee he got it WRONG.