The purpose of using this genetic tool by the Merrilees Family Association is to prove or disprove the notion that all the various branches of the family are in fact all descended from a common Merrilees Ancestor. We have pretty much exhausted the birth/ christening, mariage and death records and have linked most of the trees together but these records do not answer all questions for each of the family lines going back to the late 1400's. The DNA test determines male to male relationship from father to son, generation after generation. It fits us perfectly!