About us
The Morrissey Family Project encourages researchers to find their common heritage through sharing of information and DNA testing. All variant spellings are welcome. It is primarily a surname project and compares the Y-DNA of men with the same surname or variants of that name. The Y chromosome which stores Y-DNA is only inherited from father to son and is not present in females. In many societies and cultures, surnames follow a patrilineal pattern. Consequently, surnames can follow the inheritance of Y-DNA in men. Comparing the similarities and differences in the Y-DNA of men can provide information on the origins of a surname and how people with the same surname may or may not be connected.
To participate, a prospective member will need to order one of the Y-DNA tests provided by FamilytreeDNA. Currently, there are a number of levels of testing. A 37 marker Y-DNA test is a good entry level for most men and will give a broad idea of a person's relationship to a surname. Information on the ancient origins of a person's paternal line may also be inferred from the results. Occasionally, higher resolution tests which look at greater numbers of markers may be helpful, while the comprehensive BigY-700 test is more suited to advance users with more experience with Y-DNA.
As Y-DNA is only found in males, the tests have to be taken by men. However, women are very welcome to join but would need to get a male relative with the surname Morrissey or variant to undertake the test.
If a prospective member has a particular query regarding joining the project they are encouraged to contact the administrator for advice.