PA Deutsch

  • 33 members

About us

Background -  Important Note: Your genealogy on all branches of your family tree must be known and documented via prior paper trail research prior to applying to join this project.  Please read the 'Who Can Join' section too:  This project was launched on 14 Mar 2003 to study the genetic genealogy DNA markers found in the Pennsylvania Deutsch ethnic group. Note: This is a very specialized and focused study of the PA Deutsch and it requires three types of DNA tests. To participate the person tested must be a direct male line Y-DNA paternal line descendant AND a direct maternal line mtDNA maternal line descendant of a German speaking immigrant who lived prior to 1800 in Pennsylvania. Also, least 7 of 8 great-grandparents for the person being tested must be of solid PA Deutsch ancestry. This project also requires extensive genealogical knowledge and documentation of your traditional genealogy of both your father's and mother's genealogy. You will be required to submit a standard one-page 6 generation genealogy pedigree chart as part of the joining process to document your PA Deutsch ancestry on all lines. Thus, to get your DNA testing started faster, I recommend that prior to applying to join this project, that you first join the Colonial-USA-Deutsch Project. Joining the Colonial-USA-Deutch Project can be the first step to joining the PA Deutsch Project and can be part of the qualifying process for joining the PA Deutsch Project. Contact me by private email if any more questions: http://www.kerchner.com/contact.htm

Who Can Join This Project - Please Read the Traditional Genealogy Research and Multiple Genetic Genealogy Testing Requirements to Join and Participate in This Specialized Project:  Note:  Your genealogy on all branches of your family tree must be known and documented via prior paper trail research prior to applying to join this project.  To participate the person tested must have direct male line Y-DNA paternal line descendant AND direct female line mtDNA maternal line descendant of a German speaking immigrant who lived prior to 1800 in Pennsylvania. Since the PA Deutsch Project also uses atDNA autosomal chromosome marker testing in addition to the direct line YDNA and mtDNA testing, you must have known, proven, and documented PA Deutsch ancestry in large majority in both your father's and mother's side of your family tree to join this project. To participate the person tested must be a direct male line Y-DNA paternal line descendant AND a direct maternal line mtDNA maternal line descendant of a German speaking immigrant who lived prior to 1800 in Pennsylvania. Also, least 7 of 8 great-grandparents for the person being tested must be of solid PA Deutsch ancestry. You will be required to provide a copy of your traditional genealogy research Ancestry Chart for 5 generations to the project administrator to document your PA Deutsch ancestry. Newly available BioGeographical DNA tests in early 2003 indicated that some PA Deutsch (aka PA Dutch) have a detectable percentage of non-European "Asiatic" genetic content, probably of ancient origin. This project will explore this discovery and attempt to document how many and to what extent this non-European "Asiatic" genetic content exists in the PA Deutsch Ethnic Group, and/or try to learn the ultimate source. In addition to the direct line yDNA and mtDNA tests, this special project also uses atDNA (autosomal chromosome DNA) testing and thus seven out of eight of your great-grandparents must be of PA Deutsch roots to join this project, in addition to your direct male line and maternal line ancestors. Again, you must know and be able to document your PA Deutsch ancestry via paper trail research prior to your joining this project. See project's private website and the section "Who Can Join" for more details and who is eligible to join: http://www.kerchner.com/pa-gerdna.htm

Alternative Project to Consider:  For those who don't have Pennsylvania Deutsch roots for 7 or more of their great-grandparents, consider joining the Colonial-USA-Deutsch Project. It is less restrictive and requires only Colonial USA Deutsch ancestry on one direct line, either paternal YDNA or maternal mtDNA, tracing back to any of the original 13 colonies. See that project for more details: http://www.familytreedna.com/public/colonial-usa-deutsch

HOW TO JOIN THE PA DEUTSCH PROJECT: At this time you must have been tested either directly via FTDNA or indirectly via FTDNA via the NGS Genographic Project to join this project. Genographic Project customers must first do the free transfer of their results from the NGS database to FTDNA's database. See the "Learn More" link at the bottom of your Genographic Project personal page for how to do the free transfer of your test data to FTDNA or call FTDNA for assistance in doing the transfer. Once you have a personal account page at FTDNA, to join this PA Deutsch project sign/log in to your FTDNA personal account page and click on the blue JOIN button in the upper part of your personal page screen. Find the "Dual Geographical" projects section. Click on the letter "P" category. Then click on the PA Deutsch project link. You will then see a description of this project. Scroll down to the bottom and click on the small white join button at the bottom of the PA Deutsch project join page. That is all there is to it. If you have not been tested before either by FTDNA or the Genographic Project and want to join this project you need to order a DNA test kit. Contact the Project Admin and arrange ordering your test kit as part of this project. Be sure to mention in your initial contact that it is the PA Deutsch Ethnic Group Project you are interested in being tested with and joining.