The objective of the Pylant Y-DNA Project is to identify descendants of James Pyland (1604-1660) of Isle of Wight County, Virginia. Surname variants include Piland, Pilande, Pilant, Pilaut, Pilot, Pyland, Pylande, Pylant, and Pylate.

James Pyland, christened 30 August 1604 in St. Mary-le-Port Parish, Bristol, Gloucestershire, England, was a son of Edward Pylande (Pilland) and Margaret Bush. He and his wife, Alexandra, and two of their children immigrated to the Colony of Virginia in the late 1630s and settled in Isle of Wight County. James made a rapid rise in the colony, gaining prominence and influence with a seat in the House of Burgesses.

Richard Pyland, son of James and Alexandra, married Eleanor Moore. They were the ancestors of practically all American Piland, Pilant, Pyland, Pylant, and Pylate families. The surname variant Pilot is also found among the descendants of the South Carolina Pylants, whereas the Pilauts descend from the Kentucky Pilants.

For a chart showing the origin of the main surname variants, see Who's Who  in the Piland-Pilant-Pilaut-Pyland-Pyland-Pylant-Pylate Family Tree