The Stevenson-Stephenson surname project launched around 2004, shortly after FTDNA became the first company to offer consumer DNA tests. We are grateful for those pioneering early testers and project administrators, who often worked with incomplete information, frequently at great personal expense. Many of their earliest estimates of family relationships have withstood the test of time, and form the basis for a number of our current family groups.

For most of us, finding family is what it's all about. 

While a surname itself may give us incomplete or even misleading information about our patrilineal line, DNA testing can give us concrete evidence and can link us up with Stevenson cousins. 

Y-chromosome testing is especially helpful, because the Y-chromosome is handed down from father to son intact through the generations. Mutations occur, however, and it is these mutations that provide the basis for our Y DNA research by indicating where new branches form on the larger genetic family tree. Recent technological improvements and frequent sale prices have made Y testing more affordable than ever, and have greatly expanded the Y haplotree.

If you are a Stevenson, Stephenson, or Stinson (or have a related surname), joining our project can help you with your research. To join, you need an FTDNA account and a kit number for a completed or in-process Y DNA test. Males can test themselves or a relative, females need to find a Stevenson male relative to test.

New project members need to grant either Limited or Advanced Access to Project Administrators under the Project Preferences tab. Your genetic privacy is always our top priority - but we need Limited Access at a minimum to be able to maximize our collaborative research. Our admins work to help members make connections, figure out next steps in their research, and even navigate the website. We can also assist with account recovery for your account or for a deceased next of kin.

Please contact Lisa Stevenson if you have any questions about setting your access levels, or about our project in general.