About us
The goals of the Howland DNA Project are:
1. Maintain and refine the Y-DNA signature of Henry Howland of Fenstanton.
2. Identify SNP mutations associated with the direct paternal descendants of Henry’s sons Arthur Howland, Mayflower passenger John Howland, and Henry Howland, Jr.
3. Develop additional genetic branches for particular sons, grandsons, and later paternal lines within the Fenstanton family.
4. Recruit Big Y-700 testers from Fenstanton Howland branches that are not yet adequately represented.
5. Investigate the paternal relationship between the Fenstanton R-A9708 family and the East Kent R-FTE45147 family beneath their older shared R-A9703 ancestor.
6. Determine when the mutations defining R-A9708 and R-FTE45147 arose and identify any intermediate paternal branches.
7. Recruit direct paternal descendants of documented English Howland, Howlen, Howlyn, Howlin, Howling, and related surname families.
8. Give equal attention to English, American, and international Howland families without assuming that every family descends from Henry Howland of Fenstanton.
9. Determine which surname families share paternal ancestry and which developed independently.
10. Study genetically distinct Howland families, including those associated with Kent, Fenstanton, Monks Horton, Essex, London, Ely, and other locations.
11. Identify and document the mitochondrial DNA signature of Elizabeth Tilley through independent maternal-line descendants.
12. Support future mtDNA studies of other early Howland wives when qualified maternal-line descendants can be identified.
13. Compare Y-DNA and mtDNA results with parish registers, probate records, property records, vital records, family papers, and other historical evidence.
14. Correct unsupported family connections and prevent genetically unrelated Howland families from being combined.
15. Share reliable findings with project members, genealogists, family societies, lineage organizations, and related DNA projects.
16. Encourage the responsible use of genetic evidence when documentary records are incomplete.
17. Provide guidance to prospective testers and, when resources permit, consider financial assistance for tests that may answer an important research question.
DNA evidence may support, refine, or disprove a proposed genealogical relationship. It should be evaluated together with documentary evidence and should not be presented as a guaranteed substitute for the membership requirements of any lineage society.