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This list of questions and answers is probably far from exhaustive, so if you have a question that isn't answered here, email the volunteer project coordinator.
The basic idea behind the project is to use genetic analysis to assist with Meriwether genealogy. By comparing the genetic signatures for various Meriwether family lines we can find out which ones are related, and which are not (regardless of whether correponding historical records are available). It's on the "Test Results" page that we display which family lines have been shown to be connected to one another.
We are relying on analysis of the male Y-chromosome, which is usually passed intact from father to son (typically along with the Meriwether name). Therefore each man's Y-DNA signature should be identical (or substantially similar) to that of all of the other men who share a direct paternal ancestor with him.
In contrast, we are not using DNA from the many other chromosomes that are unique to any one person, and we will not learn any information about diseases or specific genes. Our goal is to hone in on just the DNA that is shared throughout an extended family.
The utility of DNA testing is that it allows those who are tested to compare their results against each other, thereby enabling them to determine whether or not they are related via their paternal lines. This in turns allows several types of hypotheses to be put to the test. Here are a few examples that might help to illustrate some of the possibilities:
Example 1:
Two people have DNA results that aren't even a close match. In this case, they learn, with certainty, that their paternal lines are unrelated. They now know not to waste time or money in trying to discover the elusive connection between their Meriwether families, since their DNA tells them that there isn't any connection to be found.
But what if people who don't match each other genetically thought they were related? Then maybe the relationship isn't in their direct Meriwether lineage. Or maybe one of them has made a mistake in tracing his/her lineage. Or maybe what's often called a non-paternal event has occurred, such as an adoption that might not be accurately reflected in the historical records (see near the bottom of this page for more on non-paternal events).
Example 2:
Two people have Y-DNA signatures that are a perfect match. Provided that they tested enough markers, then they are afforded a strong degree of confidence that they share a common forefather, although they may not have any idea who he was or when he lived. In cases where those who match had previously been strangers, they can then share their genealogical research with each other to try to find out who their common forefather was, where he lived, etc.
Yes, all variants of the Meriwether surname are welcome within our project. Merryweather and Mereweather are the most common spellings in the UK. Meriwether, Merriweather, Merriwether, Meriweather are more common in the USA.
Yes women can participate, but only males can provide the required DNA sample (because only males carry a Y-chromosome). Female Meriwethers who want to participate will have to get an appropriate male relative (such as a father, brother, nephew, uncle, etc.) to donate a cheek swab of DNA. It's actually fairly common for women to participate in projects such as ours (often a sister or wife is the family genealogist, while a brother or husband is the DNA provider).
Likewise, if you are not a Meriwether by birth, but you have some Meriwether ancestors or relatives, you would have to locate a living male Meriwether to provide a DNA sample.
Keep in mind that the Y-chromosome is passed only from father to son, so those men who provide DNA samples ought to have direct Meriwether paternity (i.e., their father's father's ... father's father should have been a Meriwether). Since a son typically inherits his surname (as well as his Y-chromosome) from his biological father, the men with the bit of DNA that we are looking for usually have the surname Meriwether.
We understand that some Meriwether genetic lines might have originated with an adoption, an illigitimate birth, or some other circumstance. All Meriwether lineages, regardless of how they began, are welcome within our project.
No, it doesn't matter where you or your ancestors lived. It also doesn't matter what ethnic background(s) your ancestors might have had. Meriwethers everywhere are welcome to get involved.
To further emphasise that our project is global in scope, it's worth noting that we currently have participants from the following countries: Italy, Canada, and the USA.
The genetic analysis is being done by FamilyTreeDNA at lab facilities at the University of Arizona. This is the same company that is doing the genetic analysis for the National Geographic Society Genographic Project.
Some people may like to know that Meriwethers who first get involved with the Genographic Project are able to subsequently join the Meriwether Surname DNA Project without getting re-tested. It is also possible for people who first sign up with the Meriwether Surname DNA Project to have their test results uploaded into the Genographic Project's database.
Unfortunately yes, somebody has to pay for the DNA analysis to be done. For details about costs, etc., please consult the "How to Join" page.
Our project welcomes donations to help offset some of the testing costs. Information about sponsorships is located on the bottom half of the "How to Join" page.
Please note that the project coordinator does not receive any form of payment, commission, etc., for recommending the services of FamilyTreeDNA. Despite being zealous about genetic genealogy, we're both just volunteers.
Anybody who might be worried about needles can relax, since the DNA test is easy, painless, and a blood sample is not required. The DNA sample itself is collected by brushing the inside of a person's cheek with two or three swabs that are provided with the test kit. These swabs are kind of like cotton Q-tips, except that they have felt-like padding that detaches into a little vial after you use it to scrape some cheek cells out of your mouth. To see a picture of what the test kit actually looks like, take a look at this webpage at FamilyTreeDNA. To see photos of a fellow in the Dorsey Surname DNA Project taking the test, go to this webpage (which is the first page in a sequence of pages of photos).
Maybe. If you take a look at the "Test Results" page, you'll see that there is a Haplogroup Prediction for each set of test results. Certain haplogroups (especially haplogroups C, O, and Q) are usually indicative of native ancestry. Note, however, that native ancestry that is not in your direct male line would not be detected by the tests being done for the Meriwether Surname DNA Project.
As of May 2009, all of our test results were consistent with European ancestry.
The term non-paternal event has come to refer to any instance in which a male child ended up with a surname that is different than his biological father's surname. Another similar term is mis-attributed paternity.
Such events most frequently occurred as the result of adoption or instances in which a son took his mother's surname (typically when the mother was unwed). If a boy's mother was recently widowed, it could also be that the newborn son might take the surname of his mother's next husband (i.e., the boy's step-father). In some cases, grown men have been known to change their surname, for instance as a condition of receiving an inheritance from their wives' relatives. Finally, infidelity may also be a factor.
However a non-paternal event occurred, the consequence is that some living members of the Meriwether family actually carry a Y-chromosome that at some point in the past belonged to some other family name. Similarly, there are men out there today whose surname is not Meriwether, but who carry a Y-chromosome that originally came from a Meriwether forefather. People in either situation are welcome to join our project.
Here are some links that discuss some aspects of non-paternal events:
Well, you can't prevent them from having already happened, so the real question is what can you do to make sure that you detect them when they did happen. The trick here is to get various people, from different parts of your family tree, to get tested. As a hypothetical example, suppose John traces his Meriwether lineage back to his 5xgreat grandfather Andrew, via Andrew's son Jack. John has been able to locate a living cousin named Ernest who is descended from Jack's brother Elias. If John and Ernest's DNA samples match, then they can be confident that there are no non-paternal events between them and their forefather Andrew. If a non-paternal event has happened, then determining when it occurred is pretty much the same as trying to find out when a mutation occurred (see the ISOGG page on solving NPE roadblocks).
Cases of suspected non-paternal events tend to have several genealogical puzzles associated with them. If you suspect that there might have been a non-paternal event in your Meriwether ancestry, feel free to contact Joe Oglesby to discuss how you might be able to pursue the questions that pertain to your case.
The websites listed on the "Links" page have some useful information. The DNA-NEWBIE Forum sponsored by the International Society of Genetic Genealogy may also be helpful for people unfamiliar with the use of genetic testing as a genealogical tool. ISOGG also has a webpage with several Questions & Answers for Beginners.
An excellent article about genetic genealogy by Debbie Kennett appeared in the September 2008 issue of the Berkshire Family Historian. An expanded version of her article now appears online here.
A good book to read is Family History in the Genes: Trace your DNA and grow your family tree written by Chris Pomery and published by the UK National Archives.