Geographical DNA projects

Geographical DNA projects collect and collate DNA results from a specific country or region. The entry requirements for membership of a geographical project will vary from project to project. For some projects it will be necessary to provide a pedigree to prove your origin in the specific country or region. In some cases it is necessary to have a specific surname associated with the region in question. Other projects will adopt a more flexible approach and will permit entry to anyone with a family tradition of origin in the country or region.

There are four main types of geographical project:

• Y-DNA geographical projects collect Y chromosome DNA (Y-DNA) results
• mtDNA geographical projects collect mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) results
• Dual geographical projects collect both Y-DNA and mtDNA results. Many dual projects also collect autosomal Family Finder DNA results
• Family Finder projects collect autosomal Family Finder DNA results for a specific region or country

The vast majority of large geographical projects are hosted at Family Tree DNA.

Geographical projects can provide a useful entrée to the world of DNA testing for men whose surname is not yet represented in a surname DNA project. A Y-DNA test can be ordered through a geographical project in order to benefit from the discounted project pricing. Both men and women who have taken a mtDNA test can submit their results to the relevant geographical project and have the opportunity to compare their results with other people from the same region. By joining a geographical project the participant will often benefit from the advice of an experienced project administrator. For instructions and screenshots of the FTDNA Join Project process see How to join an FTDNA project.

Project listings

• Project lists at Family Tree DNA
• A list of geographical projects on the World Families Network website
• Jewish DNA projects A list maintained by JewishGen
• A list of geographical projects on the MolGen Forum

African geographical projects

• African DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrator: Ana Oquendo Pabón
• Algeria DNA Project established Nov 2007 Administrators: Kiersten Chace, Dr. Ana Oquendo Pabón and Alice Fairhurst
• Cape Verde DNA Project Administrators: Katherine Borges and Jose dos Anjos
• South Africa Cape Coloured DNA Project (mtDNA & Y-DNA)
• South African mtDNA Project
• Tunisia DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)

Australasian DNA projects

• Australian adoption project
• Aboriginal Tribes Australia DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrator: George Helon
• Kimberley Nyikina Mangala DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) A project for the indigenous groups in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Administrator: Gregory Kiely
• New Zealand DNA Project (Y-DNA, mtDNA and Family Finder) Administrator: Gail Riddell
• Paramatta Sydney Australia Project Administrator: James Denning
• Tasmania DNA Project Administrator: James Barrett

Asian geographical projects

• Afghan/Pakistani DNA Project Administrators: Muhammad Khan, Arif Akhundzada
• China DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrators: Ivan Shim, Dawn Land
• Families in British India Project (Y-DNA, mtDNA and Family Finder) A project for anyone with ancestors in British India and for FIBIS members Administrators: Bennett Greenspan, Sarah Bilton, Valmay Young
• India regional DNA Project (includes Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan) (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrator: Cyndi Rutledge
  • Kerala, India DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)
• Japan DNA Project (Y-DNA)
  • Yamaguchi, Japan DNA Project Administrator: Bob Cooney
• Mongolian DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrators: Zhaxylyk Sabitov and Kherlen B.B
• Philippines DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrator: Rex Paqueo
• South East Asian DNA Project Covers: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, SE Asia, Singapore, Thailand, Timor, Vietnam. Administrator: Cyndi Rutledge
• Sri Lanka DNA Project (Y-DNA) Administrators: John Skillman, Chandika Wijesundara

Eurasian geographical projects

• Alash-Kazakhstan DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)
• Armenia DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrators: Hovann Simonia, Mark Arslan and Peter Hrechdakian
• Azerbaijani DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)
• Caucasus DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)
• Chuvashia DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)
• Chechen-Noahcho DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)
• Cossack DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrator: Angel Cervantes
• Georgian DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)
• Golden Horde DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) For Alshins, Argyns, Kipshaks, Mangynts, Naymans and Tabyns
• North Dvina Project A dual Y-DNA/mtDNA project created for individuals who have their genealogical roots in the North Dvina river basin or other areas of the Archangel region in Russia. Administrators: V Bedanov, S Kirev and V Vizard
• Russia DNA Project (mtDNA & Y-DNA) Established 2007 Administrator: Denis Grigoriev
  • Molecular Genealogy (in Russian) Established in 2007 by Denis Grigoriev in Russia
• Carpatho-Rusyn DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)
• Russian Empire DNA project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)
• Russian Nobility Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)
• Russia-Slavic DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)
• White Sea Karelian families DNA Project (Viena, Russia) (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrators: Sari Heimonen, Jaako Hakkinen and Denis Kuzmin
• Turkey DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)
• Turkic World DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)

European geographical projects

A

• Alpine DNA Project - AlpGen Genealogy (Alps: Y-DNA, mtDNA and atDNA) Established 2012, Admin: Chris R.
• Ashina/A-Shih-Na/Asena Royal Dynasty (mtDNA & Y-DNA) established Sep 2007 Administrator: Alfred Krupa
• Azores DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrators: Katherine Borges, Cheri Mello and Richard Pimente

B

• Baltic Sea Y-DNA Project Administrator: Stanislaw Plewako
• Banat DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) The Banat DNA Project welcomes the descendants of the settlers that migrated eastward, primarily in the 1700s, from various former German States and settled lands in the Danube Basin of south-central Europe. These settlers, later referred to as Danube Swabians (or "Donauschwaben" in German), lived in communities which are located today in Hungary, Romania, and countries of the former Federation of Yugoslavia. Administrator: Scott Aaron
• Basque DNA Project
• Benelux Y-DNA Project Administrator: Jules Van Laar
• Benelux mtDNA Project (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg) Administrator: Jules Van Laar
• Belarus DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrator: Eugene Matyushonok
• Belarusian Nobility (Y-DNA)
• Belgium Walloon DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)
• The Brabant DNA Project (Y-DNA) The project was launched in 2009 to analyse the Y-DNA composition of the old Duchy of Brabant (modern Brussels and the provinces of Walloon and Flemish Brabant, Antwerp and the Dutch province of North Brabant). It was later expanded to cover the other provinces of Flanders, then Wallonia and the whole of Belgium. The project is subsidised by the Belgian government. Project Manager: Marc van den Cloot. Assistant Project Manager: Marc Gabriels.
• British Isles Debbie Kennett's list of DNA projects for the British Isles
• Bulgarian DNA Project Administrator: Mira Sydney

C

• Canary Islands Guanches DNA Project The Guanches are the mysterious natives of the Canary Islands who are believed to be descended from the Berbers of Morocco. Administrator: Angel Cervantes
• Carpatho-Rusyn DNA Project Administrator: Robert Malay Co-administrators: Gloria Elston, Katherine Ogilvie
• Channel Islands DNA Project Administrator: Tom Kryssbe
• Czech DNA Project Administrators: Leo Baca and Joni Hudson
  • Czech DNA databases

D

• Danish Demes Administrator: Diana Gale Matthiesen
• Denmark DNA Project Administrator: Cyndi Rutledge

E

• English counties and regions:
  • Cornwall DNA Project (Y-DNA) Administrator: Joe Flood
  • Devon DNA Project (Y-DNA, mtDNA and Family Finder) Established March 2009 Administrator: Debbie Kennett
    • See also: Debbie Kennett's list of DNA projects for the British Isles

F

• Finland DNA Project Administrator: Lauri Koskinen Co-administrator: Marja Pirttivaara
• Finno-Ugric-Samoedic Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrators: Alex Shtrunov and Vladimir Volkov
• Flanders-Flemish DNA Project Administrator: Guido Deboeck
• French Heritage DNA project External sites http://frenchdna.org/ or http://adnfrancais.org/ established 2001 Administrators: Doug Miller and Jacques Beaugrand
  • French Heritage DNA project databases: Y-DNA, mtDNA, Membership
  • Alsace Y-DNA Project
  • Alsace and Moselle mtDNA Project
  • Bretagne/Brittany DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrator: Richard Stevens
  • Normandy DNA Project (Y-DNA) Administrator: Richard Stevens

G

• Gagnef Parish, Sweden Origins DNA Project (mtDNA & Y-DNA) Established April 2008 Administrators: Rosalie Sundin and Diane Larson-Graham
• Germany DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrators: Steve Dilks E Martin, Eugen Hartman
  • Germany Y-DNA Project (FTDNA site)
  • Germany mtDNA Project (FTDNA site)
  • Posen and West Prussia Provinces of Germany DNA Project
• Greek DNA Project Administrators: Vincent Vizachero, Nancy Grossman
• Greek Y-DNA Project Administrator: A. J. R. Legits

H

• Hungarian Bukinova Project (Y-DNA) Administrators: Beth Long, Tibor Fehér
• Hungarian mtDNA Project Administrator: Tibor Fehér

I

• Iberian Peninsula DNA Project Administrator: Angel Cervantes
• Ireland Y-DNA Project Established Dec 2005 Administrator: Margaret Jordan, Co-Administrator: Paul Duffy
• Ireland mtDNA Project Administrator: Katherine Borges
  • Breifne Clans Y-DNA Project
  • County Longford DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrator: James Denning
  • Enniskillen and Donegal Bay Families Geographical Y-DNA Study (dormant)
  • Irish Caribbean DNA Project Administrator: Maurice Gleeson
  • Irish Type III project (Y-DNA) Administrator: Dennis Wright
  • Munster Irish DNA Project Established Jan 2012 Administrators: Elizabeth O'Donoghue, Nigel McCarthy, Finbar O Mahony
• Italy DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrators: Vincent Vizachero, Richard Rocca
  • Abruzzo, Italy DNA Project
  • Campania Province of Italy DNA Project (mtDNA & Y-DNA) Established Nov 2005 Administrator: Emily Aulicino
  • Frosinone, Italy DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrator: James Denning
  • Latina Province of Italy DNA Project
  • North Italy DNA Project
  • Messina Province of Sicily DNA Project (mtDNA & Y-DNA) Established November 2005 Administrator: Emily Aulicino
  • Montemurro, Italy DNA Project
  • Sicily DNA Project Administrators: E McComas, Mike Maddi

L

• Latvia DNA Project Administrator: Judy Simon
• Lithuianian DNA Project Administrator: JDZ

M

• Madeira DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrators; Katherine Borges and José A. Fernandes
• Manx DNA project A Y-DNA project for men with ancestry from the Isle of Man. Established August 2010. Administrator: John Creer
• Malta DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Established 2008.

N

• Netherlands DNA Project Administrators: Yme Drost, R H A Sanders
• The Norway Project - Norgesprosjektet DNA Administrators: Anne M Berge, Svein Davidsen, Cyndi Rutledge

P

• Polish DNA Project Administrator: Lawrence Mayka
• Portugal DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrator: Katherine Borges

R

• Romania DNA Project Administrator: Dan Draghici

S

• Saami DNA Project
• Scandinavian Y-DNA Project Administrator: Rebekah Canada
• Scandinavian mtDNA Project Administrator: Robert Anderson
• Scottish DNA project (Y-DNA & mtDNA) established in October 2001 by John Hansen as the Scottish Clans DNA Project. The project is now administered by the Genealogical Studies team at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, under the leadership of Alasdair Macdonald.
• Siberia Tansbaikalia DNA Project Administrators: Co-administrators: Leon Kull, Vladimir Volkov
• Slovakia DNA Project
• Slovenia DNA Project
• House of Spain DNA Project Administrators: Ana Oquendo Pabón and Gary Felix
  • Galicia Spain DNA Project Adminstrator: Angel Cervantes
• Sweden DNA Project Administrator: Don Ekberg
• Switzerland DNA Project Administrators: Cyndi Rutledge and Bonnie Schrack
• French Swiss DNA Project (Y-DNA) established Nov 2005 Administrator: Carol Botteron

T

• Transylvania DNA Project

U

• Ukraine Black Sea DNA Project Administrator: George Helon
• Ukraine (Jewish) DNA Project Administrator: Judy Simon

V

• Viking DNA Project

W

• Wales DNA Project Administrators: Janet Crain and Susan Rosine
• Welsh Patronymics Project Administrator: Belinda Dettman

Middle Eastern DNA Projects

• Arab Tribes DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Mohamed Eddali
• Arab World DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)
• Arabian Gulf DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)
• Arab Mardin DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)
• Assyrian Heritage DNA Project
• Iranian DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)
• Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Jordan DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrators: Ted Kandell, Nancy Grossman and Kamal AL Gazzah
• Kurdish DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)
• Middle East DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)
• Oman DNA Project A project for the Sultanate of Oman
• Saudia Arabia DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)
  • Jazan Project, Saudia Arabia (Y-DNA and mtDNA)
• Yemen DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)

North American DNA Projects

• Aleutian Islands DNA Project
• Bahamas DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrator: Peter J Roberts
• Caribbean Y-DNA Project
• Florida Keys DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrator: Mark Jones
• Hawaiian Ancestry DNA Project Administrator: Georgia Kinney Bopp
• Hawaiian Islanders DNA Project Administrator: Georgia Kinney Bopp
• Jamaica DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) (dormant?)
• Mexico DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrator: Gary Felix
• Native American projects
• Newfoundland and Labrador Family Finder Project
• Newfoundland and Labrador mtDNA Project
• Prince Edward Island DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA)
• Puerto Rico DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrator: Ana Oquendo Pabón
• Settlers of the 13 American Colonies Project An autosomal DNA using results from FTDNA's Family Finder test. Administrator: Linda Peacock. Co-administrators: Ann Turner and David Reynolds.

South American DNA Projects

• Andes Area Project (dormant?)
• Brazil DNA Project (Y-DNA and mtDNA) Administrator: Ricardo Oliveira
• Chile DNA Project
• Cuba DNA Project