Welcome to the
HUMAN
Surname DNA Project

The HUMAN surname is not a common one, yet families with this surname can trace their origins to many different countries.  Do all Humans share a common male ancestor, or does the surname have multiple origins?  Is your Human family related to others in the U.S., the U.K., Germany, South Africa or elsewhere?  Do you have hunches about your Human lineage, but can't find the documents to prove family relationships?

With advances in genetic testing, genealogists now have another tool to help answer these questions.  The Human Surname DNA Project was organized to determine whether there are genetic links between the various Human families throughout the world.  It can also serve to validate research within established lines.  If you are researching a Human family, we invite you to participate in our study!  Since spelling variations may have evolved over the years, families with various spellings (Humann, Heuman, Hughman, etc) are encouraged to join as well.  The success of our study depends on the number of participants, so please pass this information along to other Human researchers!

How does it work?

The Human DNA Project is a study of the Y-Chromosome DNA, which is passed from father to son unchanged, except for occasional chance mutations.  The test provides you with a genetic fingerprint consisting of 12 or 25 numbers, which will be compared with the results of other participants in the study.  If two people have a match, that means they have a common male ancestor somewhere up the line.   The test won't tell you specifically who that ancestor was, but it can narrow down a time frame of when the most recent common ancestor lived.

We have chosen Family Tree DNA of Houston, Texas as our testing company. They are leaders in their field and are associated with Dr. Michael Hammer, Ph.D., Geneticist, associate research scientist in the Division of Biotechnology at the University of Arizona.  The test involves the collection of cells by a painless swabbing of the inside of your cheek.  The laboratory then analyzes the sample and prepares the results for comparison with other participants in the study.  For more information about the test and Family Tree DNA, refer to the links at left.

Who can Participate?

Since this is a Y-DNA study, only males with the surname HUMAN (or variations) can participate.  But that doesn't eliminate females, or males with another surname, from becoming involved.  Any male relative (father, brother, uncle, distant cousin) with the Human surname can represent your family line, as long you both descend from a common Human ancestor.

How can I join the Human Surname DNA Study?

Click here for information