Genealogy involves tracing one's ancestors backward in history by carefully documenting the relationship to each preceding generation. However, in the absence of documentary evidence, DNA testing can sometimes be helpful. The Maybury DNA Project uses the "Y-DNA" test to look for a special family DNA signature which is passed down from father to son, basically unchanged, for many generations.

• This Y-DNA test is available only for males because only males carry the "Y chromosome".
• The "Y-DNA" test CAN tell us whether or not two men have a common ancestor, even if no documentary evidence has been found through conventional genealogical research.
• DNA testing CAN tell us, with a statistical degree of certainty, about how many generations ago the "most recent common ancestor" lived.
• DNA testing CANNOT tell us the name of that common ancestor or exactly when that ancestor lived.

Since we began the Maybury DNA Project early in 2003, more than 80 participants have submitted DNA samples obtained by swabing the inside their cheeks with a special brush. Their names include: Maybury, Mayberry, Maberry, Mabary, Mabry, Mabra, Mabery, and Mabrey. The DNA evidence enables us to place our participants in one of three groups:

1. Descendants of John Maybury (ca1540-1618), a skilled iron worker who first married in Sussex, England in December 1565. He died in Shropshire in 1617.
2. Descendants of Frederick Mayberry (ca1730-1801), who is believed by some to have come from Germany about 1750. Others believe his ancestors were English. If he came from Germany, his name was probably anglicized to "Mayberry" when he came to America.
3. Those who do not match the DNA signature of the two families above This happens in all families for one of several reasons:
   • a new DNA signature came into the family through a male ancestor who was adopted by Maybury/Mayberry parents sometime in the past;
   • a new DNA signature came into the family through a male ancestor who was born out of wedlock to a Maybury/Mayberry mother sometime in the past;
   • the family changed its former name to Maybury, Mayberry, etc. sometime in the past.
   In the view of conventional genealogical research these families are still Mayburys/Mayberrys, even though they no longer carry the same DNA signature.

More information:

• Our study is being conducted by a company called FamilyTree DNA. in Houston, Texas.
• More information about the Maybury DNA Project can be found on our The Maybury page at FamilyTree DNA .
• More detailed results of our study thus far can be found in the Report of the Maybury DNA Project.

The Maybury/Mayberry DNA Project is ongoing. As more participants join the project, we should be able to learn more about several hard to identify branches of the Maybury and Mayberry families. The results will be reported here and also in The Maybury Family Newsletter

Here's how you can help:

• Volunteer to have your DNA tested -- There is a $99 fee which covers the test kit and the laboratory processing of your DNA sample. Sending your sample is simple and painless.
• If you have already had a 12 marker test, please consider extending your test to 25 or 37 markers which will give us additional information to help identify different branches of the Maybury family.
• Contribute to the cost of the Maybury/Mayberry project Additional funds will help us increase the number of participants or to upgrade Y-DNA tests from 12 to 25 markers in order to learn more precisely when our "most recent common ancestor" lived.
• Tell other interested persons about the Maybury/Mayberry DNA project.
• Contact Don Collins for more information.

May 2008