Stafford DNA Project

The Stafford DNA Project is sponsored by the Stafford Society. We encourage all males bearing the Stafford surname to submit a sample. It is an easy and painless process to give a DNA sample. A sterile swab is mailed to you which you rub against the inside of your cheek. You then mail the sample back. That's all there is to it.

We recommend that you have the male 37 marker test if you can afford it. It is a better value than the 12 marker test and gives a greater ability to understand potential matches. The 67 marker test is an excellent tool to fine tune our understanding of how various sons are descended from a common ancestor.

To participate in the project and receive our project discount go to:  www.familytreedna.com/surname_join.asp?code=H70878&special=True

The project's home page is at: www.familytreedna.com/groups/stafford/about

If you have any questions or would like a more detailed explanation of DNA and the project please email our project administrator, James Stafford, whose address is available from the above site.

FamilyTreeDNA (FTDNA), who now host our surname DNA project site, is the only DNA testing company that offers the choice of yDNA, atDNA or mtDNA testing, either separately or as a package. Those companies offering a package of tests e.g. National Geographic Genomic Project, 23andMe and LivingDNA include some yDNA testing in the package, but the number of markers tested is not as comprehensive as that offered by FTDNA.

All of the above companies allow the DNA test results to be downloaded for transfer to other applications for further manipulation. Please note that only yDNA is passed through the paternal line and has direct relevance to the Stafford surname project.

In most cases the raw data can be uploaded to FTDNA for inclusion in surname projects. Specifically:

National Geographic's Genographic Project
 
Original project data from Sorenson Genomics can be uploaded under the yDNA Transfer program. However, this does not include either database matching or haplogroup prediction. For this a new sample is required.

Geno 2.0 Next Generation Project. Under this new phase, National Geographic have partnered with two testing companies, Helix and FTDNA. However, test results from Helix are NOT accepted by FTDNA. Kits sent to international customers, i.e., outside the USA are only tested at FTDNA. US national customers should ensure that the correct Geno 2.0 kit is selected, if they wish to upload their results.

This site has a wealth of information about DNA, how their project works and what its value is to you and to science.

23andMe
 
FTDNA only accepts test results from 23andMe V3 and V4 versions of their test.

If the results are from a 23andMe V5 test (i.e., tested after mid Aug 2017), they cannot be uploaded to FTDNA as the test is no longer compatible due to the low number of shared SNPs.

LivingDNA
 
FTDNA does not accept raw data from this Company.

DNA Heritage

If you have tested with DNA Heritage for yDNA, you may transfer your results to FTDNA, but you will need to contact them concerning the transfer.

Ancestry

Ancestry no longer offer yDNA tests. If you have tested with them in the past, please send your results to the project administrator so that they can be consolidated with other non-FTDNA data for further analysis and reference.