Y-DNA PROJECT - Spanish_Grants Geographic DNA Project

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This geographics DNA project was started as part of a newly formed lineage society. The society is no longer available, but the DNA project is still active.

To request a DNA test contact the Group Administrator at the address at the top of this page or send a request through Family Tree DNA Spanish Grants project.

North America has a rich cultural heritage that has greatly influenced all of the lands. The early settlers included such diverse groups as Spaniards, Canary Islanders, French, Irish, English, Scots, Jewish, German, Dutch, Portuguese, and Native Americans from both sides of the present day U.S.-Mexico border. Names were often "transliterated" so that, in modern times, what we think of as a Spanish name may have originally been of French, Italian, Jewish, or some other origin.

The goal of this DNA project is to investigate the roots of the original settlers on lands granted by the Spanish and Mexican governments in all parts of the U.S. The DNA signatures will be compared to others to confirm ethnic origins suggested by traditional genealogical research.

As the DNA database grows we will be able to help determine a person's probable ancestry by finding matches within the database when a documented genealogy is difficult to confirm with a paper trail. This DNA project is not limited to any particular surname, all descendants of those who received Spanish or Mexican land grants are invited to participate.

Both male and female lines can be traced with DNA testing. The direct male lineage is the most useful of genealogical DNA tests at this time. Y-DNA traces the direct male line from father to son to grandson. Y-DNA tests cannot be used to provide evidence of lineage of a son to his maternal grandfather - only through the direct male line.

mtDNA traces a direct female line from mother to daughter to granddaughter but also allows males in the most recent generations to be tested. A woman passes her mtDNA to all of her children but only her daughters pass it to the grandchildren. A son's children will have the mtDNA of his wife, not his mother. mtDNA can be most useful when trying to determine which wife a man's child is descended from.

In the future we may also provide admixture (or autosomal) tests that look at the rest of our DNA - the part inherited from grandparents, great-grandparents, etc.

The purpose of the DNA project is to:

• provide a place where descendants of those who received Spanish or Mexican land grants can get DNA tests at a discounted group rate no matter what their surname,
• create a confidential database of DNA signatures to be utilized in genealogical research for the families of the early settlers,
• and to help members analyze and interpret their DNA results to contribute to their genealogical research to promote research in all of the cultural groups comprising the early settlers.