The Brown/Browne/Braun DNA Study began in early 2002. It is a group of amateur genealogists interested in using the new discipline of DNA genealogy to find connections between and among various Brown-surnamed families around the world -- including families with spelling variations like Broune, Browne, Brun and Braun, as well as possibly-related surnames like Browning. Our research uses a simple and painless mouth-swab routine to sample DNA from the Y chromosome (so-called yDNA). This material is the only type of DNA that "tracks" the surname reliably, and it's handed down from father to son with little or no change over hundreds -- sometimes thousands -- of years. (Because women don't carry this type of DNA, it's impossible for them to be direct test participants in our research. Nor are they tested for any of other the 1000+ "DNA surname studies" now in existence. But the majority of our participants have been recruited by female relatives -- so that women are indeed quite active in this work.) Our project now has yDNA signatures for 143 men, of whom 70 -- or about 49% -- have so far found "genealogically significant" matches with other project members. This success rate has been rising steadily over the life of the project, and we expect continued increases over the next few years as more and more people learn about the new field of DNA genealogy. To be specific, our rate of matches was only about 30% at this time last year. And two years ago, it was about 10%. In most cases, our participants' DNA matches have occurred "out of the blue," thereby bringing together Brown researchers who previously had no idea of their relationships to one another. In several instances, moreover, the matches have already provided true genealogical breakthroughs for the families concerned. Our project is manned by unpaid volunteers with absolutely no financial interests in the work, although testing arrangements are contracted via a commercial firm. Most of the study's participants have been tested by the University of Arizona's world class DNA lab. But our membership is open to any participants who've been tested elsewhere. For additional information on our project, you're invited to visit our website at: http://brownsociety.org/ And if you have specific questions -- either about DNA genealogy in general or about our project in particular -- please feel free to contact me anytime off-list. Best regards, Jim Brown (James Armistead Brown, Jr.) Project Co-Administrator Brown/Browne/Braun DNA Study DNAforBrowns@aol.com