The "problem" you are describing has nothing to do with being in the UK. It has to do with people thinking they have little hope of a match. It is the same problem faced with some small projects I administrate. When only one person has tested, it's hard to get number two to test, because they see little chance of a match. When you finally get number two, the same problem is faced to get number three, and so on at each step of the way. Once you get more people to test, the project takes a life of its own as far as who it is "easy" to get to test and who remains "hard" due to geography. Geographic problems with getting people to test are when they think they have little hope of a match. My SHORT DNA project has 58 members (about 15 when I took it a few years ago). Three are from the UK, which is exactly the same number as from northern states: THREE. I know there are SHORTs living in the northern US, it is not a "regional" name. I monitor the SHORT mail list and message boards, but trying to get someone from a northern state to test when they look at the results and see all the southern lines is hard, because they think they have little or no chance of a match. It's the same problem in microcosm that I faced when I took over, or in small projects of just getting ANYONE to test. Of course the "problem" snowballs. Someone with a southern line may now feel they have a good chance for a match, so they test, which makes the results even more lopsided to having a southern slant. Getting someone with a northern line (or UK line) to test is the exact same problem as with getting ANYONE in a small project to test: little perceived chance of a match, because everyone is waiting for OTHERS to take the first step and test, and then they MIGHT test when they see enough results that they think they might have a chance at a match. Rick Saunders -----Original Message----- From: y-dna-projects-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:y-dna-projects-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Debbie Kennett Sent: Saturday, July 03, 2010 6:21 AM To: y-dna-projects@rootsweb.com Subject: [Y-DNA-projects] Country of Origin Participation <snip> 3) The presentation of so many American DNA project websites is not conducive to the recruitment of UK participants. I get people who are interested in DNA testing and my heart sinks when I visit the relevant surname project website. Inevitably the focus will be on "connecting with cousins in the UK" or with sorting out the myriad lines in Virginia or New England. If the UK is mentioned at all it is only as an afterthought. You look at the results page and all you see is a long list of cryptic American state abbreviations for the most distant common ancestor. It is very difficult if not impossible to try and persuade someone from the UK to take a DNA test in such circumstances.