Brown descendants and researchers DNA Project

Hello again Brown descendants and researchers!


The Brown/Browne/Braun DNA Study is an amateur genealogical activity, coordinated by an unpaid volunteer staff. The project was founded in late 2001. Most testing is contracted thru a commercial firm, Family Tree DNA of Houston TX, with the majority of lab work done at the University of Arizona. But we happily accept DNA results from other companies and other labs.

The Brown project has two primary aims:

(1) to encourage the use of DNA analysis for tracing the genealogies of various Brown family lines, including families with variant spellings like Browne, Broun, Browning and Braun; and

(2) to lend one another technical support for using DNA information in genealogical research.

Direct test participation is limited to males, since females don't carry any sort of DNA that can "track" a surname. On the other hand, about half of our test participants have been recruited and paid for by their female relatives.

The project now has results for 478 members, while initial lab work for another five members is currently ongoing. So as the project approaches its seventh anniversary, our tested membership has now reached a grand total of 483!

Among the DNA results so far reported, 320 participants have what appear to be "genealogically significant" matches with other members, falling into some 93 relationship groups, while another 158 members are still waiting for their first matches. These statistics also mean that we've so far identified 251 separate, biologically distinct Brown family lines. Although we've always known that the Brown surname had diverse origins, this level of diversity is much greater than many of us would have expected -- all the more so since our project has thus far tested something less than 0.02 per cent of the Brown-surnamed men in the English-speaking world!


Results for our currently "matched" participants appear on this page:

http://brownsociety.org/browndna/groupresults.htmlhttp://brownsociety.org/browndna/groupresults.html


while those who don't yet have a match are listed here:

http://www.brownsociety.org/browndna/unique.htmlhttp://www.brownsociety.org/browndna/unique.html


Then for those members who have supplied the project with genealogical information, the earliest known Brown ancestors are listed by earliest known locations at this page:

http://brownsociety.org/browndna/earliestancestorsgeographic.htmlhttp://brownsociety.org/browndna/earliestancestorsgeographic.html


(You'll note on these pages that almost all of our participants have allowed us to list their names alongside their DNA results. But we'll also be glad to grant anonymity to any member who so requests.)

If you or a member of your Brown family has already had a DNA test, we sincerely urge you to join us. It won't cost a thing, and it may help advance the research on your own Brown ancestry.

Or if you'd like details on costs and testing procedures -- either for yourself or for a Brown-surnamed male relative -- just drop me a line!

Best regards,

Jim Brown (James Armistead Brown, Jr.)
Volunteer Project Administrator
Brown/Browne/Braun DNA Study