Helfrich DNA surname project is under way!

I am very excited to announce that I have started a Helfrich surname DNA project! I just sent in my DNA sample for testing, and I am hopeful that other men with variations of the name Helfrich will do the same in the near future.

The Helfrich surname project will attempt to answer questions about the origin of the Helfrich family, which families (if any) are related and which are not and who can we call "cousin" today.

Traditional research is incredibly time consuming. It remains a necessary part of genealogy, but the wider questions about origins and relationships can be answered with far more precision and speed through DNA testing. While it may not answer all of your nagging questions about your own Helfrich family history it can provide answers to other questions - some which we probably haven't even thought of yet! If you are interested in your origins and relationships to others with the same surname then you need to participate in this project.

Requirements: To participate in the Helfrich DNA Project you must be a man named Helfrich, or one of the spelling variations of the surname, with some known Helfrich family history. Only males may participate because the test looks at only the Y chromosome, which is passed on from father to son. Women do not carry a Y chromosome at all.

The DNA test is completely painless, requires no blood and is easy to perform. The company sends you the testing kit, and you collect the DNA yourself. Cells are gathered from the inside of your cheek by using three cotton swabs. Then you mail the swabs to the lab for analysis. In three or four weeks or so you have your results.

If you are interested in learning more feel free to email me or post a message. If I can't answer your question myself, I can direct you to the website for the company I am working with for more information. If you are ready to sign up go to http://www.dnaheritage.com/oracle/join.asp?GroupUnique=66463http://www.dnaheritage.com/oracle/join.asp?GroupUnique=66463 6414.

The more Helfrich men who participate the more comprehensive and precise our database will be and the more questions we may be able to answer about our heritage.