Peden Surname DNA Project
A problem that has long plagued Peden researchers is how, or if, the various Peden families (and derivative names: Paden, Peaden, Paton, Pedin, Peedin etc.) in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland and Ireland are related. Traditional genealogical research has failed to establish links as relevant records from earlier centuries fail to shed light on this.
DNA testing for genealogical research has opened up possibilities that never before existed. This testing is able to prove relationships that involve common descent as well as establish if there are people with the same surname that are not related and therefore do not share common ancestry.
It is believed that there were five different Peden families that came fo colonial America from either Scotland or Ireland. In the 19th and 20th centuries other Pedens migrated from both Scotland and Ireland to the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Do all these separate Pedens stem from one common ancestor? Again, only Y-DNA testing can prove or disprove these relationships.
The Y-DNA Surname Project test is administered by Family Tree DNA and is simple, affordable, and scientifically accurate. For our surname project a male participant bearing the Peden/Paden or related name is required. A male is required because the Y chromosome is passed from father to son and so on over the generations with virtually no change. It is thus possible to link Peden/Paden participants to remote paternal ancestry. Females do not posess the Y chromosome and thus cannot be tested. They can, however, be instrumental in encouraging a male relative with the Peden or related surname to be tested.
The results of these tests are only for use in the DNA surname project and for no other purpose. The results are confidential. As more Peden/Paden descendants get tested the results will be posted on a Peden Surname DNA web site. The results will be listed by number and not by name. Please look at www.familytreedna.com
I am in hopes that there will be participation by Pedens and variant names from a wide range of family descent and geography. Please contact me, [email protected] for additional information and details.
Mark Paden
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Initial Peden Surname Y-DNA Results
Mark Paden 10/04/05