DNA Project

Description

Genetic Genealogy combines DNA test results with traditional genealogical methods to infer genetic relationships between individuals. Our Genetic Genealogy projects are open to all who are interested in working together to find our common heritage.

Volunteers work with participants to verify ancestry linkage and resolve mysteries (brick walls). If you are interested your family’s genetic genealogy and would like to participate, take a DNA test, complete a family tree, and join one or more of our projects.

Currently, we have three Genetic Genealogy Projects:

• Stiles Surname Project – Y-DNA for males who have taken a Y-DNA test.
• Stiles Autosomal DNA Project at FTDNA
• Stiles Autosomal DNA Project at GEDmatch (you must be logged into your GEDmatch account).

All administrators for each of our groups are members of the Stiles Family of America and Affiliated Families (SFA).

Background

The Stiles Family of America and Affiliated Families, Inc. (SFA) voted at the annual meeting in July 2007 to formally establish a DNA project. With few volunteers and limited time and resources, from 2007 until 2021, the Stiles DNA Project was focused solely on Y-DNA. Following the July 2021 SFA annual meeting, the Stiles DNA Project expanded to include Autosomal Stiles DNA testers. In 2022, SFA volunteers and began focusing on participants with genealogical paper trails based on research or documents (e.g., publications) and matching DNA results. To describe the projects more accurately, its name changed to “Genetic (DNA) Genealogy”. These projects are not limited to Stiles in America. We have participants from Canada, Australia, and England.

The SFA has over 333,000 names in our database and many more in our hard copy files. With hundreds of Stiles named William, John, Robert, Samuel, and James, we ask all SFA genetic genealogy project participants to provide an unbroken line of at least 4 generations (or more is always welcomed!) so that we can try to accurately identify you in our records. More generations with siblings and their descendants improve your matches. Participants may either upload a ged.com family tree file to FamilyTreeDNA or they can individually each person, including dates and locations if known. If you don’t yet know your lineage, our volunteers may be able to help.

Goals                           

• Help people pursuing their ancestral line utilizing DNA testing and genealogical research.
• Update/Correct family trees, bridge paper record gaps, and resolve brick walls.
• Connect group members to others in their family branch.
• Expand our knowledge and research about family history and identify participants to invite to join SFA Genetic Genealogy projects.

See our complete list of goals at our Stiles-Autosomal project at FamilyTreeDNA