I was raised to believe that my Biological Family came from Germany. And one day I purchased the Dryer Coat of arms (from one of the commercial suppliers through the military PX). Then while surfing the internet I noticed the same arms assigned to another family (the Johnstones of Annandale, Scotland). This led to a bunch of other searches, online, and I have found some information linking the Dryers to the Johnstones as far back as 1000CE (I am still a fan of AD but you know what I mean). This string of searching has opened a BUNCH of new information into the Dryer history. And caused me to develope a thesis that I am now working on proving.

Thesis: The Dryer Family originated in the Scottish Lowlands and were forced out of Scotland either by Civil war (during or after the jacobite revolutions) or during the highland clearences of the 18th Century.

These assumptions are supported by the following facts:

- My DNA Study did not show a single match in Germany (not that they don't exist, but that nobody there participated) but there were nearly 2 dozen matches in England.
-- >70% of all matches were of Scotish Decent, there were several Wallace, Johnston, Bruce, and Swinton Matches (all of which are families located along the Scotish/English Boarder).
- My German Family comes from Hamburg, which has one of the largest Scotish Populations in Mainland Europe... With a documented link to fleeing Scots from the 1700's Highland Clearences.

If are interested in participating in a DNA study, I did my DNA link through Ancestry.com. (familytree.com has an ongoing Dryer study - with several dryer participants -- I am planning on participating in that study as well).

Warm Regards,

DJ Dryer