I am a VOLUNTEER Assistant Admin for a Wiley yDNA surname project (Nancy Pichette is Admin). We are not paid; we do this out of a passion for family history and excitement in using this relatively new technic of genetic genealogy to help us break down those brick walls! So I am not trying to sell this idea for my own self-interest but for all Wiley’s interest.

The more participants in the Wiley yDNA database the better for all of us. It doesn’t do any good to get results and keep them to yourself although I can understand perhaps wanting to maintain a certain degree of privacy. The data can be public without ever letting any one know the name of the participant . . . . but rather the y-results would be associated with the name of your first known ancestor. That is a more valuable use of the data for other researchers AND it maintains your personal privacy until or if you wish to share it.

Family Tree DNA (in Houston) has a nine year proven track record and they have 90% of yDNA surname testing. Their database exceeds ½ a million participants. We have 35 participants in our project. There are five distinct genetically differentiated Wiley families and a small assortment of ‘unassigned’ Wiley participants. That means they have no matches yet. I would love to see this project grow for the benefit of all Wiley researchers!

If you have any questions about participation or any concerns, please ask me! I am interested in knowing why someone would NOT be interested since then I can begin to address those concerns.

Thank you.

Jody McKenney Thomson