The Palatine DNA Project

iStock_000000516280XSmall DNA Projects, often affiliated with a genetic genealogy testing company, are used to coordinate the testing and result analysis of individuals that have the same surname, originate from a common location, or have a comment set of ancestors. For example, I’ve started the Bettinger DNA Project for individuals with the “Bettinger” surname. An example of a project that hopes to analyze the DNA of a common set of ancestors is the Palantine DNA Project.

From Wikipedia:

“Around 1709, the Rhineland-Palatinate region between what is now known as Germany and France was highly contested by each side. At least 13,000 residents left for Holland and London. The English sent them on to America where close to 300 families, led by the Reverend Joshua Kocherthal and the Reverend Johann Frederick Hager, settled in the Hudson River Valley, most noticeably in Saugerties, New York.”

According to the Project’s website:

“This Palatine DNA Project welcomes all direct descendants of these brave and hardy men and women. The goal is to determine if and how these families are related and to reunite those families that were split apart during the great exodus from Germany and resettlement throughout the world. DNA testing can make this possible, and this new Palatine DNA Project will coordinate test results from all companies in an effort to reach this goal. Not only will participants learn about their connections to Germany but they will also learn about their very deep roots, the path their ancestors took out of Africa many thousands of years ago that led them eventually to Germany.”

There is more information about the Palantine DNA Project in an article from The Daily Freeman, a small newspaper from that area of New York. It’s a fun article, worth a quick look. Interestingly, as I was reading the article, I recognized the name of a friend that I went to college with. It truly is a small world.

3 Responses

  1. Tonya Frickey 16 February 2008 / 10:20 pm

    Hi Blaine!
    Thanks for mentioning the Palatine DNA Project on your blog! The Daily Freeman’s article was indeed a fun one–and if anyone has questions regarding the project, please feel free to direct them to me! 🙂 Thanks so much!

    -Tonya Frickey
    Columbia County NY

  2. Blaine Bettinger 16 February 2008 / 10:33 pm

    Tonya – More than happy to mention a new DNA project! I hope the project finds lots of members. At some point down the road I’d love to have you come back to discuss some of the results with us.

  3. Harold Tarr 23 June 2008 / 9:52 am

    I arrived at this site following a Google link that promised info on a Palatine DNA Project. Actually, I have found virtually no information on such a project. If anyone out there is able to give me a contact with this project, I would be very appreciative. My german-speaking, first ancestor in the Maryland Colony arrived around 1750. Little is known, before his son, Johannes Balthazer DURR/TARR. I have had 67 YDNA markers tested, SNP testing: R1b1b2g, and MtDna testing. Is there a table of tested Palatines other than those associated with FTDNA? Thanks. Harold Tarr, New York, NY

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