A surname project is a project which is formed by individuals with the same or similar surname who use tools such as Y-DNA Testing to determine the roots of their surname, and to establish links and reunite family groups.

As a surname project grows and the number of members increases, a surname project often aims to link together global families sharing the same surname, determine whether the surname originated from a single line or from several ancestral lines, and reunite family groups with the same surname that share a common ancestor.

Hints for managing Surname Projects

The list below provides management techniques for Surname Project Administrators.

1. Always make the aim of the Project should clear. The aim of the project is posted in the “About” section. A well-written objective will make the goal of your project clear to potential members and will allow them to share in the purpose and goals of the project.
2. Keep the members updated on the progress of the project. Use the announcement section to keep members up to date. Keeping the content and announcements up to date promotes member involvement and will keep the project exciting for new and potential members.
3. Encourage discussion in the Project’s forum. All surname projects contain their own forum so that administrators, users and visitors can communicate, brainstorm, and keep each other up to date with topics pertaining to their research.
4. Write a good letter. It is recommended that when you initially contact a potential member to make sure that your letter is clear and that your objectives are well defined. It is very helpful to provide a link to your project homepage so that the reader knows where to go for more information. It may also be helpful to provide to a link to GeneBase’s FAQ and Surname Project pages so that readers who are not familiar with surname projects will be able to understand what they are.
5. Find potential members. Potential members with surnames of interest to you can be found at genealogy forums, through telephone directories, search engines, and many other places. The more people who know about your project, the more likely that you will be able to recruit relevant members worldwide and the faster that you will be able to grow your project and research your surname