There are just a few simple requirements for participating in the Woodruff DNA Project. Please review these requirements below before signing up for the project. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact the project administrator.
- Testee Must Be a Male - Since the testing occurs on the Y chromosome which is passed down only from father to son, a testee must be a male. If you are a female, you can sponsor a Woodruff male (or males) for testing from your immediate family or extended family—such as a brother, father, uncle, grandfather, male cousin, etc.
- Testee Must Be a Woodruff Direct Male Line Descendant - Since this project is focussed on the Woodruff surname, a testee must be a Woodruff (Woodroof, Woodroffe, etc.) direct male line descendant—i.e., a male with the last name of Woodruff (or variation) or one whose biological father (or father's father, or father's father's father, etc.) was a Woodruff (or variation). If you are a female or a non-Woodruff male and researching a Woodruff line, you can sponsor a Woodruff male (or males) for testing from your particular Woodruff line of interest.
- Test Results Must Be Posted on the Woodruff DNA Project Web Site - For this project to succeed, participants should be willing to share their test results with others and must consent to their DNA test results being posted on the Woodruff DNA Project website. As discussed on the Basics of Genetic Genealogy & DNA Testing page, the testing is limited to the inactive junk DNA portion of a male's Y chromosome and reveals nothing regarding a person's physical characteristics or genetic illnesses or susceptibility to any medical or mental conditions. My own test results are openly posted at several places on the web—see TRDA8 at Ysearch and BIQA5 at Ybase. However, a testee can remain anonmymous if he wishes and be identified on the project website only by a project code (such as W100). Also, a project member can choose to withdraw from the project at any time and all of their information and test results will be removed from the website. See the Privacy Issues section below for more information on matters regarding privacy.
- Details on the Woodruff Ancestry of the Testee Must Be Submitted - Since one of the primary goals of this project is to explore and compare Y-DNA profiles from the various Woodruff lines and to aid Woodruff researchers in making new connections to and among these lines, details on the Woodruff ancestry of the testee must be submitted. The minimum amount of information needed consists of the names, dates, and places for the direct male line Woodruff ancestors of the testee starting with the testee himself and going back to the most distant known Woodruff ancestor. This information can be submitted either via email, or as a link to where the information exists on the web, or as a gedcom file exported from a genealogy program. The information submitted will be posted on the Woodruff DNA Project website and associated with the DNA test results of the testee. However, the names of living persons, and the name of the testee if he desires, will not be posted.
- Compliance With Testing Company's Requirements - Some testing companies have additional requirements for testees. These can include such things as being at least a certain age and signing consent forms. So, a testee will need to comply with any requirements of the testing company.
- Posting Test Results to Online DNA Databases (Optional) - Although the posting of a testee's DNA test results to the Woodruff DNA Project website is the only posting requirement for joining the project, there are other places where testees are urged to post their results. Ysearch is a large online Y-DNA database that is maintained by the testing company Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) which is the primary testing company for this project. If the testing is done by FTDNA, a testee can automatically post their results to Ysearch via the FTDNA website. Adding their test results to Ysearch offers project participants more opportunities to discover others that match or closely match their DNA profile and to make new genealogical connections. Another recommended online Y-DNA database is Ybase which is maintained by the testing company DNA Heritage.
- Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) Testing for Males and Females (Optional) - The Woodruff DNA Project is aimed primarily at investigating Woodruff surname lineages through male Y-DNA testing. However, as an adjunct, the project will accept males and females for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) testing which aids research into direct maternal line ancestry—i.e., mother's mother's mother's ... mother. The testee just needs to be a Woodruff by birth or have a Woodruff female (by birth or by marriage) in their direct maternal line. As with the Y-DNA testing, the same requirements apply regarding the posting of test results and the submission of ancestry information (maternal line). Males can often get a discount on mtDNA testing if it is ordered at the same time as their Y-DNA testing. Details on ordering mtDNA testing are in the Join the Project section below.
Each participant in the project has the option of choosing the level of privacy they wish to maintain regarding identifying information that is revealed about them. Although testing is limited to the inactive junk DNA portion of a male's Y chromosome and does not reveal anything about a person physically or medically—see the Basics of Genetic Genealogy & DNA Testing page—some people may still wish to remain anonymous within the project. At the highest level of privacy with the participant remaining completely anonymous, the only items that are posted to the project website are the participant's actual test results, their pre-1900 Woodruff lineage, and their assigned generic project ID. However, in order to facilitate contact with other Woodruff researchers and to reveal more information about themselves, project members can choose to have any or all of the following items posted on the project website: (1) Email address, (2) Name, (3) Personal website address, and (4) Post-1900 Woodruff ancestors who are deceased. In Step 2 of the Join the Project process below, a prospective project member needs to indicate which of these additional items they want posted, if any. After joining the project, if a member wishes to withdraw from the project for any reason, they can do so by contacting the project administrator in which case all of their information and test results will be removed from the website. Feel free to contact the project administrator with any questions or concerns regarding privacy issues.
Joining the Woodruff DNA Project is a three-step process: (1) Select a testing company and a test and place an order with that company, (2) Contact the Woodruff DNA Project administrator to meet the project requirements, and (3) Take the test when the kit arrives, mail it back to the testing company, and make payment. There are several companies around the U.S. and the world that provide genealogical DNA testing services. For the Woodruff DNA Project, Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) is the primary and preferred DNA testing company. Please review the details below on testing with FTDNA and with an alternative company, DNA Heritage. You can also click here to view a comparison chart of markers offered by several different companies. If you would like to test with a company not listed below, contact the project administrator to make sure the company is appropriate for the Woodruff DNA Project.
Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) -
FTDNA is a world leader in genealogical DNA testing and the primary and preferred DNA testing company for the Woodruff DNA Project.
The company is based in Houston, Texas and currently has its testing done by the University of Arizona.
They are in the process of building a new state-of-the-art laboratory in Houston for processing testing orders as well as doing research and development on new DNA testing.
FTDNA currently offers four Y-DNA testing levels—67, 37, 25, and 12 markers.
The prices listed are FTDNA's specially discounted prices (20-30% off regular prices) for having the testing done through a surname project.
Currently, some of the tests qualify for a special introductory project discount further reducing the price of testing.
See instructions in Step 2 below on claiming this discount.
- 67-Marker Test (Y-DNA67) $238 ($208 with Currently Available $30 Project Discount) -
This is FTDNA's best test and is highly recommended if it is within a participant's budget.
It contains the largest number of markers in any single test currently available on the market.
It includes all the markers in the 37-marker test plus 30 others.
This number of markers will provide a high degree of certainty in determining relationships both among and within the various Woodruff family lines from around the world.
Many who start out at a lower testing level will want to eventually upgrade to the 67-marker level.
Click Here to Order 67-marker Test (see Step 2 below to claim the project discount) - 37-Marker Test (Y-DNA37) $149 ($129 with Currently Available $20 Project Discount) -
This test is a very good starting test for genealogical purposes and provides an adequate number of markers to use in finding genealogical relevant DNA matches.
It includes all the markers in the 25-marker test.
Matches or near matches at 37 markers almost always indicate close family relationships with a common ancestor not more than 10 to 15 generations back.
This can be invaluable in proving or disproving the findings or hypotheses of traditional genealogical research.
Click Here to Order 37-marker Test (see Step 2 below to claim the project discount) - 25-Marker Test (Y-DNA25) $124 - This is the minimum FTDNA testing level for generating genealogically useful matches with other testees. It is a good test for finding initial matches, but may require an upgrade to more markers in order to obtain a greater level of certainty in verifying relationships. Matches at 25 markers may indicate close family relationships but can only be verified with more markers.
- 12-Marker Test (Y-DNA12) $99 - This test has rather limited genealogical value and will not necessarily produce genealogically relevant matches. A testee is likely to have many 12-marker matches with people who are not related in a genealogical recent timeframe—say, within the last one or two thousand years. This level of testing is mainly used to assign people to very broad population groups and is used in studies such as the National Geographic's Genographic Project. However, if someone just wants to see what the testing is all about and wants to try it out at the lowest cost possible, then they can start out with the 12-marker test if they like.
- SuperDNA $518 ($488 with Currently Available $30 Project Discount) -
Combines the 67-Marker Y-DNA test and the mtDNA Full Sequence test.
Since it includes a Y-DNA test, it is for males only.
Order SuperDNA Test (see Step 2 below to claim the project discount) - Y-DNA67 + mtDNAPlus $369 ($339 with Currently Available $30 Project Discount) -
Combines the 67-Marker Y-DNA test and the mtDNA HVR1 & HVR2 test.
Since it includes a Y-DNA test, it is for males only.
Order Y-DNA67 + mtDNAPlus Test (see Step 2 below to claim the project discount) - Y-DNA37 + mtDNAPlus $269 ($249 with Currently Available $20 Project Discount) -
Combines the 37-Marker Y-DNA test and the mtDNA HVR1 & HVR2 test.
Since it includes a Y-DNA test, it is for males only.
Order Y-DNA37 + mtDNAPlus Test (see Step 2 below to claim the project discount) - Y-DNA37 + mtDNA $238 ($218 with Currently Available $20 Project Discount) -
Combines the 37-Marker Y-DNA test and the mtDNA HVR1 test.
Since it includes a Y-DNA test, it is for males only.
Order Y-DNA37 + mtDNA Test (see Step 2 below to claim the project discount) - mtDNA HVR1 & HVR2 Test (mtDNAPlus) $149 - This tests both the mtDNA HVR1 and HVR2 regions. It can be ordered by either males or females.
- mtDNA HVR1 Test (mtDNA) $99 - This tests only the mtDNA HVR1 region. It can be ordered by either males or females.
- 67-Marker Test (Y-DNA67) $238 ($208 with Currently Available $30 Project Discount) -
This is FTDNA's best test and is highly recommended if it is within a participant's budget.
It contains the largest number of markers in any single test currently available on the market.
It includes all the markers in the 37-marker test plus 30 others.
This number of markers will provide a high degree of certainty in determining relationships both among and within the various Woodruff family lines from around the world.
Many who start out at a lower testing level will want to eventually upgrade to the 67-marker level.
DNA Heritage (DNAH) -
DNAH is an alternate testing company for the Woodruff DNA Project that is based in the U.K. with testing performed at Sorenson Genomics laboratory in Salt Lake City, Utah.
DNAH offers several Y-DNA test packages but only two are suitable for this project—43 and 25 markers.
The prices listed are DNAH's specially discounted prices (about 5% off regular prices) for having the testing done through a surname project.
Currently, the 43-marker test qualifies for a special project discount further reducing the price of testing.
See instructions in Step 2 below on claiming this discount.
43-Marker Test (Full Marker Panel 43) $189 ($179 with Currently Available $10 Project Discount) -
This test contains all of the Y-DNA markers currently offered by DNAH.
It includes 32 of the markers that are in FTDNA's 67-marker and 37-marker tests.
Comparable to FTDNA's 37-marker test in genealogical value, it provides enough markers to make genealogically relevant DNA matches.
However, if at some point more markers are desired, one will have to either find another testing company or wait for DNAH to offer additional markers.
25-Marker Test (Family Tree DNA 25) $149.75 -
As the test name implies, this test includes all of the markers in the FTDNA 25-marker test.
Like the FTDNA 25-marker test, it is a good test for finding initial matches, but will inevitably require an upgrade to more markers later on.
Matches at 25 markers may indicate close family relationships but can only be verified with more markers.
After placing your order, the next step in the process of joining the Woodruff DNA Project is to contact the project administrator. The following items need to be sent via email:
- Permission to post your DNA test results on the Woodruff DNA Project website - Each member will be assigned a project ID (such as W100) which will used to identify test results on the website. However, if they wish, members may elect to provide contact information—such as name, email address, etc.—so that other researchers can contact them. Please indicate in your email if you would like your contact information posted and what information you want posted.
- Details on your Woodruff lineage going all the way back to your earliest known Woodruff ancestor - You can send these details in the email, or you can provide a link to where the information can be found on the internet, or you can send a gedcom file containing the information.
- Request for project discount - If the test you have selected qualifies for a project discount and you would like to take advantage of this offer, please request the discount in your email. The discount will be drawn from the project's general fund and your invoice will be reduced by the discount amount or if you paid by credit card, a refund will be credited to your card.
You can now wait until the test kit arrives in the mail—usually in less than a week. After it arrives, you can proceed to Step 3 below to complete the process of joining the Woodruff DNA Project.
After the test kit arrives, thoroughly review and follow the test instructions. There are often restrictions on eating or drinking before taking the test. After completing the test process, follow the instructions for mailing the kit back to the test company. Don't forget to enclose any required consent forms. You are usually notified via email about making payment after the test company has received your test kit and has begun processing it. Getting your test results back can be as soon as 3-4 weeks or as long as 8-10 weeks depending on the test load at the testing company. Feel free to contact the project administrator and let him know that the kit has been mailed in, and also with any questions or problems you have at any point in the process.
The Woodruff DNA Project maintains general fund pools at Family Tree DNA and DNA Heritage to help fund the testing of project members. The project discounts offered for certain tests are drawn from these general funds. If the fund is empty, the administrator will deposit the necessary funds to cover any requested discount. If you would like to contribute to the project's general fund pools, follow the instructions below. If you like, you can place a condition on your contribution such as it going towards the funding of a particular Woodruff family line or even a particular person. Please contact the project administrator after making your contribution so that it can be confirmed and any conditions on its use noted.
Contribute to the Woodruff DNA Project General Fund at Family Tree DNA - You can use either a credit card or PayPal to make a contribution to this fund. Important: When making your payment, be sure to specify the Woodruff DNA Project as the recipient of the contribution. If paying by credit card, put "Woodruff DNA Project" in the Surname Project field. If paying by PayPal, put "Woodruff DNA Project" in the Payment For field. You also have the option of making your contribution via mail. Click here to contribute at FTDNA (be sure to select Woodruff in the selection box).
Contribute to the Woodruff DNA Project General Fund at DNA Heritage - The only method for making a contribution to this fund is via PayPal. Also, the funds can't be redeemed to partially pay for a test. Therefore, any contributions should probably be targeted for the testing of a specific individual. Click here to contribute at DNAH and use the Make a Donation button on the right side of the page.
