Hello,
Recently I have received quite a few questions from people who have had non-Y-DNA tests or
are not biologically a Carpenter or Zimmerman or from one of those closely related surname
variants.
The Carpenter Cousins Y-DNA Project tracks Y-DNA. We do not post or track MtDNA
(mitochondrial DNA is passed from mother to her children but only her daughters can pass
it to the next generation), AtDNA (autosomal DNA or DNA you received from both parents in
tests like Family Finder or AncestryDNA tests), or other DNA tests (paternal, X-STR, CODIS
and such).
The Carpenter Cousins Y-DNA Project focuses just on the Y-DNA. Why?
The male Y Chromosome is passed down from father to son virtually unchanged over the
generations. This makes it excellent for surname research. This is the reason the
Carpenter Cousins Y-DNA Project was created for.
Occasionally, less than 5% of the time, we run into what is called a NPE or non-paternal
event. This is where unexpected Y-DNA results happen. Often the case is that a young widow
with younger children re-marries and the youngest children assume (formally or informally)
the step-fathers surname. There are also other reasons such as rape, indiscretion,
identify theft, adoptions and such.
The Carpenter Cousins Y-DNA Project tracks Carpenter/Zimmerman and related surnames and
those that match genetically to such. Yes, we have non-Carpenter/Zimmerman related
surnames who have proven they are a Carpenter/Zimmerman genetically. This often via a
NPE.
For those Carpenters/Zimmermans without a Y-Chromosome or who are not biologically a
Carpenter/Zimmerman, they can sponsor a living male Carpenter/Zimmerman to Y-DNA test.
Many Carpenter/Zimmerman females enlist and sponsor their Carpenter/Zimmerman male
siblings, fathers, uncles and cousins for this purpose.
I hope this helps.
John R. Carpenter
Carpenter Cousins Project
http://carpentercousins.com
Carpenter Cousins Y-DNA Project
http://www.carpentercousins.com/carpdna.htm
Carpenter Cousins Y-DNA Project lineage page
http://www.carpentercousins.com/generallineage.htm