Do you descend from one or more of the passengers on the Mayflower?
If you do, you know many of them left us with no clue as to their origins. Modern DNA technology may answer these questions, however, which is why it’s good to know what surname studies are currently underway. These DNA projects cover the surnames of the passengers of these ships. Have you checked them out yet?
Mayflower Passengers (with known descendants)
John Alden – No DNA surname project; see the Mayflower Society DNA Project
Isaac Allerton – No DNA surname project; see the Mayflower Society DNA Project
John Billington – No DNA surname project; see the Mayflower Society DNA Project
William Bradford – Bradford DNA Project
William Brewster – Brewster DNA Project
Peter Browne – no results for this family in the Brown/e DNA Project; see the Mayflower Society DNA Project
James Chilton – No DNA surname project; see the Mayflower Society DNA Project
Francis Cooke – Cook DNA Project
Edward Doty – Doty/Doughty DNA Project
Francis Eaton – Eaton DNA Project
Moses Fletcher – Moses’ descendants are not known to have come to America, but remained in Holland. See the Mayflower Society DNA Project, where one descendant has been tested.
Edward Fuller – there is a Fuller DNA Project, but results are only open to members of the project
Stephen Hopkins – Hopkins DNA Project
John Howland – Howland DNA Project
Richard More – Richard’s descendants do not seem to be participating in the Moore DNA Project; see the Mayflower Society DNA Project
William Mullins – William’s descendants do not seem to be participating in the Mullins DNA Project; see the Mayflower Society DNA Project
Degory Priest – Degory only had daughters, but it may be worth seeing the Mayflower Society DNA Project
Thomas Rogers – Rogers DNA Project
Henry Samson – No DNA surname project; see the Mayflower Society DNA Project
George Soule – Soule DNA Project
Myles Standish – Standish DNA Project; unknown if descendants of Myles are participating
Edward & John Tilley – No DNA surname project; see the Mayflower Society DNA Project
Richard Warren – Warren DNA Project; unknown if descendants of Richard are participating
William White – White DNA Project
Edward Winslow – Winslow DNA Project
Someday, these projects may answer the questions we’ve had for hundreds of years. I agree with Blaine Bettinger and Debbie Parker Wayne, who said on Jane E. Wilcox’s Forget-Me-Not Hour that DNA testing is now part of “reasonably exhaustive” research. DNA can give us clues and a direction for our research when traditional methods come up dry.