Group projects are run by volunteer administrators who help members research a surname, a region, or a haplogroup. Joining is free, but you need to have tested with FamilyTreeDNA, manage a kit, or transferred your results here.
I am tracing my family surname. Where do I start?
A surname usually follows the direct paternal line, so the most useful test is Y-DNA, taken by a male who carries the surname. Once he has results, search for the surname on the Group Projects page of our website and join the surname project, where administrators and other members research the same name. To find relatives on all of your family lines, not just the surname line, Family Finder is the test to use.
How do I find a project for my surname?
Search for your surname on the Group Projects page of our website. Surname projects usually focus on the direct paternal line, so most of them ask members to take a Y-DNA test, though some also use Family Finder results.
My request to join a project has been pending for weeks.
Many administrators review join requests before approving them, so your request waits until an administrator approves it. Try contacting the project administrator first. If you do not hear back, email our Group Projects team at groups@ftdna.com with the project name and your kit number.
I am an administrator. A member cannot join our project and it says pending, but we do not restrict joins.
Check the Project Profile page in your Group Administrator Page (GAP). If 'Allow new members to join without a join request' is not selected, members have to send a join request that an administrator approves. If that option is selected and members still show as pending, email groups@ftdna.com.
Can I contact other members or my matches?
To contact a match, use the details they have chosen to share on your matches page. We cannot share another member's contact information. Project administrators can email their project members with the Bulk Email tool.
The Bulk Email form will not let me enter a subject.
The subject line for the bulk email cannot be changed
Still need help?
Contact Customer Service through our Contact Us form or call +1 713-868-1438, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday between 9 AM to 5 PM CT. Our chat assistant cannot see your kit details, so a person on our team needs to help with anything specific to your account.