created 1997

Welcome to the Barbee DNA Project. The purpose of the Project is to supplement traditional genealogy research by tracing our Barbee families genetically through DNA testing.

You can now know with certainty which of the early Barbees who arrived in Virginia in the mid-1600s (Andrew or William) you are related to. DNA tests of Andrew's and William's descendants show that they have distinctly different DNA patterns. This means that Andrew and William were not related in any way as some had suspected. It also means that a DNA test can prove whether you are related to Andrew or William. Just think! If you knew which of these early Barbees you are related to, it could siginificantly narrow your search for your missing link.

The Barbee DNA Project has helped many descendants of Andrew and William finally know which line they are connected to. For example, my brother's DNA test proves that I am somehow related to the William Barbee line. This is a major breakthrough for me because the paper trail has grown cold and I have been looking for my Barbee connection for over 15 years. The Project also tested a long shot theory and made a startling discovery -- the John Barba line of Cabarus County, North Carolina, is actually part of the William Barbee line. This completely redirected the Barba ancestor search to a hunt for the missing link to William Barbee.

Objectives Prove and verify Barbee (and variant spellings) family connections through Y-DNA testing. Major objectives are to determine whether: William and Andrew Barbee of the 1600s in Virginia are related. Completed! Other U. S. Barbee lines are related to William or Andrew Barbee. Ongoing - Many Barbee lines have been connected, but there are many more that can be connected. U.S. Barbees are related to Barbees (or similar names) in other countries. We are NOT related to a Barby line from England.

Other Goals Prove or disprove theories Solve brick walls Validate existing research Identify areas for further research Develop a DNA database

Much of the joy of genealogy research comes from sharing information with others, identifying long lost cousins, and helping them break down their brick walls. Most of us have received a lot of help from others somewhere along the way. Participating in the Barbee DNA Project is a great way to add to the volume of knowledge of our family history and to preserve it for future generations.

Even if you already know that you are descended from Andrew or William Barbee, we need your participation. A major goal of the project is to identify minor differences in Y DNA patterns for every branch of the Andrew and William Barbee lines. This will be of tremendous benefit to other Barbees seeking a connection to those two lines.

In order to discover more about our European roots, we would like participation from Barbee's with roots in Western Europe. All spellings that sound like Barbee (Barby, Barbey, Barbe, Barbie, Barbi, etc.) will be included.

If you have found Barbee's Crossroads useful in your research, I hope you will consider participating in this exciting project which can help many more Barbee researchers for whom the paper trail has grown cold!

All males who are Barbees (or variant spellings) by birth are welcome to participate. Others may sponsor a male Barbee. The surname DNA test is of the Y-chromosome, which only males have, and which is passed down from father to son, virtually intact. By comparing some of the inactive areas of this chromosome, we can determine whether or not multiple individuals are closely related. Sit back, relax and watch these excellent FamilyTreeDNA videos that describe how surname DNA studies can supplement traditional genealogy research!

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me. My email address appears at the bottom of each page.

Be Notified When New Information is Added to this Page - Enter your email address in the menu at the left and click "Be Notified". Then, sign up for a free account at Change Detection. After you have a Change Detection account, simply enter your email address and click "Be Notified" on each page at Barbee's Crossroads that you would like to monitor. It may be particularly useful to monitor the Welcome, DNA Results and What's New? pages which are updated most frequently.