Presumably members of this DNA project share a common objective. That is to trace back as far as we can our bloodline, revealing distant relatives and gaining glimpses into the history of those who helped fashion our characteristics that make us into who we are today. Each of us seeks distant Phillips's, recognising that somewhere the trail will finish but with the help of DNA we may be able to add a few more generations.
Eventually, we will find links with other surname groups who share our DNA and Smiths and Jones will begin to enter our family trees. We are simply Phillips's because sometime in the past an ancestor chose the name Phillips. Why? Was he a horse dealer or lover as the Greek Origin suggests? Was it for political or religious aspirations or did he merely like the name and chose it in preference to the many others available? Some make choices to belong to a group; others seek the opposite and want to be different. Ultimately each of us, I suppose, is seeking the tribe to which we belong.
I am fortunate in that I belong to the same tribe as Nancy Kiser which I share with a few others as yet identified in Group 8. Furthermore, links have been established with a cave in Germany some 3000 years ago. So does that mean we were Saxons or were we the slaves of Saxons? Hopefully, we were the Saxons and not the slaves and we will be able to identify our emigration to the British Isles and maybe other places. The key in placing the pieces together in this jig saw puzzle is DNA. DNA of the living and more importantly, the dead. Hopefully, we will find many more living members but what of the dead? Friends, did you know we have joined an organisation that is reliant on spade and shovel to dig up ancient graves seeking DNA? Exciting, isn't it! Digging at night joined by the spirits of the dead, owls watching our movements as we seek information in ancient burial grounds!
Help is at hand. Good news for those seeking to identify their DNA with the tribes of the British Isles. A book has been published by Professor Stephen Oppenheimer of Oxford University called "The Origins of the British" which traces the various DNA trails as they arrive. It may hold the secret of where you came from. The professor claims it will be possible to tell when the various groups arrived. This could help many of us to find a solution and pinpoint an area in the British Isles where to carry out in depth research. If you believe your origins lie in Wales, gosh, you could be amongst the original settlers from the Basque Country and share a history with a unique collection of individuals who have preserved their heritage and language. I hope you find some positive information. I am now looking for the professor as of the many groups mentioned, he does not mention mine. This could mean my relatives were invited here or arrived on the longboats raping and pillaging. The Professor claims he has the solution; so, Professor, where are you, I want to know.