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The Maybury DNA Project
Maybury . Mayberry . Maberry . Mabery . Mabrey . Mabry

Our project began in 2003 and now has more than 90 participants.

What is the purpose of the project?
  1. to find out if all Mayburys, Mayberrys, Mabrys, etc. have a common ancestor;

  2. to see if DNA can be used to identify major branches of the family;

  3. to look for answers to questions that normal genealogical research cannot answer.
What have we learned so far?
  1. We have identified a unique DNA signature for the Maybury family.

    The Y chromosome (which only males have) contains a unique "family signature" which is passed down from father to son through many generations. We have identified this unique DNA signature for the Maybury (Mayberry, Mabry, Maberry, etc.) family.

  • We have learned that the "most recent common ancestor" of all Mayburys lived about 400-450 years ago.

    We now believe that all Mayburys, Mayberrys, etc. (except those described in paragraph 4 below) descend from a "common ancestor". The Y-DNA test makes it possible to calculate about how long ago the "Most Recent Common Ancestor" (MRCA) of our participants lived. While DNA testing alone cannot tell us the name of the common ancestor of all Mayburys -- it does tell us that he lived approximately 400-450 years ago.

  • By combining the results of DNA testing with conventional genealogical research, we believe that we have found the identity of our common ancestor.

    An analysis of "Maybury events" (births, marriages and burials) found in the parish registers of 16th century England has convinced us that our most recent common ancestor was, almost certainly, a skilled iron worker named John Maybury, who was born about 1540 and died in 1618 at Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire.

  • A small number of our participants do not carry the Maybury DNA signature. Instead they carry the signature of a different family which was probably acquired through a "paternal event" in a past generation.

    "A paternal event" is a euphemism that points to a family event sometime in the past by which the Maybury DNA signature on the Y chromosome was replaced by the signature of another family. This usually happens when a male child is either born out-of-wedlock to a Maybury mother or adopted into a Maybury family. The new DNA signature comes from the biological father of that child and is then passed on in the DNA of all male descendants of that child.

  • We have recently discovered "distinguishing markers" which help to identify some branches of the Maybury family such as the Mayburys of County Kerry, Ireland; the Mayberrys of County Londonderry, Northern Ireland; and the descendants of Francis Maybury of Virginia.

    Mutations normally occur among some genetic markers. If those mutations occured many generations ago, they may provide "distinguishing markers" to help us identify larger branches of the family. Until very recently we did not see a pattern in these mutations because the changes seemed to be random. However, as the number of DNA samples increased we began to notice identifiable patterns related to particular branches of the family. As the number of our participants increases, we may be able to identify some "distinguishing markers" for other branches of the family.

  • The more participants we have in our DNA project, the more we learn. Thus we welcome new participants and hope to learn even more from their DNA.
    • What is required to participate in the Maybury DNA Project?
    • Participants in the project need to 1) have a variant of the Maybury surname (Maybery, Maberry, Mayberry, Mabry, Mabrey, etc.); and 2) must be male because only males have the Y chromosome on which the family signature is found.

    • The basic 12 marker test is not always sufficient to confirm the authenticity of the Maybury family DNA signature. Therefore, the Y-DNA37 test is the standard for our study. New participants receive a major discount if they join the Maybury Project.

    • We prefer that new participants order their Y-DNA test from FamilyTree DNA, the premier company offering DNA testing for genealogical purposes. 90% of genealogists use FamilyTree DNA. Other providers, such as Ancestry.com, often use some different markers which makes it difficult to compare their results with the participants in our study.

    • You will receive a simple test kit which will enable you to collect a DNA sample by swabing the inside your cheeks with a special brush. After you return the kit it usually requires about 5-6 weeks to process your DNA and produce a report.

    • Don Collins, administrator of the Maybury DNA Project, will be happy to answer your questions (his mother was a Mabry). He can also e-mail you a special link which will enable you to order your test kit, enroll in the Maybury Project, and receive a group discount on the cost of your DNA test.
    Where can I get more information?
    How can you help?

    The Maybury DNA Project is ongoing. As more participants join the project, we will learn more about several hard to identify branches of the Maybury and Mayberry families. Here's how you can help:






    May 2009