The Maybury DNA Project

Maybury; Mayberry; Maberry; Mabery; Mabrey; Mabry…


Our project began in 2003 and now has more than 240 participants

The purpose of the project has been:

  1. to find out if most Mayburys, Mayberrys, Mabrys, etc. descend from a common ancestor;

  2. to look for markers that might help us identify major branches of the family;

  3. to look for answers to questions that conventional genealogical research cannot answer.

What have we learned so far?

  1. The Y chromosome, found only in males, contains a unique "family signature" which is passed down from father to son. This signature is unchanged over many generations, except for rare but random mutations which then become part of the signature for future generations. We have identified this unique DNA signature for the Maybury family (Mayberry, Mabry, Maberry, etc.).

  2. We now believe that MOST Mayburys, Mayberrys, etc. descend from a "common ancestor". 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 likely in Sussex or in France. He died in 1618 at Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire.

  3. A few of our participants carry a DNA signature that does not match the usual signature of the Maybury family. Instead, they carry a different family signature which was probably acquired through a "paternal event" sometime in the past.

    "A paternal event" is a euphemism that points to a past family event 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 adopted into a Maybury family or born out-of-wedlock to a Maybury mother. That son carries with him the DNA signature of his own biological father, which he then passes on to future generations.

  4. If a new DNA signature is brought into the family through adoption, etc., and the family continues to use the Maybury (Mayberry, etc.) name, the new signature becomes, in effect, a new Maybury DNA signature for that branch of the family.

    The family of Frederick Mayberry of Bedford County, Virginia may be an example of such a "new Mayberry DNA signature". This would be true if it turns out that Frederick Mayberry (or perhaps his father) was born out-of-wedlock or adopted into a Mayberry family. On the other hand. the same thing would be true if it turns out that Frederick Mayberry was born in Germany and changed his name to Mayberry when he came to America.

Family Mutations: STRs and SNPs.

It is normal for mutations to occur rarely and randomly on genetic markers. If those mutations occurred a number of generations ago, they might serve as a "distinguishing marker" to help us identify later generations of that branch of the family. 

We began early in the Maybury DNA Project to test for STRs (Short Tandem Repeats) a nucleotide pattern, or marker, that repeats in a certain section of your DNA. Initially, 12 marker tests were commonly employed, 24, 37, 67 and 111 marker tests followed later. Only Y37 and Y111 tests are now used in the project. Mutations occur when the number of these repeats (or values) change.

STR tests were instrumental in identifying John Maybury of Sussex (c.1540-1618), the common ancestor of about 70% of Mayburys in the Project today. They also began to identify some branches of the family such as the Mayburys of County Kerry, Ireland; the descendants of Francis Maybury of Virginia; and the Mayberrys of County Londonderry, Northern Ireland.

In recent years, Project members have tested for SNPs or single nucleotide polymorphisms, changes or mutations in your DNA code at a specific point. These have played an important role in identifying Maybury family branches, placing individuals within them and understanding how the various branches of the family emerged.

We now believe that the common ancestor of the Mayburys, John Maybury of Sussex, carried the SNP R-BY13824. We are aware of three of his sons who had sons and, coincidently, we have discovered three SNPs that identify three main branches of the Maybury family: R-FTA43442, R-FT379334 and R-FTA84209.

The more participants we have in our DNA project, the more we learn. Thus, we continue to welcome new participants and hope to learn even more from their individual DNA reports.

What is required to participate in the Maybury DNA Project?

Participants in the project undertake a Y-DNA test that traces male descent. Participants must be male because only males have the Y chromosome where the family signature is found and they must have a variant of the Maybury surname (Maybery, Maberry, Mayberry, Mabry, Mabrey, etc.).

We regard the Y-DNA37 test as the basic test for our study. It is a test for STRs (Short Tandem Repeats) and is useful for those wanting an introduction into genetic genealogy or are unsure of their Maybury ancestry.

The recommended test is the BigY700 test offered by FamilyTree DNA. It identifies SNPs (Single nucleotide polymorphisms) but also offers a Y-DNA111 STR test. This test will provide a most accurate indication of your branch of the Maybury family, as well as exploring your deep ancestry.

We prefer that new participants order their Y-DNA test from FamilyTree DNA, the premier company offering DNA testing for genealogical purposes. FamilyTree DNA has the advantage of supporting Surname Projects, such as the Maybury DNA Project. Other providers, such as Ancestry.com, market autosomal DNA tests that trace both the male and female lines of descent back through a limited number of generations. These test results cannot be compared with the Y-DNA results of 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 and depending on the test type ordered, it usually requires about 2-15 weeks to process your DNA and produce a report.

Where can I get more information?

  1. Our study is being conducted by FamilyTree DNA in Houston, Texas. See https://www.familytreedna.com/

  2. More information about the Maybury DNA Project can be found at the Maybury DNA Project public website, https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/maybury/about sponsored by FamilyTree DNA.

  3. The latest results of our project can be found at the Maybury DNA Project public website https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/maybury/about/results and in the Latest Report of the Maybury DNA Project on this site.

How can you help?

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

  1. Volunteer to have your DNA tested -- Sending your sample is simple and painless.

  2. If you have already had a 12, 24, 37 or 69 marker test, please consider upgrading your test to the BigY700 which will give us more information to help identify different branches of the Maybury family. 

  3. Contribute to the cost of the Maybury/Mayberry project. Additional funds will help us increase the number of participants or to conduct strategic testing or upgrades to solve genealogical problems faced by numbers of Maybury family researchers. Donate to the General Fund at https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/maybury/about

  4. Tell other family members about the Maybury/Mayberry DNA project.

  5. If you have questions or would like more information, contact Michael Smithson at mayburyfamily24@gmail.com