Building a unique archive of our Hunter ancestors.
https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/hunter
The Hunter Surname DNA Project is hosted on FamilyTreeDNA (FTDNA). 
Although the Hunter Project focuses on Y-DNA testing, both men and women with only autosomal or mitochondrial results are welcome to join and gain access to the project’s full Y-DNA chart.
To join, you must have an FTDNA Kit Number. You’ll receive this when:
You purchase your first DNA test directly from FamilyTreeDNA, or
You transfer results from another company (AncestryDNA [V1/V2], 23andMe [V3–V5], or MyHeritage [results after March 1, 2019]).
If you’ve tested with another company, you can transfer your autosomal results to FTDNA:
Go to FamilyTreeDNA.
Click Upload DNA Data (in the top banner).
Select Autosomal DNA from the drop-down.
Complete the form, click Join Today!, and follow the prompts.
By doing this, your database of DNA matches expands to include people who have tested at FTDNA but not at your original testing company.
To test Y-DNA directly:
Go to FamilyTreeDNA.
Select Shop Now under Paternal Ancestry.
FTDNA runs sales twice a year:
Summer Sale: 3–31 August
Holiday Sale: late November through December
During these sales, you’ll find good discounts on Y-111 and Big Y-700 tests.
Once tested with FTDNA, you can join projects based on:
Surname (e.g., Hunter Project)
Geographic region (e.g., Scottish DNA, Scots-Irish, Border Reivers)
Haplogroup (e.g., I-M223 Project)
Benefits of joining a project include:
Grouping with others who share similar DNA, making it easier to identify close genetic relatives.
Access to administrators and members who can answer questions and provide guidance.
Extra support from project administrators, who are unpaid volunteers but work closely with FTDNA.
Note: There is no single project for the large R-M269 haplogroup (the most common among Hunters), but there are 83 subclade projects within haplogroup R.
To join a project, log in to your FTDNA homepage, click Group Projects, then Join a Project, and choose from the menu.
Autosomal DNA testing looks back about five to six generations, combining genetic input from 64 great-great-great-great-grandparents. This often produces thousands of matches — for example, one Hunter Project member has over 9,900 matches, most with unfamiliar surnames.
Because of its broad and often confusing scope, autosomal DNA is best used for identifying close cousins. For deeper Hunter research, Y-DNA remains the most valuable tool.
The most effective approach is to locate a male Hunter cousin descended in the direct paternal line from your great- or great-great-grandfather (using Ancestry.com or traditional genealogy). Encourage him to test his Y-DNA with FTDNA. Due to slow mutation rates, even a third cousin should closely share your father’s Y-haplogroup, with only minor differences.
The Big Y-700 test is considered the best option for men researching their Hunter ancestry.
Join the Hunter DNA Project here.
We strive to document all of our sources in this family tree. If you have something to add, please let us know.