The project is based at FamilyTreeDNA, but people tested elsewhere are welcome to join by sharing results and lineages, either unofficially or by officially transferring. 

Human gender is genetically determined by a pair of chromosomes that are, by convention, designated XX (for females) and XY (for males).  Only males have the Y-chromosome, and because the male Y-chromosome is handed down intact from father to son through the generations (except for rare mutations), Y-DNA testing can identify common ancestors on patrilineal (direct male) lines.

If you are researching any of these surnames or their variations, please consider having a male family member submit a sample to the project.  The more participants we have, the more we will learn about our origins!

And if you are new to genetic testing for genealogical purposes, you are encouraged to read the project FAQs and these two linked articles:

FTDNA FAQs
Answers to an exhaustive list of questions relating to DNA testing.

The RASEY Y-chromosome DNA Surname Project was opened on 2 Feb 2006.  Currently, the project has four members, with results returned for all four.  These project members represent two of the key RASEY/RAZEE/etc. progenitors in the United States, namely:  Joseph RAZEE I of MA and Rhode Island and Joseph RASEY I of MA and New Hampshire.  Testing indicates the two are not related.

FamilyTreeDNA considers both families to be Haplogroup I21b (M233+), however both have been more deeply SNP tested indicating they belong to two — as yet unnamed — subclades of I21b (L801+ and L380+).  Eventually, these new subclades will be added to the Y-DNA haplotree.
 

If you want to increase the probability of making a match and speed up the progress of this project, offer to subsidize a test, even if it's with just $10.  Donations can easily be made through the project's General Fund (see below).

1.  The project is offering to subsidize the full cost of a 67-marker test to any RASEY / RASAY / RACEY / RAZEY / etc. born in and living in the British Isles or France, with patrilineal ancestors born in the same country (i.e., an individual with "known roots").

2.  The project is also offering to subsidize the full cost of a 67-marker test to one patrilineal male descendant of each of the following progenitors:

For all subsidies, subject must be willing to join this RASEY project here at FamilyTreeDNA.  Subjects must be surnamed RASEY or variant and descend from the indicated ancestor on a patrilineal (direct male) line — no females can break the line of descent.  Acceptance of the subject is at the discretion of the donor (i.e., upon the researcher's satisfaction that there is a valid paper connection between the test subject and the ancestor), and the test subject must agree to sign the Release to allow sharing of his test results and to having their results uploaded to Ysearch.  Please note that sharing of results does not necessarily mean sharing of identity.  Only the project administrator and donor necessarily have to know the identity of the test subject.  Normally FamilyTreeDNA and matching test subjects would also know, though they can be excluded if necessary.

In recognition of the fact that some individuals may find the cost of DNA testing prohibitive and that these individuals may be the only representatives of key lines in our genealogical research, Family Tree DNA has instituted "General Funds" to allow researchers to subsidize the testing of these key individuals.  The fund can also be used as a simple way to give someone a gift of DNA testing.  Please see this link at Family Tree DNA for more details.  And please consider a donation to the project as a way of bringing more lines into the project, especially to help some of our elder kin be tested who may not otherwise be able to afford it.  There is also a field on the donation form allowing you to make a donation in honor of a specific person.  The funds will be entirely collected and held by Family Tree DNA, but their dispursement is implemented by your project administrator.  You can inform your project adminstrator whose test you want subsidized with your donation or, if you wish, you can leave it up to the project administrator to decide where the funds can best be applied.  Please note that anonymous donations are not just anonymous to the public; they are also anonymous to the project admin.  If you want the admin to know you made the donation and/or have a special request for how it is to be spent, please notify the admin by email at the time you make the donation.

There has been an instance in one of my projects where a donor sent a prospective member a check, then the person never followed through by joining the project.  This situation can be avoided if the researcher has, instead, donated the money to the project's General Fund, because the money simply won't be spent if the person fails to join.

There has also been an instance in one of my projects where a donor agreed to fund a test based on the promise of a secure line to their progenitor, only for me to discover there was an adoption in the line.  In this case, the researcher had donated their money to the General Fund, and I caught the NPE in time to deny the subsidy to the test subject.  This situation is also a reminder to examine someone's line, yourself, before agreeing to subsidize their test — not that there was intentional deception here, just flawed paper genealogy.

Bottom line:  before sending a stranger a check, please consider making a donation to the project's General Fund, instead.  And, please, in no case send money to me; I do not want the responsibility of handling it.

Note that the above is a different list from the
RASEY Surname Mailing List at RootsWeb,
which you are also welcome to join, of course.

If you are seeking general information, I would recommend joining either or both of these lists:
GEN-NEWBIE and/or GENEALOGY-DNA
The former is, obviously, aimed at the novice, while the latter tends to be advanced and technical.

And for the gateway to genealogy web links, specifically DNA links, see Cyndi's List - DNA.

Link to /R/ Folder to Browse Family Group Sheets by Husband's Surname

Links Hub for RASEY / RACEY / RAZEE / etc. U.S. Census Records

Arthur George RACEY (1870-1941), of Montreal, QC — fine artist, political cartoonist
Jean RASEY (living), of Duluth, MN — actress
Patricia A. RASEY (living), of Napoleon, OH — author