If you know any male Hilburns (particularly Bladen or Brunswick County, NC descendants) who would consider participating in the Hilburn DNA Surname Project, please email me for details at thilburn@gmail.com. My brother is a participant, and we're descendants of the Columbus County, NC Hilburns. After 3 years, we recently had our first Hilburn DNA match! The match was with someone in another part of the country but who has traced his earliest ancestor back to North Carolina (1750s). Also, his family spells their name Hilbun (no "r") which you never see spelled that way in North and South Carolina.

I've been researching the Hilburns for over 30 years and have yet to make a paper trail connection between the Columbus County NC Hilburns and their Hilburn neighbors in adjoining Bladen & Brunswick counties. DNA would tell us for certain whether or not we have a common ancestor.

Hope to hear from some of you.

Teresa Hilburn