Genealogy
&
Genetic Genealogy
Reno-Reneau Family Genealogy
The Reno family and Reneau family have been blessed with family members that have researched our genealogy. The most prominent is Sue Reneau Damewood (1935-2024). She devoted many years documenting our family history and over the years documented over 60,000 Reno-Reneau family members. Her work, Genealogy of the Reno/Reneau Family in America 1600-1930, was published on-line in 2010. Her well researched work is considered the gold standard document about the family. The task of documenting family members and maintaining a master family tree is now Anita Reno Dillon and Bob Reneau through the Reno-Reneau Family DNA Project.
Genealogy is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members. The results are often displayed in charts or written as narratives. The field of family history is broader than genealogy, and covers not just lineage but also family and community history and biography.
The record of genealogical work may be presented as a “genealogy”, a “family history”, or a “family tree“. In the narrow sense, a “genealogy” or a “family tree” traces the descendants of one person, whereas a “family history” traces the ancestors of one person,but the terms are often used interchangeably. A family history may include additional biographical information, family traditions, and the like.
The pursuit of family history and origins tends to be shaped by several motives, including the desire to carve out a place for one’s family in the larger historical picture, a sense of responsibility to preserve the past for future generations, and self-satisfaction in accurate storytelling. Genealogy research is also performed for scholarly or forensic purposes, or to trace legal next of kin to inherit under intestacy laws.
Reno/Reneau/Reynaud DNA Studies
At the 2013 family reunion in El Reno, Oklahoma Anita Reno Dillon announced that she was going to start a DNA project on Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) for the family. Bob Reneau joined the effort in 2014 and Holly Morgan joined in 2017. The projects primary focus is to connect family members and record the results on the master family tree. From that start in 2013 until today over 275 individuals have joined the project. Fortunately FTDNA offers all three types of DNA tests, atDNA, YDNA and mtDNA.
Join the Reno-Reneau DNA Project
If you have Reno family or Reneau Family your background or suspect that you might, consider doing a DNA test and join our project. If you are starting out, we suggest that you do an autosomal DNA test. We would recommend Family Tree DNA (Family Finder) or Ancestry.com (AncestryDNA). The Reno/Reneau DNA Project is hosted by Family Tree DNA, however the results from AncestryDNA can be uploaded to the project and if you wish to use FTDNA’s tools you may unlock for less that $20.00. The cost of the autosomal DNA test is less than $100.00 and throughout the year both vendors will drop the cost to less that $60.00. We will be more than happy to help you navigate through the process. Just contact Anita Reno Dillon (click here) or Bob Reneau (click here).
Reno-Reneau Family Project DNA Studies
atDNA
In the Reno/Reneau DNA Project, Anita Reno Dillon is the Lead atDNA Administrator. She is assisted by Bob Reneau and Holly Morgan.
Autosomal DNA is a term used in genetic genealogy to describe DNA which is inherited from the autosomal chromosomes. An autosome is any of the numbered chromosomes, as opposed to the sex chromosomes. Humans have 22 pairs of autosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes (the X chromosome and the Y chromosome). Autosomes are numbered roughly in relation to their sizes. That is, Chromosome 1 has approximately 2,800 genes, while chromosome 22 has approximately 750 genes.
Accuracy of tests
Autosomal DNA tests can be used to confirm relationships with a high level of accuracy for parent/child relationships and all relationships up to the second cousin level. For all relationships additional contextual and genealogical information is required to confirm the nature of the relationship.
For genealogical relationships between second cousins once removed and 5th cousins a more careful approach is necessary and data needs to be collected from multiple family members. For relationships at the 4th cousin once removed to 5th cousin level you may need to test 10 to 20 or more first and second cousins and see how much autosomal DNA they share with a potential 4th cousin once removed or a potential 5th cousin in order to have sufficient data to generate a statistically significant average amount of autosomal DNA that is shared among the entire group, assuming that you are dealing with a non-endogamous population. For endogamous populations, genealogical relationships are frequently difficult to estimate beyond about the 2nd cousin level of relationship and require careful analysis.
Genealogical relationships beyond the 5th cousin level of relationship are more difficult to prove with autosomal DNA testing and, as a general rule, these can only be approached using triangulation. In some cases Y-DNA and mtDNA data may also be of help.
Y-DNA
In the Reno/Reneau DNA Project, Bob Reneau is the Lead Y-DNA Administrator. He is assisted by Anita Reno Dillon.
A Y chromosome DNA test (Y-DNA test) is a genealogical DNA test which is used to explore a man’s patrilineal or direct father’s-line ancestry. The Y chromosome, like the patrilineal surname, passes down virtually unchanged from father to son. Every now and then occasional mistakes in the copying process occur, and these mutations can be used to estimate the time frame in which the two individuals share a most recent common ancestor or MRCA. If their test results are a perfect or nearly perfect match, they are related within a genealogical time frame. Each person can then look at the other’s father-line information, typically the names of each patrilineal ancestor and his spouse, together with the dates and places of their marriage and of both spouses’ births and deaths. The two matched persons may find a common ancestor or MRCA, as well as whatever information the other already has about their joint patriline or father’s line prior to the MRCA. Y-DNA tests are typically co-ordinated in a surname DNA project. And each receives the other’s contact information if the other chose to allow this.
Women who wish to determine their direct paternal DNA ancestry can ask their father, brother, paternal uncle, paternal grandfather, or a cousin who shares the same surname lineage (the same Y-DNA) to take a test for them.
mtDNA
A mitochondrial DNA test (mtDNA test) traces a person’s matrilineal or mother-line ancestry using the DNA in his or her mitochondria. mtDNA is passed down by the mother unchanged, to all her children, both male and female. A mitochondrial DNA test, can therefore be taken by both men and women. If a perfect match is found to another person’s mtDNA test results, one may find a common ancestor in the other relative’s (matrilineal) “information table”.
Path of mtDNA transmission
Males inherit mtDNA (shown in pink) from their mother but do not pass it on to their children. Males inherit Y-DNA (shown in blue) from their father. They pass on Y-DNA to their sons but not their daughters.
Females inherit mtDNA (shown in pink) from their mother. They pass on mtDNA to both their male and female children. Females do not inherit Y-DNA (shown in blue) from their father.
See also the animation on mitochondrial DNA on the Learn Genetics website which provides a good explanation of the inheritance of mtDNA.
Understanding DNA
Understanding DNA is confusing. We make it even more difficult because genetic genealogist have our own language. To help you understand more check out the video by Jim Brewster, Getting Your Results is Just the Beginning, at Disney World several years back. He covers the three types of DNA, Autosomal DNA, YDNA and mitochondrial DNA (mtDMA) and how to apply each to help you with your genealogy.
Mr Brewster also addresses setting up your Family Tree DNA account.