Including Treanor/ Traynor/ Trainor/ Trenor +

Q What is a Y-DNA test?
This test, taken by a male, helps trace patrilineal ancestry. It can help confirm patrilineal genealogy and relationships. 

Q What is a mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) test?
This test, taken by males and females, helps trace matrilineal ancestry. It can help confirm matrilineal genealogy and relationships. 

Q What is an atDNA test?
This test, taken by males and females, helps us identify family members, near and far. Because it helps identify cousins, it can help identify more distant grandparents. Some clan members have identified ancestors born as many as 350+ years before us. 

Q Which company should I use for my Y-DNA and mtDNA test?
That’s easy. At present, Y-DNA & mtDNA tests are only done with FamilyTreeDNA, which is also home to the Treinfhir DNA Project. 

Q Who can take an autosomal DNA test?
Autosomal DNA (aka atDNA, Family Finder, Cousin Match) tests can be taken by both males and females. DNA from both the maternal & paternal lines is analyzed, thus producing matches from both parents’ sides of your family. It is ideal for the eldest generation available to take this test. For example, if you have both parents alive, their atDNA test results will be more valuable to your research efforts than yours. If you have one parent alive who can test, that will help too, paired with your DNA test results. If you have no parents living to take an atDNA test, there is benefit in testing as many siblings as you can. 

Q Which company should I use for an atDNA test?
There are many companies who administer the atDNA test. The four companies with the largest database of existing testers are likely to show you the most DNA matches—which is the goal. They are Ancestry, 23andme, MyHeritage, and FamilyTreeDNA (as of 2022). 

Q Can I take a test once and upload it for free to other company sites?
Yes, you can take a test at Ancestry or 23andme and upload your results to MyHeritage, FamilyTreeDNA, GEDmatch, LivingDNA, and Geneanet. 

Q Which testing companies do  allow uploads of (atDNA) test results that I took at another company? 

Ancestry and 23andme. You must take their test. You can download test results from these two companies, to then put on other sites for matching. 

Q Which DNA test should I take?
There is benefit in everyone taking an atDNA test and every close family to have at least one Y-DNA tester and one mtDNA tester. Think of it this way: atDNA gets divided and randomly passed on at each generation so many siblings testing gives the best view of your genetic ancestry. Y-DNA looks back at patrilineal lines so those who share a patrilineal line will all benefit from one test’s results. Likewise, a close family group who share the same matrilineal line will all benefit from one mtDNA test. 

Q If my parents, aunts and uncles are living, which test is best for them to take?
An atDNA test produces even greater value when done by an elder generation. Because atDNA is divided randomly at each generation, it is always likelier the the elder generation will have more atDNA to learn from and find more cousins. 

Q Which test should I take?
Y-DNA is a ‘deep dive’ down the patrilineal line & tracks your father’s father’s father etc. mtDNA is similarly a ‘deep dive’ down the matrilineal line & tracks your mother’s mother’s mother etc. An atDNA test produces a shallower, but broader view, showing DNA matches on both sides of the family going back 5-7 generations. An atDNA test is most likely to identify cousins, such as 

2nd cousins, 3rd cousins, 4th cousins, and more if you are lucky! Hopefully, you can plan to take two of these tests. 

Q Once I have tested, where can I use my results?
FTDNA & MyHeritage both accept uploads of atDNA results from each other & from Ancestry & 23&me. You need to open an account with them with an email address and a password. There is no charge to do this. GEDmatch accepts uploads of atDNA from all testing companies. GEDmatch is free to join and is the home of the Tr’n’r Ancestor Project (as well as many other regional & single name projects that may interest you). At present, Ancestry & 23&me do not accept uploads from other testing companies. 

Q Can I share my family tree?
We encourage everyone to share their family tree where possible. It can be uploaded in a similar fashion to the atDNA results to FTDNA, MyHeritage & Gedmatch (& other sites not covered here). 

Q Do I have to take a DNA test to share my family tree?
Absolutely not. You can create and/or upload your family tree to any of these sites without taking a DNA test. However, if you have taken a DNA test, you can have DNA results linked to your tree which is more powerful for matching with others. 

Q Can I test with GEDmatch?
No. GEDmatch is not a test provider. It provides tools for atDNA test results & family trees. It is where our Tr’n’r atDNA Project is located. 

Q What is the Treinfhir DNA initiative?
This is a project introduced by Tr’n’rs to help us discover more of our shared history and connect with each other- by Tr’n’rs, for Tr’n’rs.

Q What is the Tr’n’r Ancestor Project on GEDmatch?
Any Tr’n’r descendant who has taken an atDNA test & uploaded it to GEDmatch may join this family project. It enables you to compare your dna results with other known Tr’n’rs to hopefully find shared ancestors up to 7 generations back. The addition of family trees linked to test results gives even greater potential for tracking down distant cousins. 

Q What is the downside of taking any DNA test?
Some people find that their genealogical family tree does not match their genetic family tree. Sometimes, this can be a surprise. For example, if you find out that your grandfather is not genetically related to you, and you grew up knowing him as your grandfather, the information revealed by a DNA test can take some time and energy to understand, and may reveal a family mystery. 

Q I already have lots of cousins. Why do I need more?
Some people have the benefits of a large family. By taking a DNA test and creating a shared family tree, you may be able to help others who have only the barest details of their family history to discover how they fit into the Treinfhir clan. Some of our clan have relied significantly on DNA test results to construct their family’s history, and your test results may contribute to others’ successful connection to our clan. 

Q Will DNA testing help me find my “nick”?
There is no guarantee that you will ever find your “nick” (family nickname) but the more Tr’n’rs with a known “nick” that test, the more likely you are to find which family you are connected to. 

Q I would like to contribute my DNA to the project but cannot afford to. Is there any help available?
DNA testing can certainly be expensive. All the testing companies have sales throughout the year, so it is worth looking out for these. Also consider joining together with family members so that one known Tr’n’r descendant (preferably the oldest generation available) can test. A family representative may be identified for you close family to take one mtDNA and one Y-DNA test. 

Assistance may be available for Y-DNA and mtDNA testing when certain criteria are met - contact the Admin at the Treinfhir DNA initiative. 

Q How can I support others in our clan to take these tests?
The FamilyTreeDNA project page has a “donate” button for our clan. You can contribute here. 

Q How do I start a family tree? I don’t have a subscription to a family history website.
There are many free guides on-line & various templates & layouts to help you get started but the first thing is to document everything you know already about those closest to you - names, dates, places, anecdotes. Then quiz your oldest Tr’n’r connection about their memories, families, events etc. - you could record on your phone & transcribe later. Much valuable information is lost with the passing of the older generations as we often don’t become interested until it is too late to ask. All the major DNA testing companies have the facility for creating a family tree, without necessarily the need to also take a DNA test & often have a free introductory period which, once you have registered, can give you time to get your information on the site. Once you have a tree posted, you will be able to download it as a Gedcom file & then upload it free to GEDmatch, FTDNA & MyHeritage. 

Q I am a female. Can you give me an example of an ideal DNA plan for me?
Yes. Take an atDNA test at Ancestry and 23andme. Upload your results from either test to GEDmatch and myHeritage. Take an mtDNA test at FamilyTreeDNA if you have a Tr’n’r on your matrilineal line. Join the Treinfhir DNA project on FamilyTreeDNA. Be sure you share your DNA results whenever asked. Build a family tree at Ancestry with what you know. Upload your family tree as a GEDcom file to GEDmatch. If you have parents or grandparents living, be sure to have your eldest generation relative(s) take an atDNA test. If both your parents are alive, you can have only them do the atDNA test because you got all your atDNA from them. 

Q I am a male. Can you give me an example of an ideal DNA plan for me?
Yes. Do everything the female is doing and one more thing. Have one male among your close family members take a Y-DNA test at FamilyTreeDNA and join the Treinfhir DNA project on FamilyTreeDNA. 

Published July 2022