Grenfell/Grenville/Glanvill linked?

[rickglanvill]

I’m new on here, and the reason I have posted is to hear whether other researchers are exploring connections between Grenfell/Grenfield, Grenville, and Glanvill/e branches of Cornwall and Devon. I’m looking specifically at St Just because I have a remarkable number of autosomal DNA matches on Ancestry, plus one very close y-DNA Grenfell match on FTDNA, whose family trees include various C16th-C18th Grenfell or Grenfield forebears from St Just. 

My Glanvill line is secure as far back as Edward Glanvill b abt 1660, d Ashburton 1729 (and confirmed by DNA matches). A suggestion by C19th cleric and genealogist William Urmston Searle Glanville Richards that Edward’s parents were John Glanvill and Catherine Fortescue is much-repeated but as yet entirely unsubstantiated – and Richards was later found guilty of defacing pedigrees at the British Museum…

At least the DNA does not lie, and it make sense to me that all the surname variations have a common root, so I am putting it out there to see if anyone has found similar connections. Thanks.

[zibetha]

Hi, Rick, and welcome aboard!

I would agree that there is a connection and the names are variants. I just encountered a Glanville on a DNA match and have yet to work it back to a common ancestor. What I can say is I have many matches that back up the premise that Grenvilles and Grenfells are related. My maternal grandparents have a common Grenville ancestor.

My lines are not closely from St Just. The DNA doesn't lie, but when I get many results from my autosomal test that go too many generations past what is probable, I think what I see is a pedigree collapse. Your Y-DNA match is likely significant.

www.grenfellhistory.co.uk/origins.php is a good link if you've not been there already. I am grateful for John Tanner's research re: the family and to "White" for sharing the docs I can't see on Rootsweb anymore.

When I started my family tree, I had no idea where that would lead me.

Zib

[rickglanvill]

Thanks, Zib. Yes, the longevity of the y-DNA is what is so compelling. I’ve looked at the Grenfell website and John Tanner’s evidence, and I am convinced there is a a common root for many of us with variant surnames. I’ve not heard from ‘white’ but that sounds interesting too. Of course, Ashburton, where my Edward lived, is a stannary town, so the tin mining connection might explain his appearance there in the late 1600s.

So what is the story with your Glanville DNA match? I have thousands in my database, and may be able to help you.

Rick

[spikeharwood]

Hi Rick,
I was going to ask if you'd joined the Grenfell DNA Project at FTDNA.
But I see there is someone in the group descended from Edward Glanvill b 1660 so I'm assuming that is you.
Smallish group but at least there is one.
You might want to consider joining the Cornwall Project too. Has good admin and very knowledgeable people. Very much into Y-DNA and has a handy tool for autosomal matching between members (770).

[rickglanvill]

Thanks, Spike. Yes, that’s me. Will take at look your Cornwall Project suggestion, too. Problem I’ve always found with FTDNA is the quite worthless functionality. So frustrating.

[spikeharwood]

Agreed it can be frustrating. I find it somewhat clunky to use but not completely worthless.
It has a chromosome browser - unlike Ancestry (which I'm also on)and paternal/maternal phasing.
I own two BiGY DNA kits and face a huge learning curve. Unfortunately they head back into Germany and they have one match between them.
I'm looking for a couple of males on my mother's side to take tests for me so I can get more involved with Cornish Y-DNA.

[rickglanvill]

True, and I should use the browser facility more. Half the frustration comes non-communicative, no-tree matches, I suppose

[zibetha]

I don't get a lot of information there either, and their inclusion of small cm bits confuses things (at least for me) Very few trees "out there" have any information, and it's getting worse on Ancestry. Do people have the idea that if they take a test, a company will give them then a pretty tree? I don't know, but I am starting to suspect that. I do understand that it is emotional and sometimes a big step to contact someone. I keep my tree private but reach out to my suspected strong matches if they have any interest and contact the ones I know fit in. That is mostly for Ancestry as on my FTDNA I have not clue for the most part.

Zib