Genealogy

Post by **Sorus** » Sun Jan 28, 2018 5:44 pm

Apparently all of my cousins are taking genealogy tests right now, trying to prove (or disprove) a family legend. I hadn't ever heard this particular story (not surprising) and I'm pretty sure it was started by my aunt (who was certifiably crazy) - but she's also been dead for many years, and I'm a little bit curious as to what stirred up the sudden level of interest. Have been on the fence about taking a test, but now I'm curious too.

Post by **Gaius Octavius** » Sun Jan 28, 2018 9:18 pm

I haven't had a DNA test, but my parents have. According to the results, all of their ancestors came from the British Isles. My family has existed in the US since the American Revolution, so it seems that my ancestors more or less kept to their own ethnic group (although there was some intermarriage with Irish immigrants).

Post by **Avatar** » Mon Jan 29, 2018 4:49 am

Irish immigrants were from the British Isles too y'know...

--A

Post by **Skyweir** » Fri Mar 09, 2018 3:42 am

My family have done old skool genealogy and my sister tells me we go back to Robert the Bruce. No, not the movie Braveheart King that was a nasty bastard .. Robert the Bruce was the warrior King of Scotland and HE was dubbed Braveheart .. not Wallace

as is depicted in the movie .. historically Robert the Bruces heart was literally carried into battle, earning him the name Braveheart.

Braveheart the Hollywood Gibson movie is not very historically accurate lol

.. a lot of poetic license was taken. No Scottish fighter at this time still painted their faces, that was very much a thing of the Picts.

And actually Robert the Bruce supported Wallace privately and publicly.

Post by **Vraith** » Sat Mar 10, 2018 3:25 am

I got my DNA---and GOD, I'm the fucking definition of "white."
about 1/2 is the British Isles...a bit of every region.
the other half is along the matching North Sea/Channel shore...Scandinavian/French/German coast.
And a large dose of Neanderthal. [[more than 87% of other people, I think the number was]].
And like Nano, my direct/easy ancestors have been here since at least mid 1700's on one side, at least 1680's/90's on the other.

Post by **Skyweir** » Sat Mar 10, 2018 9:33 am

Hahahaha .. Vraith apparently red hair is a Neanderthal trait .. and of course it also arises the angles, celts and saxons .. do you have red hair, blue or green eyes in your family ..

Post by **Vraith** » Sat Mar 10, 2018 6:37 pm

Skyweir wrote: do you have red hair, blue or green eyes in your family ..

Only all over the fucking place---though I personally ended up a sort of monochrome. When I have a good tan---which is almost never, since I no longer bike and swim in sun a few hundred miles a month---I'm a nearly-literal sepia-tone person.

Post by **Skyweir** » Sun Mar 11, 2018 2:26 am

Join the club

Though I am now tanned which is a surprise .. as I used to just fry and burn like a boiled lobster.

Post by **aliantha** » Sun Mar 11, 2018 5:35 pm

So I got one of these test things done about 1 1/2 years ago, I think. Through 23 & Me. No big surprises. 67% Western European (of which 18% was British/Irish, 9% German from my dad's mother, and 6.5% Scandinavian/Finnish), 16% Eastern European, 5% Southern European, 0.4% African. The most recent British/Irish is in the 1840s, which tallies, I think, with my paternal great-grandmother who came from Ireland. Most recent Eastern European was in the 1810s, which would be the Czech on my mother's side. The Scandinavian/Finnish goes back to 1720-ish, and 1740-1750 was when Capt. Edmund Cantwell married a Dutch girl in what was then Pennsylvania; he was the first Cantwell of our lineage in America and was high sheriff of New Castle County, Delaware. The African goes the farthest back, which also makes sense. And yeah, I have a bit of Neanderthal.

I was disappointed that it didn't show Native American. But I've learned that Native Americans have been reluctant to participate in DNA testing, given the fact that tribal membership is often based on blood quantum. There's some concern/belief among tribal members that once the blood quantum is sufficiently diluted, the federal government will have no reason to keep the reservation system going and the tribes would lose their sovereignty, and could lose their homes to developers of natural resources.

Website · Post by **Iolanthe** » Mon Mar 12, 2018 8:56 pm

I just cannot drum up any enthusiasm at all for DNA. I've done it all the hard way. 35 years or so of research and not a single non-English ancestor so far, back to 1605 on my father's side, and all in the same county, Cheshire. Mind you, I haven't been able to get so far back with my mother's side, but we have Ulphs (two great great grandmothers) so there just may be some Scandinavian in there. More likely though they were vassals of Ulph, or took the name from one of the Norfolk villages such as Burnham Ulph.

Post by **Avatar** » Tue Mar 13, 2018 4:42 am

You're just jealous Io.

Now it's so easy. (For what it's worth anyway...those tests can be a teeny bit suspect...)

--A

Post by **Skyweir** » Tue Mar 13, 2018 8:52 am

Yes Io and it doesnt really matter about the DNA its all about the lineage and the connections and the history .. thats where you have already aced it. DNA is great but doesnt give you ANY of that detail that puts human faces to your geneology .. your actual past.

I think what you have achieved and continue achieving is amazing. I wish I had what you have mapped out. I really do. But almost all the geneological history I have is legacy work that Ive received from family .. I have done a bit of hubbys but his is pretty easy they several generations Australian .. but all my info is UK based. Ive gotten a limited number of certificates from the UK but find distance to be a disadvantage. I suppose some resources are available online but have had to go to specific counties for specific records.

I have the McCallums at home but my cousin is not likely to want to go running around for me lol

Post by **aliantha** » Tue Mar 13, 2018 3:53 pm

Io, I think DNA is more appealing to Americans because we're not in as fortunate a position as you are -- we haven't lived in the same place for generation upon generation and our lineages are much more interbred.

I think it's fabulous, all the work you've done on your family tree.

Post by **wayfriend** » Tue Mar 13, 2018 5:02 pm

Not that people don't know, but if you don't know ...

Despite all that, we're guessing that when you signed up for Ancestry or 23andMe, you probably didn't read the fine print to find out what, exactly, those companies plan to do with your data. We can't blame you - they're long, boring polices written in legalese that's difficult to understand. If you actually read those policies, though, you might not have gone ahead with the test. It turns out that the breadth of rights you are giving away to your DNA is kind of terrifying.

Post by **Skyweir** » Tue Mar 13, 2018 5:32 pm

Post by **Fist and Faith** » Tue Mar 13, 2018 5:45 pm

What are they gonna do, clone me? They should be so lucky! We could spread me all over, so more of you can meet me!

Post by **Skyweir** » Tue Mar 13, 2018 5:55 pm

Pffft

Now wouldnt that be something

Post by **Fist and Faith** » Tue Mar 13, 2018 6:04 pm

American Eric. Australian Eric. Baltic Eric. Iberian Eric. I'm having a tough time finding a downside to this.

Post by **Skyweir** » Tue Mar 13, 2018 6:35 pm

Thats because of a severe lack of objectivity

.. being the me, myself and I .. of the story

.. its the ID, EGO and superego at play

But if you do realise this prospect, do pop by for a cuppa, or a beer, your shout

Post by **Sorus** » Wed Mar 14, 2018 2:59 am

aliantha wrote:Io, I think DNA is more appealing to Americans because we're not in as fortunate a position as you are -- we haven't lived in the same place for generation upon generation and our lineages are much more interbred.

I think it's fabulous, all the work you've done on your family tree.

All true.

I wouldn't even know where to start.

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

Genealogy