I decided to do a DNA test through ancestry.com. I spat into a vial, and off it went – and then I got back the results.
Two surprises: NO Anglo-Indian at all, despite Henry Anthony Jean (6 generations ago) marrying while in India to a woman who was probably Anglo-Indian. Doesn’t mean it didn’t happen, just means I didn’t inherit, or it can also mean the family tree isn’t reflective of real fathers in every case, if you know what I mean.
This is a photo of his grandson (my 4* great grandfather) – or rather, a photo of a photo. His skintone is much darker, this is a flash photo of the photo.
It turns out I’m Whitey McWhitersons of clan McWhite. That explains my skin that burns immediately as soon as the sun rises, also the pale eyes, light brown hair, and freckles. My ancestors were pricks for coming to Australia, land of skin cancer for anglo skin.
All my grandparents barring my Grandmother were born in Australia. Most of them popped over from around 1860 onwards. Economic immigration.
Other than one Jean being a famous painter, my ancestry is pretty much solid working or middle class.
So the breakdown:
England, Wales & Northwestern Europe – 57%
- Wales & the West Midlands
- West Midlands
- Southern England
Ireland and Scotland – 41%
- Scotland
- Northeast & Central Scotland
- Scottish Highlands & Eastern Nova Scotia
Norway 2%.
-this was the other surprise. Given the amount of Scottish I guess I have viking raider DNA in me somewhere there.
All in all it mostly reflects the family tree I am aware of. I’m just under half Scottish, which I knew because I look like everyone I met in Scotland.
I know dribs and drabs of my family tree and the DNA bears it out pretty well. Which is nice. No unpleasant surprises.
Papa (Dad’s Dad), Leslie Arthur Stuart.
His pedigree was varied : Jersey , County Cork, Staffordshire, Norwich, Northumberland, Durham, Tipperary, Kent, Perthshire, Sussex. Talk about all over the shop.
Jessie, Dad’s mum, emigrated from Scotland as a small child – Dundee. Probably the person in the family who I resemble the most in feature and temperament. Scot all the way back, midlands and highland. I can thank her for the ADHD. 🙂
My Mum’s parents Grandy and Grandma. They looked pretty swish, didn’t they?
Norman Cyril (what a name!):
Lancashire, Northumberland, Staffordshire, Yorkshire, Worstershire, Swansea (there’s the Welsh!).
Emily – Irish, and the rest I don’t rightly know, not having access to family tree records.
Well that was fun albeit kind of pointless.
I have the raw data from the test, so I guess I can find out what horrible diseases I’m at risk for. I already loaded it into one site and found out I’m genetically disposed to be sensitive to certain tastes and smells (true), I’m sweaty, and I have pale eyes and hair….yep that was useful.
