So I ordered one of those DNA/Genetic tests... - Page 4

Cakers3 · ‎06-17-2015

@151949 wrote:
@151949 wrote:
@CinNC wrote:
I have several relatives in my family who do geneology but my brother decided to take a test when his wife did...figured no surprises.

Found out that either my maternal grandfather or great-grandfather had an "illegitimate" daughter that we never knew about. My brother was contacted by one of the her grandchildren.

My sister's family was stunned by the fact that they were significantly Irish. They are long-time members of the DAR, and many of their known ancestors are German and Mennonite/Amish. Apparently the older members of the family were horrified by this news....my adult neice's comment was "Weird, archaic racisms die super hard apparently"
I had a similar experience - my grandmother was a member of the DAR and her mother's family had for many generations belonged to the mennonite church. On her father's side his family was from Coburg, Germany and was only in the US 2 generations above my Grandmother. They were also Mennonite. However, when I got my DNA tested I was only 8% german. My grandfather was 100% Italian and had immigrated to the US as a child from northern Italy - but I'm only 5% Italian. Now my Dad is 100% Irish - his parents immigrated to the US from Galway, and, yes, on my DNA I am 75% Celtic - Irish and/or Welsh.
I wonder how accurate these tests are. I have small % of dna from all over Europe but I bet - in all the generations my family was in the USA - esp the Germans who were here since something like 1720 - they mixed it up with some non germans.

I guess I need to trade in my leiderhosen for a kilt!

@151949I never bought that commercial.

I don't understand how your results showed so little Italian since you have posted a lot about being Italian and how your family ate Italian food, including how you all ate bread and olive oil.

I understand people can have some variance but if one is brought up speaking, dancing, eating, dressing, etc. as one ethnic group then I'm pretty sure the leiderhosen guy is just a come on commercial.

"" Compassion is a verb."-Thich Nhat Hanh

ALRATIBA · ‎07-15-2016

@Laura14

We did our first DNA tests (through FamilyTree DNA) in 2005 out of curiousity about which haplogroup we belonged to. We had both the Y-dna and the mt-DNA done.

Just last year, we did the Family Finder through the same company. Withing just a few months, we "met" two new cousins.

One (male) is a second cousin on my mother's side (we share same great grandfather) My grandfather and his grandmother were brother/sister. We knew he existed from vital records searches, but had no idea where he was.

The other (female) is a second cousin once removed on my father's side.

We are separated by a generation. Our common ancester is my great grandfather who is her great-great grandfather. Her great grandfather and my grandfather were brothers. We didn't know that her family existed. Not sure of the circumstances ... but there is DNA evidence!

Our "heritage" is 99% European, with 54% British Isles, remainder Western Europe. No surprises there!

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

@ALRATIBA How cool! I am expecting to be all over the place. I know my great grandparents all emigrated from Southern Italy and Sicily but those parts have been run over by so many countries in the past I am sure I am the definition of world traveler.

Cakers3 · ‎06-17-2015

@Laura14 wrote:
@ALRATIBA How cool! I am expecting to be all over the place. I know my great grandparents all emigrated from Southern Italy and Sicily but those parts have been run over by so many countries in the past I am sure I am the definition of world traveler.

@Laura14 Not to mention the Roman invasion throughout, too. Who is to say that Caesar didn't bring people back from those countries to Italy? So a mix is a sure thing.

I think I have Scottish in me but grandparents are from Italy, too. My very reddish hair (when young) and an affinity for all things Scottish intrigue me.

"" Compassion is a verb."-Thich Nhat Hanh

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

@Cakers3 wrote:
@151949 wrote:
@151949 wrote:
@CinNC wrote:
I have several relatives in my family who do geneology but my brother decided to take a test when his wife did...figured no surprises.

Found out that either my maternal grandfather or great-grandfather had an "illegitimate" daughter that we never knew about. My brother was contacted by one of the her grandchildren.

My sister's family was stunned by the fact that they were significantly Irish. They are long-time members of the DAR, and many of their known ancestors are German and Mennonite/Amish. Apparently the older members of the family were horrified by this news....my adult neice's comment was "Weird, archaic racisms die super hard apparently"
I had a similar experience - my grandmother was a member of the DAR and her mother's family had for many generations belonged to the mennonite church. On her father's side his family was from Coburg, Germany and was only in the US 2 generations above my Grandmother. They were also Mennonite. However, when I got my DNA tested I was only 8% german. My grandfather was 100% Italian and had immigrated to the US as a child from northern Italy - but I'm only 5% Italian. Now my Dad is 100% Irish - his parents immigrated to the US from Galway, and, yes, on my DNA I am 75% Celtic - Irish and/or Welsh.
I wonder how accurate these tests are. I have small % of dna from all over Europe but I bet - in all the generations my family was in the USA - esp the Germans who were here since something like 1720 - they mixed it up with some non germans.

I guess I need to trade in my leiderhosen for a kilt!
@151949I never bought that commercial.

I don't understand how your results showed so little Italian since you have posted a lot about being Italian and how your family ate Italian food, including how you all ate bread and olive oil.

I understand people can have some variance but if one is brought up speaking, dancing, eating, dressing, etc. as one ethnic group then I'm pretty sure the leiderhosen guy is just a come on commercial.

@Cakers3 I won't speak for her but Northern Italy is a hodgepodge and also the home of many blonde hair blue eyed Italians. Depending on where up there you come from, you could be Italian but your ancestry could actually be across the border. Especially if you are close to the eastern border which change hands and became part of Yugoslavia after the war.

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

@Cakers3 wrote:
@Laura14 wrote:
@ALRATIBA How cool! I am expecting to be all over the place. I know my great grandparents all emigrated from Southern Italy and Sicily but those parts have been run over by so many countries in the past I am sure I am the definition of world traveler.
@Laura14 Not to mention the Roman invasion throughout, too. Who is to say that Caesar didn't bring people back from those countries to Italy? So a mix is a sure thing.

I think I have Scottish in me but grandparents are from Italy, too. My very reddish hair (when young) and an affinity for all things Scottish intrigue me.

@Cakers3 Exactly! I have very high cheekbones and pale skin not the olive you would expect and two great uncles who were red heads so I'm thinking I am going to find Irish. I know the area of Italy my family emigrated from was ruled by the Celts way back in the day too so I would honestly be surprised if it doesn't come up with that.

ALRATIBA · ‎07-15-2016

@Laura14 wrote:
@ALRATIBA How cool! I am expecting to be all over the place. I know my great grandparents all emigrated from Southern Italy and Sicily but those parts have been run over by so many countries in the past I am sure I am the definition of world traveler.

@Laura14

If you remember from history classes ... just about all of Europe was invaded by folks from just about everywhere else.

For centuries, various tribes moved across Europe from the East. A friend whose grandmother was born in Italy (can't recall town, but it's on the Adriatic). Her DNA shows up with Greek and Eastern European genes.

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

@ALRATIBA wrote:
@Laura14 wrote:
@ALRATIBA How cool! I am expecting to be all over the place. I know my great grandparents all emigrated from Southern Italy and Sicily but those parts have been run over by so many countries in the past I am sure I am the definition of world traveler.
@Laura14

If you remember from history classes ... just about all of Europe was invaded by folks from just about everywhere else.

For centuries, various tribes moved across Europe from the East. A friend whose grandmother was born in Italy (can't recall town, but it's on the Adriatic). Her DNA shows up with Greek and Eastern European genes.

@ALRATIBA Everyone thinks I'm Greek because of my eyebrows and my grandfather who gave me them came from Sicily so I'm expecting to find a few Greeks hanging in my tree as well. I'm guessing my ancestors got around on the high seas....

Cakers3 · ‎06-17-2015

@Laura14 Borders always fluctuated. I remember Lidia Bastianich saying one time that her family lived over both borders of France and Italy but she identifies as Italian. (The chef Lidia).

"" Compassion is a verb."-Thich Nhat Hanh

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

@Cakers3 wrote:
@Laura14 Borders always fluctuated. I remember Lidia Bastianich saying one time that her family lived over both borders of France and Italy but she identifies as Italian. (The chef Lidia).

@Cakers3 I didn't know that. The closest I come is my French great grandmother who had an Italian maiden name so there was crossing before her time too. She allegedly put on her beret and sat on the Rivera port walls waiting for the Italian sailors to come in. She found one and off to America they went.