Norwegian... Of all things. I agree with the Norwegian: What does a Norwegian look like? 😏 That Viking thing is fun, though.
My husband, who was 80% English, with some Scottish and a tiny bit of French thrown in, was always mistaken for a native American here in the upper reaches of Michigan. For years, until those DNA tests came along, we did believe there was some NA in his background. He and his grandmother Kate, from Minnesota, had Indian features: black hair, darker skin, long earlobes, high cheekbones, and, for him, no hair on his chest. But, nope. None.
When I transferred to a junior high in Detroit with a high Jewish population it was assumed I was Jewish, too, until it came out that I looked that way because I was (half) Italian. I didn't exactly pretend I was Jewish but it was kind of nice to be part of that clan, at least for a while. Not that they shunned me, exactly, after that, but the air did grow a little cooler. 🙂
There is to some extent "a Mediterranean look" and in terms of other ethnicites, we used to have a family portrait of my maternal grandmother's clan and if they lived in the South people would have assumed they were at least partially Black. And then there's a new friend who assumed I was French.....
Our cultures are so interesting--as is our need to figure out where we fit in. That feeling that we're still part of a clan is in our blood, I guess. I like that we can be citizens of the world and still cling to who our ancestors were and what they gave to us.
And find new connections too. Discovering the Scandinavian DNA was a real treat and it made sense given that the Vikings were in the Baltic countries and moved as far south as the Black Sea.
My Italian DNA has been all over the place from Ancestry. First it was 49%, then it was 37%, now they're back to 50%. But given the range of the Romans, I guess I'm a little surprised there is such a thing as 50 percent.
The Finnish DNA, on the other hand, has been a consistent 50 percent. I've read somewhere that that kind of 'purity' comes from the clannishness of the Finns. And probably the isolation.
I also had 23 and me done revealing much Swedish ancestry- a few surprises too, like a high percentage of neanderthal which has resulted in no end of teasing from my husband! And I have no evidence of an overhanging brow, jutting chin or large bones…enjoyed your post, and from one ancient viking to another- you fit the bill!
Hmm, interesting experience, moi je doit admettre, that I dunno if I can ever relate to that, as I sound and look like where I come from. Your Norwegian experience sounds hilarious, I wonder if I should use that for one of my novels (one of them is set in a fantasy Scandinavia).
I was born in Brussels, Belgium. Belgian parents and grandparents. Considering we've been invaded by absolutely everybody over 2 millennia, my DNA must be an interesting stew :) ...
The author is Simon Winder who also wrote a hysterical book about James Bond. I read it on a book tour and people glared at me in airports because I couldn't stop laughing. Winder has the most amazing eye for detail--and weird detail.
After decades of people discovering their DNA histories, people will perhaps be more accepting of strangers, knowing that we're all a mix and probably all related. My husband was often assumed to be Jewish, and to his surprise in his DNA test results up popped the Ashkenazi. My ancestors are 95% British Isles, and 5% Syrian Turkish. Huh? I consider it all good fun, and not to be taken too seriously, though I love having a bit of French in there.
Lev, how often has someone asked if you are or are related to Keith Carradine? By the way, to be mistaken for a Norwegian is the highest compliment, I think.
That happened a lot in the 80s and early 90s, especially when I used miles to travel business or first class. Flight crews wondered and stared. Once, when we splurged for a birthday and stayed at the Plaza Athenee in Manhattan and got a cab to The Russian Tea Room, the cabbie asked, "So, Keith, what're you in town for?"
That's pretty funny. My DNA profile shows that I am 99.8 percent Northern European (overwhelmingly Irish and English), 0.1 percent "unspecified" (Martian?), and 0.1 percent Ashkenazi Jew. Maybe we're cousins.
Norwegian... Of all things. I agree with the Norwegian: What does a Norwegian look like? 😏 That Viking thing is fun, though.
My husband, who was 80% English, with some Scottish and a tiny bit of French thrown in, was always mistaken for a native American here in the upper reaches of Michigan. For years, until those DNA tests came along, we did believe there was some NA in his background. He and his grandmother Kate, from Minnesota, had Indian features: black hair, darker skin, long earlobes, high cheekbones, and, for him, no hair on his chest. But, nope. None.
When I transferred to a junior high in Detroit with a high Jewish population it was assumed I was Jewish, too, until it came out that I looked that way because I was (half) Italian. I didn't exactly pretend I was Jewish but it was kind of nice to be part of that clan, at least for a while. Not that they shunned me, exactly, after that, but the air did grow a little cooler. 🙂
There is to some extent "a Mediterranean look" and in terms of other ethnicites, we used to have a family portrait of my maternal grandmother's clan and if they lived in the South people would have assumed they were at least partially Black. And then there's a new friend who assumed I was French.....
Our cultures are so interesting--as is our need to figure out where we fit in. That feeling that we're still part of a clan is in our blood, I guess. I like that we can be citizens of the world and still cling to who our ancestors were and what they gave to us.
And find new connections too. Discovering the Scandinavian DNA was a real treat and it made sense given that the Vikings were in the Baltic countries and moved as far south as the Black Sea.
My Italian DNA has been all over the place from Ancestry. First it was 49%, then it was 37%, now they're back to 50%. But given the range of the Romans, I guess I'm a little surprised there is such a thing as 50 percent.
The Finnish DNA, on the other hand, has been a consistent 50 percent. I've read somewhere that that kind of 'purity' comes from the clannishness of the Finns. And probably the isolation.
I also had 23 and me done revealing much Swedish ancestry- a few surprises too, like a high percentage of neanderthal which has resulted in no end of teasing from my husband! And I have no evidence of an overhanging brow, jutting chin or large bones…enjoyed your post, and from one ancient viking to another- you fit the bill!
Tack för din kommentar! (thanks for your comment). :-)
Hmm, interesting experience, moi je doit admettre, that I dunno if I can ever relate to that, as I sound and look like where I come from. Your Norwegian experience sounds hilarious, I wonder if I should use that for one of my novels (one of them is set in a fantasy Scandinavia).
I was born in Brussels, Belgium. Belgian parents and grandparents. Considering we've been invaded by absolutely everybody over 2 millennia, my DNA must be an interesting stew :) ...
You might enjoy Lotharingia, a history of the region that includes Belgium. The author was one of my editors years ago and is very entertaining.
Memories of history classes, lol. The ridiculous shape of that bizarre chunk of land inherited by Lothaire... it didn't last.
The author is Simon Winder who also wrote a hysterical book about James Bond. I read it on a book tour and people glared at me in airports because I couldn't stop laughing. Winder has the most amazing eye for detail--and weird detail.
Ah, great tip. I'll look him up. Thanks!
After decades of people discovering their DNA histories, people will perhaps be more accepting of strangers, knowing that we're all a mix and probably all related. My husband was often assumed to be Jewish, and to his surprise in his DNA test results up popped the Ashkenazi. My ancestors are 95% British Isles, and 5% Syrian Turkish. Huh? I consider it all good fun, and not to be taken too seriously, though I love having a bit of French in there.
Lev, how often has someone asked if you are or are related to Keith Carradine? By the way, to be mistaken for a Norwegian is the highest compliment, I think.
That happened a lot in the 80s and early 90s, especially when I used miles to travel business or first class. Flight crews wondered and stared. Once, when we splurged for a birthday and stayed at the Plaza Athenee in Manhattan and got a cab to The Russian Tea Room, the cabbie asked, "So, Keith, what're you in town for?"
That's pretty funny. My DNA profile shows that I am 99.8 percent Northern European (overwhelmingly Irish and English), 0.1 percent "unspecified" (Martian?), and 0.1 percent Ashkenazi Jew. Maybe we're cousins.
Unspecified is a funny category!