Fun with DNA

I couldn't let my kids have all the fun, so I did my DNA too. 

I have only one grandparent born in the US, Arabella Zoeller, and she is the daughter of German immigrants.  My grandfather, Jacob Sulzbach, was born in Hesse, a German staat by the Rhein River.  The Sulzbachs have lived in their town, Rockenberg, since 1600.  My father is obviously completely German, making me half German.  We drank beer and ate cheese together when I was three.

My other grandparents are from Nova Scotia, which means New Scotland in Latin.  Joseph Robertson has a clan of his own and Bessie Spence has at least a tartan.  My mother did have a German grandmother, Ann Acker, making her a quarter German.   

So I thought of myself as about 2/3 German and 1/3 Scottish.  Ich habe Deutsch in die Schule gelernt, and I speak it well enough to have bought myself vielen Glas Bier and driven on das Autobahn in my two visits there.  I also hiked the Scottish highlands, ate haggis, and bought a full wardrobe in Robertson Red.

My retirement plans include bagpipe playing and Bavarian dancing.

Forget most of that, just like the guy who traded his St. Patrick green for lederhosen.  Here's what my DNA says:**

57% English        15% Scottish        12% German

8%   Norwegian     7%   Irish             1%   Nigerian

My DNA also says that I belong to several "communities" --- groups of DNA relatives whose ancestors lived in certain areas about 200 years ago.  That at least is no surprise.

My DNA ancestors living in the Bay of Fundy area, where Nova Scotia connects to New Brunswick, were English, Irish, and Scottish. (see Spence and Rushton Pedigree Charts)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     My DNA ancestors living in the area where Connecticut borders New York were English, German, and Scottish. (see Robertson, Rushton, Scholfield, and Scovil Scovel Scoville Pedigree Charts)

My ancestors who moved from Massachusetts to southeastern Nova Scotia were English and Scottish, as were my early New England people. (see West, Scholfield, Scovil Scovel Scoville, and Presbury-Mayflower Pedigree Charts)

For me, the ethnicity part is just for fun.  I'm still planning on buying a dirndl and getting a kilt made.  I have known for several years now that there are a lot of Englishwomen and Yorkshiremen hiding behind the Spences, and the Vikings settled Yorkshire.  I have 3 great-great-great-grandparents born in Ireland.  

The Nigerian is interesting.  But 12% German?  Seriously?

**A year later, my DNA was refined, which happens as more and more people join the pool of DNA.  A lot more Germans must have had their DNA tested, because my German percentage has doubled to 29%.  To balance that out, my Scottish and Irish have shrunk to 8% and 2%.