Genealogy and DNA

[iris lily]

23 and Me makes DNA-related medical conditions part of their research, according to their site. (And it will disclose Neanderthal genes, if any.)

I had run across Norse names in some unverified family trees that connected with mine way back in time, but it never occurred to me I'd end up with such a high percentage. It's a mystery to me, as I have a strong aversion to seafood and Ingmar Bergman films and I'm anything but a tall blonde...

I love this stuff--my tree, your tree, whatever. All fascinating.

funny! I am just embarking on a Bergman fest after having seen After the Wedding which is a Danish, Bergman-like contemporary film. Every Scandinavian film I've seen this year has been wonderful, that's why I decided to go through the Bergman canon, the better ones anyway. But that doesn't make me think that I am Scandinavian in any major way though some may be thrown in there since I am from the upper midwest where lots of Scandinavian farmers settled.

[JaneV2.0]

Perhaps the Stuarts/Stewarts were Vikings after all. And here I am in Seattle with my Norse cousins. There are no coincidences.

(I didn't think I had more than a drop or two of Scandinavian blood, either. Surprise, surprise.)

[iris lily]

The Stewarts came from Brittany but no doubt they married some of those norsemen from across the sea.

[JaneV2.0]

The Stewarts came from Brittany but no doubt they married some of those norsemen from across the sea.

That's right; I had forgotten. The rest of me is from that general area (west central Europe); mystery solved.

[pinkytoe]

My brother has a great interest in geneaology and has done both sides of our family tree as far back as he can go. DNA I guess would be the next step. One side is Norwegian where church records have been found in Skien (wherever that is), Norway. The other side is the usual Irish-English. Lots of Costellos and Adams. I love reading about my ancestors and am so grateful my brother took that on. DH's family have German-Polish roots but something else must be mixed in there as he is dark haired and complected. Poor DD - she really is a mutt! I often wonder if our temperaments are genetic too.

[catherine]

Perhaps the Stuarts/Stewarts were Vikings after all. And here I am in Seattle with my Norse cousins. There are no coincidences.

Hey, my DH is of the Scottish Stewart clan. Maybe we're related--or maybe you're related to him!

[iris lily]

Hey, my DH is of the Scottish Stewart clan. Maybe we're related--or maybe you're related to him!

Well Jane and I are Stuarts so welcome, catherine, by marrying into the family!

[bae]

When I had mine tested, two nice men in black suits showed up to discuss the results with me, but I can't seem to remember what they told me.

[JaneV2.0]

When I had mine tested, two nice men in black suits showed up to discuss the results with me, but I can't seem to remember what they told me.

Hahaha! I think that's my "five percent unknown"--space alien--Nanu nanu!

And yes--I'm convinced that personality, talents, quirks, and practically everything else is contained in DNA.

[JaneV2.0]

My dad's side of the family, the surname namesake, has been in a DNA database for that name for years now and while there has been some near matches and lots of analysis and speculation, in the end, there's been no real match of relatives. That part of the DNA game is a little heavy on hype. But as the database grows we may find a match, or so they say. ...

The only reason I'm sure I didn't get someone else's results by accident is that I was matched with someone related to my paternal line. There are a couple of other surnames among the matches that I'd love to be able to trace further, so I remain hopeful.