My sister emailed a link to an updated Ancestry DNA information about her genetic sample. Apparently Ancestry keeps refining and updating samples in its system. I knew growing up that my mother was all Swedish. My father was Swedish, English and German. I also know about some of my ancestors being Scots and Irish. I just didn't think that this would show in our genetics. Ancestry also includes areas of ancestry if it can be determined.
So, this is the breakdown 53% Swedish. I had figured it to be about 5/8 Swedish. The interesting thing was, what, 19% Norwegian. My poor father would have said no way. One of his favorite, not great jokes, was that the Swedish and Norwegian armies were lined up across from each other. The Norwegians tossed sticks of dynamite. The Swedes picked them up, lit them and tossed them back. Told you, a not great joke. Thinking about it, the Norwegian makes sense. The countries are on the same peninsula, both nations evolved from seafarers and the like. The really interesting thing is the 3% Finnish.
I thought about this a bit and remembered my MorMor (mother's mother) telling me that she had a Russian horse thief as an ancestor. Russia conquered and ruled Finland for a period of time. It makes sense to me that everyone from Finland might have been considered Russian during that time period. Plus, Finland is right next to Sweden.
Then we're 17% English, Welsh and Northwestern European. I'd bet it's mostly English, but without a better breakout who knows.
Okay, the Scots/Irish finally shows up at 6%. I suppose if I lump this in with the English, it comes to close to the 1/4 English that I thought I was. Again, I could have sworn that this wouldn't have shown up as the Scots/Irish ancestors I know about were way back: Brian Boru of Ireland and Malcom III and his wife, Saint Margaret, of Scotland. I guess I just didn't think about the succeeding generations before those lines met up with my English ancestors.
The next interesting bit comes in with the German. No not the 2% Germanic Europe, but rather that Ancestry pinpointed it to Pennsylvania Dutch, which is what our Grandmother Samuelson said. I know that some of our "English" ancestors migrated from New England after the Whiskey Rebellion (being on the losing side) into Pennsylvania. Plus, my great-great grandfather was Michael Kessler. (Kesler? I'm having a bit of a brain freeze at the moment.)
Do I feel differently about myself? Of course not. I think it just makes the family history more interesting.
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