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A New Norse Saga! DNA Detectives find Vikings

Seeded on Tue Jan 25, 2011 12:34 PM EST
Read ArticleArticle Source: Past Horizons Adventures in Archaeology
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Seeded by Briwnys
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Professor Steve Harding said: "The results forming the basis of this book were very exciting because they tie in with the other evidence from the area. We have tried to explain the background and the DNA method in a way that everyone can understand, and it should be of interest to anyone who is curious about the Vikings and ancestry."

The Wirral and West Lancashire Viking DNA survey has now been extended to North Lancashire, Cumbria and over the Pennines to North Yorkshire to see how far the Norse settlers from the Irish Sea penetrated into medieval northern England. The researchers are also collaborating with experts in Scandinavia focusing again on people who can show that their ancestry goes back many generations in particular parts of Scandinavia. In this way they will be able to get a much better idea of what the genetic profile of Scandinavia was like in the Viking age.

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Briwnys

The new book tells the story of how 21st century genetic methods have been used in conjunction with historical and linguistic evidence to investigate the Norse ancestry of North West of England. DNA analysis of samples of the local population has scientifically proved that the Vikings settled in the area in large numbers and left a genetic legacy which survives and continues today.

  • 4 votes
Reply#1 - Tue Jan 25, 2011 12:37 PM EST
Shannoscubie

The Wirral and West Lancashire Viking DNA survey has now been extended to North Lancashire, Cumbria and over the Pennines to North Yorkshire to see how far the Norse settlers from the Irish Sea penetrated into medieval northern England.

Interesting. My kids' dad's family is from the Wirral area, and we used to live there. I wonder if they go back that far. It could explain my son's enormous size and his tendency to want to smash things. (kidding)

  • 8 votes
Reply#2 - Tue Jan 25, 2011 12:57 PM EST
Briwnys

LOL, no joke! I don't think this is any real surprise, just confirmation of what we've long suspected. One of the comments did point out that there is a difference between the Anglo-Saxon and the Viking haplogroups that makes it possible to differentiate between the two.

  • 6 votes
Reply#3 - Tue Jan 25, 2011 1:05 PM EST
Shannoscubie

I saw that comment, yes. I don't know if it's stereotype or what, but there are a LOT of redheads in that area, my kids' dad, mother and siblings included.

  • 6 votes
#3.1 - Tue Jan 25, 2011 1:08 PM EST
Briwnys

Redheads, Vikings and the desire to smash things? Probably a sterotype ;^D - Although... I'm a Celtic ginger myself and trace my ancestry (as can many, many others) back to Somerled.

  • 5 votes
#3.2 - Tue Jan 25, 2011 1:16 PM EST
Shannoscubie

I'd hate to think how crazy it would be to trace my ancestry. On my (very large, red-headed) father's side, it's Scottish and Irish. On my mother's, it's English, Welsh, German, Choctaw and Cherokee. And that's just the ones I know about LOL!

It could be an interesting exercise, though...

  • 4 votes
#3.3 - Tue Jan 25, 2011 1:20 PM EST
Briwnys

Believe me, it's fascinating! It does tend to take over part of your life, though, so be warned.

  • 4 votes
#3.4 - Tue Jan 25, 2011 1:28 PM EST
Shannoscubie

I'm sure! That's why I haven't gotten into it so far. I have an obsessive streak. ;-)

  • 3 votes
#3.5 - Tue Jan 25, 2011 1:32 PM EST
Reply
mrsrachelm

I have my entire lineage from both sides of my family tree back and back and back to where it starts getting sketchy due to lack of written records. My family on both sides were very adamant about knowing where they came from so I have been left with quite a stack of information and lineage diagrams.

It is indeed fascinating stuff. I'm mainly Germanic and Irish, with a tad bit of English and Native American Indian and Romany aka "Gypsy" (of all things).

Some of the documents I have still refer to places such as Northumbria, etc.

  • 3 votes
Reply#4 - Tue Jan 25, 2011 3:30 PM EST
Shannoscubie

Some of the documents I have still refer to places such as Northumbria, etc

LOL! That's where I was living when my son was born! It's beautiful country up there.

  • 3 votes
#4.1 - Tue Jan 25, 2011 3:43 PM EST
Briwnys

Yeah, mine go back to the 12th century on my mother's side before they get mixed up with mythology and is mostly Welsh and Scots-Irish, probably some Picts in there somewhere. My dad's is Border Scots/Northumbrian with a little North American Indian thrown into the mix on both sides.

  • 2 votes
#4.2 - Tue Jan 25, 2011 3:55 PM EST
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