Genealogy Chat

This may seem a stupid question but it's something that really bugs me and I would very much appreciate any opinions. My maternal grandfather and his brother were apparently quite dark skinned (esp. my grandfather) My mum and one of my gt uncle's children also have a dark skin. My 3xgt grandparents on this side came from Ireland - but apart from that mainly from the Midlands.(I have gone back to abt.1820's). Do you think it's just one of those things? or is there an explanation for it? Angela

Angela, Some of the Irish do have darks skin and hair. Have you heard of the term 'Black Irish'? There are lots of theories trying to explain this but no one's really sure. Rose

I was told (but I do not know how true it is) that I get my dark colouring from my birth father's ancestry who came over from Ireland in the late 19th century. They in turn were descendants of survivors of the Spanish Armada who were washed up on the south coast of Ireland all those centuries ago.

My father and sister both have dark skin, jet black very curly hair and blue eyes. Yet I can trace the family no further afield than Wales Joan

I think it has something to do with the Spanish Armarda, and the sailors who settled in Ireland. Could be wrong tho!

Spain has been invaded many times by people from North Africa. (the Moors - One of the Muslim people of Africa; of mixed Arab and Berber descent; converted to Islam in the 8th century; conquerors of Spain in the 8th century) So it's possible that Spanish people in Ireland might be particularly dark skinned if they were descended from the African invaders! Merry

Hi Angela x Really bugs ya dont it lol. Thats why I stearted my tree in the beginning (and cus I was desperate for grandparents loL) I have really olive skin dark curly hair (which I hate n straighten daily) big dark brown eyes (that makes me look like a flipping owl lol) and really high cheekbones. When I was at school I was always called nasty racial names now my youngest (who's has exactly the same features as me) gets the nasty names too, as do my sisters 2 kids (my sisters the same tho im slightly darker than her her kids are the same colouring as me) my second eldest brother is the same as us (tho his kids dont have the features) my eldest brother is just like mum blue eyes and blonde hair. My dads always told me there was foreign blood in us, my new found cousin says her dad always told her the same their was foreign blood in us (our dads didnt grow up together and last saw each other in 1937) so whats the chances of em getting it wrong? So the search is on im like a bloody bull dog lol. Angie xxx

My Nan's family have dark/olive skin, brown eyes and dark curly hair!!! My nan was always told she was from romany stock and as her family came from Norwood, Lambeth it could be true....I think but can't prove that her 2xggm on her fathers side was a Gipsy......But then....When looking into the origins of my Nan's Mum's family I find out that there are stories that her 2xggf was a mixed race man (described then as a 'mulatto') and came to this country with his Jamiacan born father???? Now I don't know if that is true but there is know one else of his surname born in this country at that paticular time.....in fact know one else of that surname at all until his children are born here???? mmmmm Deb

My Nan has quite dark skin, she always looks tanned even in winter. I always expected to find at bit of mediterranean blood somewhere in her line but so far I've not got out of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. The gene has been passed to me and my children. My son has the same skin colour as his best mate who's half Portuguese, it looks great with his blond hair and blue eyes.

It would be nice if DNA testing for area of origin was cheaper, wouldnt it. Id def have a go - though I guess Im pretty obviously from hefty north european stock - and with my main names being Hanson and Horstead - but it would be interesting to know.

I have the tanned skin and dark hair combination too, inherited from my paternal Irish Granny. 4 of her children inherited it, apart from the youngest 1, who was fair like his father. Most of my cousins on my father's side have this colouring too - all the cousins on my mother's side are fair haired and fair-skinned. The only things I have inherited from my mother's side are the defects - bunions, fat knees and short leg bones, which all the girl cousins have, but none of the boys! Nature can be very cruel at times!!!! Jay

Genetics is a complicated subject.... unfortunately!!! Having said that, my hubby (and his family) has very dark skin, with dark brown eyes and jet black hair (before it turned grey!) Years ago, he used to work on building sites and in summer got so brown he used to be called 'Darkie'. Not PC these days of course!!! When I started genealogy I used to joke with him that I was sure I would find a bit of 'jungle juice' in this family to explain his colouring! Well I haven't so far (and I'm back to 1600's on his line!) but what I did find was the village is Suffolk where a huge chunk of his ancestors came from was (apparently!) noted by its population, half of which were very fair haired and fair skinned people (Viking influence ....!) and half by very dark skinned, dark haired people - this trait coming about by a large infiltration of Romanies in 1500's who settled in the village. I even have a photo of hubby's great great uncle - who nickname was also 'Darkie'!!! Nice little legend .................... lol!!!! Bev x

If you REALLY want to know, then check out University Genetic Programmes near you - often they will do 'geographical' genes testing either free, or for a nominal amount. Some of these tests are astonishly accurate and can pinpoint a little hamlet in Outer Mongolia, lol. The only thing it cannot tell you with very much certainty, is how long ago your ancestor was in Outer Mongolia, nor how he got from there to you. I am very fair-skinned, with blue eyes, but very dark hair (um, well, that's before I went ash blonde with the passage of time). Someone told me once that this puts my ancestry firmly in Scotland - true on my mother's side. I also have high, flat cheekbones - again a sign of Scottish ancestry recently, with possible input from the low countries! This rather annoys me as I consider myself from sturdy Lancashire stock on my father's side. OC

My family are all fair-skinned. Husband has a definite olive tinge to skin which our younger son has inherited and they both tan easily. Husband has Welsh blood and also - but more watered down - Irish in his veins. There's a definite Iberian (Spanish/Portuguese) look to lots of his Welsh relatives. I am guessing darker skin is a dominant gene over fairer. nell

Thanks for all your replies - I didn't expect quite so many!! I am going to re-read and digest. It's all very interesting.

The trouble is O.C. that the UEA is doing that sort of thing at mo, BUT they want you to have had last 3 generations living in the same area and of course I havent. I cant see why that is so important - after all my lot must have been in Norfolk back to the Domesday book and someone from Outer Mongolia may have come here 3 generations back.

Heather Yes, I've never quite understood why you have to have at least three generations etc born in the same place, as long as you can put a few generations of your family as belonging to a place. Surely this sort of research is going to become very difficult in the near future, when very few of us are even born, let alone live, where our ancestors were born. OC