For Christmas 2014 I asked my Mom for a DNA kit from Ancestry.com to see where all the crazy relatives came from (you know your an adult when you ask for genetics testing for your Christmas gift!). Family history fascinates me and a while back I even had a genealogist friend do some research. The historical record was interesting as she found a letter that one relative gave up allegiance to the Czar when he immigrated to the USA (it was the 1800s and he was Polish, so no big surprise there) and a possible second family for a different great-great relative. So when the DNA results came back they were very interesting.
Not too surprising was all the Finnish in me (my Dad took great pride in his Finnish ancestors and his beloved saunas), but what was shocking was the 11% from Great Britain. Where did that come from? Although it does explain a bit of my great love of Sherlock Holmes & Doctor Who and my fascination with all things British. But still, nothing in the family historical record or even family legend explains the British and then there was the big question – whose side it was from? Mom or Dads? So Mom decided to give the DNA testing a try and her results just came back. Mom has 16% DNA from Great Britain! Where is this coming from? We expected Croatia and Poland, but where does a great-great British relative come into the picture or tree? What is going on? Plus there was even a little Finnish and Scandinavian (I am Finnish from both sides?) on Mom’s side. I figured that I received the Scandinavian DNA from Dad, but maybe not. Then there is all these little 1% here and there, your basic genetic drift and not important, but still interesting. So the mystery or hunt for the British great-great relatives continues…
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- Melissa’s DNA
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- Mom’s DNA