DNA can change everything

**neloon** · 14th February 15, 05:27 AM

An excellent summary, jf42.
I believe the current linguistic theory is that p- and q-Celtic diverged around 1000BC among the tribes of southern Gaul though I guess, for a few hundred years, the "dialects" would have been mutually intelligible.
Almost matching the difficulties of defining "Celticness" are those associated with the questions "Who were/are 'the Highlanders'? What are the clear cut boundaries of 'the Highlands'?" Just a few miles from where I'm sitting there is a large sign by the roadside that says "You are now entering the Highlands". That must thrill the tourists!
Alan

**Mike S** · 14th February 15, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by jf42

That is an interesting distinction to make. You can be a speaker of a P-Celtic or Q-Celtic language but that doesn't make you a 'P-Celt' or 'Q-Celt.'

My statement is merely that they claim a Celtic heritage, and are linguistically classified as Q-Celtic by the common nomenclature. The rest was read into the comment entirely by yourself.

**jf42** · 14th February 15, 10:06 AM

Well, indeed. Thank you.

**MacOibicin** · 14th February 15, 12:51 PM

Growing up, I was told we were of Scots-Irish descent. Nearly every maternal surname was generically "British". A DNA test done a few years ago proved a surprise. Our male line carries a very unique marker found only in Wales, Iran, and India. As there are many Hopkins in Wales, this should be no surprise after all. Still it was funny how many family members held onto the Scot-Irish thing. I guess Welsh just isn't as cool.

**StevieR** · 14th February 15, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by MacOibicin

Growing up, I was told we were of Scots-Irish descent. Nearly every maternal surname was generically "British". A DNA test done a few years ago proved a surprise. Our male line carries a very unique marker found only in Wales, Iran, and India. As there are many Hopkins in Wales, this should be no surprise after all. Still it was funny how many family members held onto the Scot-Irish thing. I guess Welsh just isn't as cool.

Protestants emigrated to Ulster not only from Scotland, but to a lesser extent, England and Wales as well. It could be quite conceivable that your ancestors left Ireland for the US, their own Welsh roots lost in the mix of the majority of Scots who populated that part of Ireland.

Nothing uncool about the Welsh though (turn the volume up!): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM4mI...e_gdata_player

**jf42** · 24th February 15, 05:57 AM

Also, there was a significant early Irish settlement and later emigration to south Wales over the centuries, just to muddy the waters!

**Mechamaniac** · 24th February 15, 06:28 PM

Been interested in this for a while and after reading this thread and doing some additional research online, I had decided to go with 23andme. Only to find out that it's not allowed in Maryland.

Go Maryland! Way to make yet another thing illegal.

**Mike_Oettle** · 26th February 15, 12:30 PM

The languages of the Isle of Man are Gaelic and English. I have no idea at what point English superseded Manx Gaelic, but I do know that the language has been practically extinct for about a century, although enthusiasts have revived it.
The Gaelic language alone does not make the island Gaelic. It is close enough to England, Scotland, Ireland and even Wales to have been constantly influenced by all these countries down the centuries, and it was the seat of a Norse kingdom for a while, too.
It fell under the Lordship of the Isles after the Kingdom of Sodor and Man came to an end.
But its status as a crown possession is testimony enough to the fact that it is a bit of everything.
Nonetheless, when Norwegian ceased to be the island’s language, it was Gaelic-speaking territory.

**kiltedtom** · 1st March 15, 10:08 AM

I just remember that when my father's cousin did a family history, I was so happy to find out that I was predominantly Welsh not English. Everybody I knew then seemed to be of English ancestory. It was nice to be someone different. LOL

Hang on. Spring is coming soon. (I hope.)

Tom

**DyerStraits** · 1st March 15, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by kiltedtom

I just remember that when my father's cousin did a family history, I was so happy to find out that I was predominantly Welsh not English. Everybody I knew then seemed to be of English ancestory. It was nice to be someone different. LOL

Hang on. Spring is coming soon. (I hope.)

Tom

Good for you, Tom, I feel the same way. Nothing against the English of course, but I've always hoped that my ancestral Dyers were Celtic/Gaelic (I suppose it might be clearer if it were spelled Dwyer instead of Dyer). I haven't completed the geneology yet, but was rather disappointed by--and suspicious of--my own recent DNA analysis, which was less than emphatic about the percentage of my British component. I found that rather odd given that my matrilineal great-great grandfather Dyer was undoubtedly mostly, if not entirely, British and (hopefully/presumably) Celtic, and I'm certain I have patrilineal British ancestry also. But I guess I'll have to actually research further and otherwise accept--and be proud of--my "admixture".