Posts Tagged ‘DNA’
Ethnicity Estimate
Kiss me, I’m [almost] Irish! I don’t know if you can tell, but I am writing with an Irish accent this morning. In honor of my great connections to the fifth-century patron saint and national apostle of Ireland, Patrick, I am acknowledging this special holiday by revisiting my ancestral links.
But, wait. Ireland has always been a dead end in my attempts to verify the origin of the surname Hays. I haven’t identified the father of my 3rd-great-grandfather John Hays. I have always been led toward Ireland because a mention in an 1860 Canadian census that lists place of origin as Ireland.
Confusion was added when information on that John Hays (born abt.1795), found on the death record of his son, John B. (born 1834 or 1837) listed the father’s (John born 1795) place of birth as Vermont, USA. I have never been able to verify that.
However, I have DNA records to connect with my ethnicity so surely that will verify this family line to Ireland. Umm, no. It doesn’t.
The missing link is whoever the father was of the John born in 1795 and where he was from.
My cells indicate the top three places matching my ethnicity are England and Northwestern Europe, Wales, and Scotland.
So, I guess I’ve actually been writing in a Scottish accent all this time. Not sure if you can hear the difference.
Regardless, Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
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Irish Maybe
Growing up, I had no clue about my family’s ethnic origins. I’m pretty sure my father responded with “American” when I brought up the question. Today, since it’s St. Patrick’s Day, everybody is a little bit Irish, aren’t they? I’ve never really identified with the occasion, but I probably should.
Even after my many sporadic plunges into my family ancestry, I’m still not convinced about the ultimate origin of the “Hays” name. When a second cousin enlisted the help of professionals, they pointed to a pretty focused area of the counties of southern Ireland, yet the result from my DNA hint at the surrounding region excluding Ireland.
At this point, I’m more inclined to cling to what I know and claim my obvious Canadian heritage.
Cyndie occasionally shares a wonderful recollection of her earliest query about her family ethnicity. The simplified version from so many kids where it gets described as half of one nationality and half of another led her to ask her father, by way of a written note slipped under the bathroom door, “What am I half of?”
She was shocked when the answer came back, “Half-wit.”
I am half my mom and half my dad; a quarter of each of my grandparents. Sometimes I feel a little like a half-wit.
On March 17th, I’m possibly a little Irish.
Don’t tell my DNA.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
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Relative Something 