Scrambled Brains: Genetic Ethnicity Part II

So, the above is my mom's DNA from ancestry.com

I was surprised at the 62% Central European, and really surprised at the 8% Scandinavian. The high percentage of Central European surprised me because I really thought it would be higher on my dad's side of the tree, with his line being traced back to Central Europe/Germany on paper to the 1500's and even some references to our family name back as far as the 1100's. It never occurred to me that my mom may have more Central European in her than my dad, and possibly then, my dad would have more British isles than Central European.

But it is the 8% Scandinavian that has really thrown me for a loop, because if you remember my DNA, here, then you will remember that I have NO Scandinavian ethnicity in mine. So my seemingly ignorant knowledge of DNA was shipwrecked instantly. If my mom is 8% shouldn't I be 4%? That is what I thought anyway.. then someone said this to me, "Well, can't you comprise your mom's 50% contribution to your DNA from her remaining 92%?" and the implications hit me right between the eyes. Wait a minute, your saying the 50% my mom contributes to my ethnic makeup can be 50% of whatever, say for example, 50% of just Central European, and not 50% of all her ethnicities? What? Can this be true? I have no idea, but now I know that my knowledge of DNA is is just crap.

This would also mean that, even though my sister and I, (or my mom and her sisters) would have similar DNA in the sense that you could tell we were siblings, our Ethnicity wouldn't be 100% exactly the same. My sister could get some of the Scandinavian DNA that I don't have, for example.

However, even if I don't know the exact numbers or percentages, it would look like that I received the majority of my Central European DNA from my mom's 62% and possibly the majority of my British Isles DNA from my Dad. This of course, is exactly opposite of what I thought going into this.

My brain is scrambled now.

Genetic Ethnicity

I have done the ancestry.com DNA Test.

50% British Isles (England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales)
38% Central European (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein)
7% Finnish/Volga-Ural (Finland, Russia)
5% Undefined

So, interesting. The only really surprise was the Finnish/Volga-Ural. Julie tells me that means we could be descended from Genghis Khan. That sounds cool.

DNA math, to my best understanding, goes like this: If I am 50% British Isles, my parents are 100% British Isles. That could be anything from a 50-50 split to a 25-75 or whatever.. 10/90 etc..

So here is my guess based on no facts of any kind.. lol.. assuming the 38% Central European is just from my dad's side, then he would be 76% Central European. That leaves him 24%, now I am going to say that the 7% Finnish is from his side as well, so that makes him 14% Finnish. So, that is 90%.. I will then give him 10% British Isles (Because his Mom's side, The Lynch Family, looks like they came from Ireland at one point, or are even maybe Scotch/Irish..)

So then Mom would be 90% British Isles and 10% Undefined... and I know my parents, or my Mom at least, are rooting for the undefined to be Native American. Don't hold your breath.

This is of course subject to error ;)

But it begs the question, where does the Finnish/Russian come from? Doing the math, it would seem that my GREAT GREAT Grandparents (that would be 16 people to choose from mind you) would each combine to be 100% Finnish/Russian.. somehow..

If I was a betting man, I would say it comes from the Wietzke (my Great Great Grandmother on my dad's side) or Hoffbauer lines (my Great Grandmother on my dad's side).. but of course, I have no idea. For any relatives who come from these grandparents as well, my DNA results will also give you an idea of some of your ethnicity as well, as some of that will have filtered its way down to you.

Maybe we will clear this up somewhat, because my mom has just sent her DNA test in to ancestry.com and we should have her results back within the next month or so. Knowing her results will not only help clear up what comes from where for me, but also give us a glimpse of the ethnicity of my Nana & Grampa (My Mom's parents), and of course show her sisters what there DNA is like as well.

The anticipation is growing... stay tuned.

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