The Baca / Douglas Genealogy and Family History Blog

03 February 2010

Maybe that's why I get a farmer's tan during the Summer....

When I received the preliminary results of my genetic test from Family Tree DNA, I was wondering whether I should post them online. After all, they are private information. But then I discovered that I have some sexy DNA.

According to the BBC, my haplogroup is fairly common in Europe, especially in Ireland, Wales and Spain, where it reaches frequencies of 90% or more. My lineage is R1b1b2, which, according to the British broadcaster, originates from sexy Near East farmers. Okay, maybe the article didn't exactly say that. However, Dr. Patricia Balaresque, the scientist who did the study that produced these findings, did say that the new technology of farming thousands of years ago helped my ancestors win out over hunter-gatherers. She also said that "maybe, back then, it was just sexier to be a farmer." Honest, she did!

All kidding aside, knowing my family history, it appears that my patrilineal pedigree (father's, father's, father's, father ... ad infinitum) came directly from Spain. What accounts for the same DNA showing up in Ireland and Wales, is probably due to the Celtic migration into Spain 2,500 years ago.

According to Wikipedia, Celts migrated to Spain somewhere around the sixth and fifth centuries B.C. They mated with the local Iberian people, and created a culture that is known historically as Celtiberian. These people were the most influential culture in Iberia during the pre-Roman era, and had their largest historical impact during the 2nd Punic War when they sided with Carthage against Rome.

So the next time you meet a man from Ireland, Wales or Spain, know that they may be my distant cousins. And if you are attracted to them, it could be because of their ancestry.

1 comment:

Sheri Fenley said...

I too am in haplogroup R subgroup B4c(mtdna) and even though I have blonde hair and blue eyes, my skin has an olive undertone to it and I turn very dark in the summer time. And the British broadcaster is correct we R people come from VERY sexy Near East Famers. (It works for me so just let's go with it Robert!)