On Being Scandinavian
Back to the DNA test I took... 28% Scandinavian as the largest percentage was a surprise to me. Reading a bit on the internet, it's a surprise to other people as well (not mine, their own result of course). Here are some things I read:
"I, too, am critical of the DNA ethnic test results. Mine said 59% Scandinavian... (snip) I have direct lines to innumerable British immigrants who came to America during the Great Migration. The latest Scandinavian blood that I believe I have is from Anglo-Norman families who came to the British Isles with The Conqueror. And they inter-married with other Britains. I might believe a tiny bit of Scandinavian, but I cannot believe that most of my DNA is derived from Scandinavia after over a thousand years of mixing with British blood. I wonder what data base was used to determine ethnic origins of our DNA. It appears to me to be defective."
"My ancestral breakdown shows 38% British Isles (about what I figured) and 54% Scandinavian, which is totally wrong. I know that I am about half German - SOUTHERN German from Wurttemberg and Switzerland. I’ve found 90% of my great-great-great-great-grandparents, and there’s just nowhere in my family tree for such a large percentage of Scandinavian blood to hide. All four of my grandparents have German blood, and many of my lines go back to the 17th century. My test doesn’t show that I have ANY central European ancestry, which leads me to think that the “Scandinavian” result includes a lot of German as well."
"Yes, Scandinavian seemed obsurd until you realize how influential the scandinavians dna was on northern England and Ireland. I too am sure the 38% Scandinavian genes originates in Scotland and Ireland. (snip) Ancestry needs to clarify this, instead of making us think we’re Vikings, Even though this is where it originates."