Welsh People

[CConn]

Who are they descended from?

They seem quite a bit darker in complexion and hair color than the Germanic/Norse mix that makes up the ancestry of British, Scottish, and Irish people.

And why do so many people from New Zealand look more Welsh than British or Australian?

 

[Duke]

Perhaps this might enlighten you on the subject:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_people

 

[CConn]

I already looked at that. It didn't capture my interest.

 

[DarkSovereignty]

I just wiki' them lol. take it with a grain of salt but apparently they come from celtic britons. it is wikipedia though. and the differences in complexion could just be a regional thing, like how people in sicily are generally tan with dark hair, but you go up north in Italy you'll come across blue eyed blond people. and new zealand was probably just settled by higher concentrations of welsh people than Australia.

 

[Duke]

According to one source on Wiki, they can be traced back to the 4th or 5th century following the Roman departure from Britain.

 

[Warhammer]

Wales gave us Batman.

 

[CConn]

They seem more rural than Britians.

 

[runawayboulder]

I'm Welsh.

 

[Pink Ranger]

Wales gave us Batman.

And Hannibal Lecter, Velma Kelly, Reed Richards, Xenophilius Lovegood, Gimli son of Gloin and most of Torchwood.

 

[Spuzz]

Wales also give us blubber.

 

[DarkSovereignty]

...I see what you did there.

 

[Manic]

A Welsh superhero:

 

[twylight]

Google

 

[Shemtov]

I just wiki' them lol. take it with a grain of salt but apparently they come from celtic britons. it is wikipedia though. and the differences in complexion could just be a regional thing, like how people in sicily are generally tan with dark hair, but you go up north in Italy you'll come across blue eyed blond people. and new zealand was probably just settled by higher concentrations of welsh people than Australia.

Well, Given that their language is of the Brittonic Branch of Celtic, Wiki's right.

 

[CConn]

Google

That actually answered my question.

Welsh have dark complexions because of their French/Spanish ancestry.

Yet that article doesn't really say anything about the Norse immigration that resulted in all of the gingers in Ireland and Scotland. There's no way they're all Spanish/French celts.

 

[Schlosser85]

I always thought Catherine Zeta-Jones has a very Spanish look to her.

Michael Sheen is dark as well.

 

[Marvolo]

I always thought Catherine Zeta-Jones has a very Spanish look to her.

Michael Sheen is dark as well.

Same here. I use to think she was spanish.

 

[Thundercrack85]

British ancestry doesn't really mean anything, since everyone on the island is descended of people who migrated from somewhere else, fairly recently in most cases.

Angles, Normans (who are themselves both French and Germanic), Romans, as well as other tribes who migrated to Britain / Wales from the (European) continent all migrated there, and intermixed.

Welsh people are British people.

Neanderthals lived in Wales before humans, so, the Welsh (like all Europeans) have Neanderthal ancestry as well.

 

[Marvolo]

British ancestry doesn't really mean anything, since everyone on the island is descended of people who migrated from somewhere else, fairly recently in most cases.

Angles, Normans (who are themselves both French and Germanic), Romans, as well as other tribes who migrated to Britain / Wales from the (European) continent all migrated there, and intermixed.

Welsh people are British people.

Neanderthals lived in Wales before humans, so, the Welsh (like all Europeans) have Neanderthal ancestry as well.

Look at American ancestry. We are a hodgpodge of everything. Im Swiss, German, Dutch, Scott and Irish and thats just that i know of.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Yes, and if you're of English descent (as most Americans are), then, you could also be Norman (Germanic and French), and you might have some Italian in you.

Most modern nationalities are actually much more diverse than people realize.

You can usually tell just by a last name in your family (maternal or paternal).

 

[Marvolo]

Yes, and if you're of English descent (as most Americans are), then, you could also be Norman (Germanic and French), and you might have some Italian in you.

Most modern nationalities are actually much more diverse than people realize.

You can usually tell just by a last name in your family (maternal or paternal).

With ease of travel, immigration, and a world job market; cultures are mixing at a very high rate. Its not like it used to be 500-1000 years ago. Back then where you lived is pretty much what you were because your ancestors lived in the same 50 mile radius for hundreds of years. There wasnt much variation. Today though i might decide to move to japan marry a local and my grandkids will be part japanese completely changing the family line. And my grandkids could move to Italy and marey a local and then their kids would have Italian ancestry. Its amazing really how connected we've become.

 

[Thundercrack85]

It's coming full circle. We were all once one small tribe, now we'll all be one big tribe.

 

[Marvolo]

It's coming full circle. We were all once one small tribe, now we'll all be one big tribe.

That is a great way to look at it. Too bad we cant all unite as one tribe.

I love my family heritage. We know my mothers side descends from the Germanic tribes that Rome fought on numerous occassions. They migrated into a part of switzerland and were rebels in Switzerland at a time. There are church documents from the 1400s discussing land given to her ancestors. Her family records go back to the 1300s with a complete family tree. I love going through it all.

Anyone else got any cool ancestry that they know of?

 

[Shemtov]

Anyone else got any cool ancestry that they know of?

Family Tradition says I'm descended from Moses's Brother.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I'm distantly related to the first human, top that.