Is there a family resemblance? a curiosity thread

[iluleah]

I am often amused when people say how much my son resembles me - actually he was adopted and is no blood relative at all!  I think people look for resemblances. A neighbour of mine once said how much my husband resembled my brother's wife - she had assumed they were siblings, when of course they were not related except through my brother's marriage.

Very much so, people see what they want to see

[Marmalady]

My daughter and her cousin are very much alike -- so much so that at a family party even the cousin's young children kept calling my daughter "Mummy" !

[Finley 1]

People often say the family pet begins to look like its owner -- after a while    We had a friend with a Beagle all floppy eared and big eyes... just like his owner

xin

[Ayashi]

I have wondered in the case of adoption or of non-related individuals growing up together if they might develop similar facial expressions and mannerisms as well as styles, which might give them a bit of a "resemblance".

[pharmaT]

I have a photograph of my grandfather's 3 sisters.  One of them is the spitting image of my older daughter to the extent someone once thought she'd dressed up and had one of those antique effect photos taken.  I also have a photo of my Gran's brother taken at my gran's wedding, and my second cousin has a photo of her dad (mum's cousin) at the same age, they look identical, and her brother (obviously my other second cousin) looks the same as they did at his age.

[Rishile]

   Placidness and lack of ambition! "A steady, sober and reliable man". A definite tendency to stay out of the limelight, newspapers, law courts......!

That is amazing TopoftheHill because I know we have a connection with our Pay line and that could describe all of the men in my family.

Rishile

[Mart 'n' Al]

Ayashi, that is a very interesting comment. I firmly believe that you can acquire family mannerisms, and even around the country I noticed that there are local mannerisms. Quite often I've noticed on television, if the sound is down, and I have seen somebody I have been able to identify them as perhaps Geordie or Scouse just from facial mannerisms. I imagine with the prevalence of television and the internet this will start to die out, sadly.

Martin

[Top-of-the-hill]

  Rishile - that is interesting isn't it? It does make for a fairly happy life though! Unless they have a partner who is too different.

[River Tyne Lass]

My Great nephew who I mentioned earlier as being interested in music and dance is in a non musical family.  He does not see Grandfather (my brother) regularly as does not live near him.  However, he resembles my brother in looks, temperament and musical talent.

I have always loved reading and have always been considered a bookworm.  In this I am unlike any member of my immediate family but my Dad once told me that he had a cousin who was as much into reading as I am.  I do however have a great x 2 niece who I am told is very much like me with her love of books. 

When a small great x 2 niece once asked me who I was I answered that I am her Grandfather's Auntie.  This suddenly made me feel very old - I had somehow never envisaged myself as being the aunt of anyone's Grandfather.