chromosomes in a twist

[hdw]

I'm trying to understand the link between individual chromosomes and ethnicity, which is pretty difficult for a scientific illiterate.

I have several matches on MyHeritage with Scandinavians, in particular two Swedes and one Norwegian who are allegedly my 3rd cousin to 5th cousin or 3rd cousin to distant cousin. I have no Scandinavian ancestors in recent centuries so this must go back at least to the Viking Age.

All four of us match on chromosome 5. Three of us match on chromosome 2, three of us match on chromosome 15 and three of us match on chromosome 18.

I have several other matches on MyHeritage who are closely related to me in recent time with the relationship proven by "paper-trail genealogy", and none of them show the same pattern of chromosome matching as the Scandinavians. The daughter of one of my 2nd cousins matches me on chromosome 15 with 47.4cM but her mother was from Orkney and 37% of her DNA is allegedly Scandinavian.

Is there such a thing as Scandinavian chromosomes?

Harry

[Mart 'n' Al]

Harry, it is very difficult concept. One thing which I found helps, is to find articles on DNA and genetics aimed at children. They are explained in very basic terms and these articles provide a very good basis for when you want to advance your knowledge.

Martin

[Carmella]

This article from Roberta Estes gives some info:

https://dna-explained.com/2018/10/30/ethnicity-far-more-than-percentages/

[hdw]

Harry, it is very difficult concept. One thing which I found helps, is to find articles on DNA and genetics aimed at children. They are explained in very basic terms and these articles provide a very good basis for when you want to advance your knowledge.

Martin

There's an article in today's Observer about why adults shouldn't be ashamed of reading children's books.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/apr/20/adults-should-read-childrens-books-says-oxford-don-and-author

Harry

[Erato]

"Is there such a thing as Scandinavian chromosomes?"

No.

[hdw]

This article from Roberta Estes gives some info:

https://dna-explained.com/2018/10/30/ethnicity-far-more-than-percentages/

Yes, she's very good and always worth reading. I read her blog about mtDNA J ("Jasmine").

Harry

[Gan Yam]

I have several matches on MyHeritage with Scandinavians, in particular two Swedes and one Norwegian who are allegedly my 3rd cousin to 5th cousin or 3rd cousin to distant cousin. I have no Scandinavian ancestors in recent centuries so this must go back at least to the Viking Age.

I know nothing about DNA matching, although am very interested in it. You say you have no Scandinavian ancestry that you are aware of, but could the match not work the other way round and its the Scandinavians who have distant British ancestry? or does it not work like that? Thinking maybe a fisherman/sailor who left a ship(and stayed permanently or had a brief encounter!!)   Just a thought!

[hdw]

One of these Scandinavians does have some "Irish/Scottish/Welsh" ancestry (that's how MyHeritage describes it).

Roberta Estes' genetic genealogy blog has been mentioned. I have had a discussion there with a Norwegian lady, from west Norway, whose description of her DNA sounds very similar to mine, with a mixture of Scandinavian, Finnish, British and a few other bits and pieces. Incidentally, the three Scandinavian matches I mentioned before all share Finnish DNA with me (allegedly!).

It's instructive to check out your DNA with more than one testing agency. MyHeritage allot me  19.3% Scandinavian DNA, but on FTDNA Family Finder, I have 33%. When I originally tested with them the Scandinavian component was smaller but I also had 5% Finland and North Siberia, which they later deleted. As has been said many times, it's good clean fun but not to be taken too seriously ( and I haven't mentioned my Iberian, Italian, Baltic, North African and Nigerian bits!).

Harry

[Craclyn]

There is no correlation between chromosome numbers and ethnicity.