back to article Oxford boffins publish fine-scale regional genetic map of UK

An international team of researchers have created a fine-scale genetic map of the UK, the first time such a map has been produced for any country in the world. The fine-scale genetic variation between human populations is of interest to researchers both as a means of tracking historical population movements, and for its …

  1. Uffish

    Homogenized

    Not too sure of my grandparents origins but my children's grandparents weren't born anywhere near each other. Have my children lost or gained something?

    1. phuzz Silver badge
      Thumb Up

      Re: Homogenized

      Generally speaking, the more diverse your ancestry, the better off you are, as you're less likely to get two copies of recessive genes.

    2. x 7

      Re: Homogenized

      they've probably lost the chance of growing six fingers....

  2. phil dude
    Thumb Up

    suggestion...

    i know one of the authors, i might suggest they go through the graveyards and sample ancestor DNA, so that population samples can be compared.

    P.

  3. John 156
    Alien

    Recipe for English source

    "In terms of historical migrations, the boffins findings allowed them to suggest "significant pre-Roman, but post-Mesolithic, movement into southeastern England from continental Europe.""

    In other words, the extent to which migrations from the North Western seaboard of Europe into England occurred before or after the Roman Occupation is a matter of speculation since the DNA evidence is likely to be the same; in fact there is a school of thought that believes that overwhelmingly, immigration (-pre1948) after the intial settlements following the retreat of the icecap, occurred during the Neolithic era and that there existed Brythonic language speakers in West and Germanic speakers in the East of England as a result; put another way, historians should not feel embarrassed by there lack of knowledge of a period in our history into making stuff up like the Anglo-Saxon wipeout of the 'Ancient Brits' when anyone who did not speak High German (later modified to English) was immediately put to the sword.

  4. Martin Budden Silver badge

    Fascinating

    It is interesting to see how the genetic groups are so closely aligned with inter-area rivalries which still exist today.

    1. Sweep

      Re: Fascinating

      "It is interesting to see how the genetic groups are so closely aligned with inter-area rivalries which still exist today."

      The genetic groups have persisted partly because of the inter-area rivalries.

  5. Chairo

    Aren't you lucky...

    ... to have such a homogeneous genetic map? On the continent there has been more or less constant warfare since the dawn of the Roman empire, with each army leaving their trace by slaughtering, burning down and raping the local population. It would be interesting to compare the genetic map of island populations like Britain, Ireland and Japan with continental populations like French, Germans or Chinese. I dare to say the continental genetic maps would look quite chaotic.

    1. x 7

      Re: Aren't you lucky...

      " island populations like Britain, Ireland and Japan "

      Given the slaughter, burning and raping carried out in Ireland by the Normans, both Cromwells and the Hanoverians, along with the subsequent plantations, I suspect any prehistoric distribution there has been well and truly confused

      1. Teiwaz

        Re: Aren't you lucky...

        It's a pity the study didn't also cover Ireland as a whole. It'd be interesting to see if the population in the north was in any way distinct from the south.

        Enduring 17th Century politics aside, the north of Ireland has as much in common culturally with Scotland as it does with the rest of Ireland, as a result it sits somewhat between the two, in more ways than mere geography.

        The study found two prevalent types, one (presumed later) related to southern Scotland , the infamous plantations and a (presumed earlier) thought to be related to the Kingdom of Dalriada and related closer to the Scottish islands.

        However, the similarities between Scottish gallic and irish gaelic being what they are I find it difficult to believe there was not significant population movement between the two over a much longer period.

        As to slaughter, burning and raping by Normans, Cromwell and whatnot, that's lost in myth and propaganda. You've also neglected the tales masses of spanish sailors shipwrecked during the settling on the west coast after the Spanish Armada foundered...

        1. Sweep

          Re: Aren't you lucky...

          "However, the similarities between Scottish gallic and irish gaelic being what they are I find it difficult to believe there was not significant population movement between the two over a much longer period."

          Gaelic and Gaelic are almost identical in their written forms, but one of the things this study shows is that geographical regions can be similar or identical culturally, but still be genetically distinct, so I'm not sure what your point is?

          1. x 7

            Re: Aren't you lucky...

            "Gaelic and Gaelic are almost identical"

            the two words look exactly identical to me..........

            1. James 51

              Re: Aren't you lucky...

              Like celtic and celtic. Both are spelt the same but one is the football culb and pronounced pronounced as you'd expect and the other is closer to being pronounced keltic. At least according to various accents and dialects I've heard.

          2. Teiwaz

            Re: Aren't you lucky...

            Whatever made you think I meant population movement in a purely immigrant only manner?

            Trade and culture required population movement to carry and mix cultures from region to region (before telephone, radio and tv and internet allowed a unified national then international culture to thrive, each region was more isolated),

            As to written forms of words, they were often different across the country until government required standardisation for communication. The word for church was once spelt differently across the uk for example, the scottish 'kirk' is the only commonly recognised survivor.

            Irish Gaelic and Scottish Gallic are distinct from Welsh, Cornish and Breton celtic dialects. They used to see this as due to different 'invasions' of peoples moving from europe across the islands at different stages, but as we move from our 19th century perception of countries of 'races of people' and more accurate science, our understanding has changed, but we're seemingly still obsessed with 'genetics', just in a less dangerous manner (we don't measure peoples noses any more anyway).

      2. James 51

        Re: Aren't you lucky...

        Perhaps but I also suspect in certain areas you could plot differences down to street level.

    2. tony2heads

      Re: Aren't you lucky...

      8% of the people of asia are descended from Genghis Khan and his family.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Aren't you lucky...

        From memory, Niall of the Nine Hostages was similarly prolific in Ireland. Aren't 1 in 10 Irish people descended from him?

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I'm hearing banjos when I look at thet map

    1. tony2heads

      better paddle faster then

    2. Trigonoceps occipitalis

      That's OK. When you hear one banjo and one guitar be afraid.

  7. James 51

    It is going to be interesting to see what those who are interested in identity politics make of this.

  8. x 7

    tradition has it that the Saxons never got west of the lines of River Parrrett and Rive Axe in Somerset/Dorset. Tradition also has it that the Somerset Saxons were wiped out by the Normans at the battle of Montacute,

    The two together could explain the absence of Saxon blood in Devon and North Somerset

    1. The last doughnut
      Meh

      Also the roads in Somerset are atrocious.

      1. x 7

        well.......the roads are flooded a lot of the time

  9. Anonymous IV

    The Australian Murdoch Childrens Research Institute

    No doubt this is an absolutely fine organisation, but my blood ran slightly cold when I read the name.

    1. phuzz Silver badge
      Meh

      Re: The Australian Murdoch Childrens Research Institute

      I misread it at first as the Australian Murder Childrens Research Institute.

      I'm not sure which is worse.

  10. Bunbury

    Invicta!

    Disappointing that these boffs refer to Kent as being invaded by Anglo-Saxons. Neither Angle, nor Saxon, but Jutes here mate. Git Offa moi laaand.

  11. Reid

    OLD News (scuze pun)

    This was far more thoroughly and eloquently discussed in Brian Sykes 2006 book "Blood of the Isles"

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Isles-Professor-Bryan-Sykes/dp/0593056523

    You are seldom who you think you are, particularly when your sense of identity is too closely bound with overly romantic and emotive notions of ethnic and cultural identity. Ain't science is a bitch!

  12. x 7

    "You are seldom who you think you are, particularly when your sense of identity is too closely bound with overly romantic and emotive notions of ethnic and cultural identity."

    try telling that to a jihadist...........

POST COMMENT House rules

Not a member of The Register? Create a new account here.

  • Enter your comment

  • Add an icon

Anonymous cowards cannot choose their icon

Other stories you might like