I
read a lot about other genealogists and their searches for ancestors in
continental Europe and other regions. I have even helped a few people find
their family members in South America, Germany and The Netherlands. But in my
family, when you back a few generations, we are very British!
My
Shepheard ancestors originated in Devon, England. As I have discussed here
previously, as far back as I can trace them – the early 17th century
– they lived in or near the parish of Cornwood in southeastern Devon County.
My
DNA (from an analysis by 23andMe) is 100% European in origin: 43%
British, 14% French and German, 7% Scandinavian and 32% broadly Northern
European. One of my mother’s great-grandfathers definitely came from Germany,
although we have not been able to find out specifically where he was born or
anything about his family. It is speculated that, five generations back from
her, there may also have been a French connection, however, again, we have not
be able to confirm such roots. The Scandinavian contribution may have come down
through my father’s mother. Her grandfather came from the eastern part of
Scotland which may have had a possible Viking influence.
I
have several lines that go back through the USA, the full origins of which have
not yet been determined. Most of them were likely from England or Scotland, the
first people having arrived in North America in the 17th century as
colonists or endured servants. My father’s side was 100% British (6 ½% of that
Scottish) and my mother’s side was probably at least 85% British. That would
give me at least a 92% British background; the rest is a possibly a mixture of German
(6 ¼%) and French (1 ½%), somewhat lower than the 23andMe analysis suggests.
Both
of my wife Linda’s parents were born in Scotland and met in Canada after they
emigrated in the 1920s. I am still tracing many of her lines but have found all
of her ancestors came from various parts of Scotland: her paternal line from
Banffshire, Moray and Nairnshire in Northern Scotland; her maternal line from
Moray and the Shetland Islands. Over 85% of her DNA (also from 23andMe) originates in Britain and
Ireland and the rest mainly from Northern Europe. We have not found any family
lines for Linda outside of Scotland so whatever contribution the DNA represents
outside of Britain will remain a mystery. I have absolutely no explanation for
the 0.1% East Asian & Native American DNA! For now we regard her heritage
as being 100% Scottish.
Wayne
Shepheard is a volunteer with the Online Parish Clerk program, handling four
parishes in Devon, England. He
has published a number of articles about various aspects of genealogy and is a
past Editor of Chinook, the quarterly
journal of the Alberta Family Histories Society. Wayne also provides
genealogical consulting services through his business, Family History Facilitated.
