Its true most English people are still derived from the Celtic tribes?

Question

I mean the Anglo-Saxons just imposed their language ans other things upon them but i heard still till this day most Brits are from Celtic ancestry, by the how did the English language come about, i mean what was it mixed with?

Answer 1

If by "Brits" you mean the English, then it's not true. I saw an article on the BBC or in the Economist last year regarding a DNA study in England. Seems that the English are still very Germanic to a surprising degree. Evidently, the original Celtic inhabitants of what is now England were driven out or died out far more than they intermarried (with the Angles, Saxons, Danes, and Jutes).

If by "Brits" you mean the populace of the United Kingdom (i.e., England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland) then you may be right. I don't know the size of each population.

As for the origin of the English language: it's primarily a mixture of French (from the Norman Conquest) and Anglo-Saxon (i.e., German). It occurred during the 200 years following the Battle of Hastings (1066).

Answer 2

Very interesting subject.
The dna evidence suggests that even the 'Celts' did the same thing. Brits are pre-Celtic ancestry - possibly similar to the Basques.
Anglo-Saxon is a bit of a problem because it seems that it diverged from proto-German long before the Anglo-Saxons are supposed to have left Germany. For that reason some people are suggesting that the Belgic tribes in Britain were speaking a Germanic language, ie proto-'Anglo-Saxon', when the Romans arrived.

Answer 3

Most European countries, England/Britain included, have experienced very high geographical and social mobility over the last two millennia. Though a high proportion of modern Britons will have some Celtic ancestry, since the Celts Britain has been invaded by Romans, Vikings, Saxons, Normans and various others, in addition to extensive emigration and immigration. Most modern British people will have ancestry tracing back to all these groups. Celtic blood will be a very tiny proportion of most English people's blood.

The English language has been influenced by all these different groups that have invaded or immigrated at various points. The basis of English was built on Latin and old German languages, but it has evolved constantly since then. English-speaking students of English literature at universities who want to study Anglo-Saxon literature actually have to learn it as a separate language, because it is so different from modern English.

Answer 4

If you would like the best source of the origin of the English language, I suggest: 'The Stories of English by David Crystal' (Penguin/Allen Lane) 2004. As for determining which tribe constitutes the majority of today's English people: the Iberians, Celts, Jutes, Danes, Frisians, Anglo-Saxons, Romans, and French all make up the ancestry of the English people.

Answer 5

"most english people are... from... Celtic tribes"

Umm i dont see why you are asking that. Anglo's, Saxons, Normans and British Celts..... Gotta just give you a hint... They are all Celtic Tribes...

The Celts occupied the lands of Northern Europe before Roman invasions. i.e. anything North of the Alps was Celtic.

The Language of English is a derivative of Celtic, Frankish, French, Saxon, Latin and later German.

Hope this helps...

Answer 6

The problem with trying to trace the genetic origins of a paticular group of people, especially within an Isolated set of islands like the UK and Ireland is that if new populations arrive, they intermix to a greater or lesser degree with the population that is already there. The Iron age Celts that arrived from continental Europe during the Iron Age tended to settle in the south east of england and in small pockets up the east coast. The culture, language and artistic developments that they brought with them spread to the rest of the islands, so now you have Pre-celtic people speaking a celtic language and living in a comparible way to the celts. Next come romans, who bring people from all over the known world to settle. When the empire leaves, these people are already mixing in with the population, using roman tecnology and occasionally the latin language. Now we have a mix of 3 cultural and DNA types in England but less in Ireland Scotland and Wales. Then come the Saxon/Angles etc who again settle in England at the same time as Irish colonists move to Scotland. Then Viking raiders/ settlers come to Northern England, Scotland and Ireland, bringing language, art and culture with them as well as mixing with the cocktail of DNA that is already there....

All this time the poulations are moving around within the Isles.

Then the Normans, with thier originally Viking DNA mixed with Frankish DNA arrive and although not in great numbers mixed French into the English/Scandinavian/ Celtic stew of language and blood....

Then the English settled Ireland in the 17th cent, moving Scots there to the North in the 18th cent. Not forgetting the masses of Irish refugees moving to England in the 19th cent.

All in all, I dont think anyone within the UK can describe thier DNA as being Celtic, as they must have more different ethnic ancestors than it is possible to identify. People have lived in the UK for at least 10,000 years and no-one seems to have moved out when more came in...

However DNA is useful for politicians, using the Us and Them system to win votes. Down that road are gas chambers and cattle trucks.

Answer 7

I think the Welsh have more of the Celtic blood. I think the blonde hair comes from the Saxon and Norse invaders, and the black hair is from the Celts.

Answer 8

the only lost tribe concept of which i'm conscious has the tribe taking the Ark of the Covenant into Ethiopia. the tale has it that this experience got here approximately earlier than the Babylonian Captivity. further theories carry that countless Crusaders traveled into Ethiopia in seek of the Ark.