Is it true that most English people are actually genetically Celtic rather than Anglo-Saxon?

Question

I heard a report that said that most English were actually genetically Celtic...is that true?

Answer 1

Yes

We have been taught a false history stemming from the Norman invasion, most English sided with the anglo saxons in the time of the Norman Invasion and that has led to a slight identity crisis ever since

Just how the Celts and the anglo Saxons got along however is not known, but ultimately the two cultures merged.

I believe personally this is the root of ginger hair teasing, the Celts and those of viking descent with ginger hair would have faced discrimination making it harder for them to integrate with the Anglo Saxon rule

http://www.anglo-celtic.org.uk/Genes/index.htm

Opinion still differs however depending on the genetic tests and I dont know which of these two reports is closer to the truth and personally I think both maybe too one sided
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/5192634.stm

Answer 2

There appears to be a lot of Briton (Celtic), Scott (partly Celtic) and Dane in the modern English population; probably a sizeable amount of Norman French too. The Normans were basically French-speaking Danes.

However, I think that the Normans were so brutal as rulers in England that they killed much of the Anglo-Saxon population off. After all, the Anglo-Saxons were their most rebellious subjects.

It's a wonder that the Anglo-Saxon language survived in England at all, even in its modern mixed form.

Answer 3

The Celts were the original inhabitants of the British Isles- the Anglos, Saxons, and Jutes were pimarily Germanic tribes that invaded the island. The Normans also took over and the more Germanic traditions were replaced ( at least for the "upper classes") by French customs and language. A very confusing history for such a small place! Also, we can't forget that the Romans staked their claim until it was necessary to return to their own country to deal with issues! So what group would predominate genetically??????

Answer 4

No. They are genetically neither, both they and the so-called Celts coming from long before either Celts or Anglo-Saxons. It seems both the Celts and the Anglo-Saxons were like the normans, the imposition of a ruling class.
But the population of England does generally come from the south-east, and that of Scotland, Wales and Ireland from the South-West.
It seems DNA research has revealed this.

Answer 5

False. Genetically the English are a real melting pot of the world, when DNA strands are checked, most point towards the Mid European to Near East / Asia area. Which is not really surprising considering the amount of times the Island has been invaded pre Norman, immigration from outside throughout the centuries and the Empire / Commonwealth intermingling and breeding.

Answer 6

when they dug up thousands of years old bones in cheddar gourge in somerset, they did DNA tests and found direct decendants in the locality. on the other hand there are a lot of welsh people with dark complexions and dark wavy hair, tom jones types , these are probably decendants of roman forces that originated in modern day turkey. The scandinavians took over much of northern england in the time of the vikings The anglo saxons probably started out somewhere around modern belgium and it appears that this was more an assimilation rather than an out and out invasion...thats not to mention the normans who were of viking origin. ....the short answer is that we are a mongrel race and our ancestors have been migrating over this land since the year dot

Answer 7

Can only trace my furthest ancestors back to the 1500's by normal methods, but DNA testing produced a Clan Mother called "Una", which makes me pre-history Asian. So how many more of us on these islands are pre-Celtic immigrants?
Hasn't it been suggested that some of the early settlers here were from middle France and Spain - fishermen possibly -who found the islands by accident and very productive.

Answer 8

The true Britons are the Celts ie Welsh. They fled to the hills to escape the ravening hoards, and thrived! The others are a mixture of many races.

Answer 9

it depens on which area you come from - in some areas people can trace genetic links to Vikings, others have links to Anglo Saxons and others links to Celts.

Answer 10

There is a great deal of evidence to support such a theory. Here in the SE of England where I live, most people certainly look 'Celtic'. I am Welsh and naturally think of myself as a Celt. The people of Kent and SE England are almost entirely descended from Celtic stock.

I saw a documentary recently on TV about the White Horse of Uffington, still tended and looked after by the 'locals' all of whom seem to be of Celtic [British] descent. Uffington is in Oxfordshire.

There is a prof from one of the Colleges at Oxford Uni who is carrying out DNA research around the 'Celtic Fringe'. The mass of folk of Cornwall [Kernow] are of Celtic descent with a 10,000 year old ancestry. The same folk are found in West Wales. The survey continues.

I am not convinced that the people of Britain are at all very Germanic. My 60+ years of observation of the people of Britain leads me very much to believe most of them are of Celtic descent. Not only is it their looks [appearance] but also behaviour - war-like, aggressive, much given to emotion [remember Diana's funeral - God, so Celtic were the people then, but I knew them all].

There are lots of things the people like to do which drive me to believe we are more Celtic than German - fast cars [the family war chariot], eating pork and bacon, demanding everything in sight, greed, self interest, happy, foul tempered, self richeous, self important, bling, tattoos, expensive clothes, fashions, fads, fancies, loud debate, family squabbles. All of this and more about us points to our being Celts. We are very tribal in our way of life and this shows in our mad obsession of such as the English football and rugby. It is such games which allow for the Celtic glory of self expression and individual battlefield prowess.

Make no mistake, we're much more Celtic than we are led to believe.

Here's a little Welsh phrase for you - Celtii bew = the living Celts. The mad disperate tribes of Britain who can never agree on anything. It takes us 10 years of shouting even to construct a new bye-pass - who else is so mad? and Celtic?

On Sunday I watched part of Songs of Praise on BBC-1 - the service came from Norfolk a small church. I looked carefully at the folk there and saw many who were of undoubted Celtic [Iceni] descent - red hair, dark brown reddish hair, narrow jaw line and many who would easily pass as Welsh. Not exclusive but it's there - the Iceni are still living in Norfolk. I have heard some dreadful stories of enormous tribal gangs defeating the police at Norfolk raves. The Celts? Very likely.

A rave is a Celtic event where you drink a lot and dance a lot and get totally mad and fix all the problems.

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