F the Irish, Scots and Welsh are all Celts, why is there not much red hair in the welsh population?

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brother_in_magic

Red hair may not be a specifically celtic trait. It does seem the areas where it's most common had heavy viking influence. However, just to Scotch that idea, pardon the pun, the stereotypes of dark welshman and red haired scot actually existed in Roman times-long before the vikings! One geneticist suggested that some of the earliest peoples in the British Isles (from mtdna clan U) may have had red hair. They are not a very numerous clan in Europe today but pockets are still found in the British Isles.
Dna testing of the welsh have found most of them to be closely related to the Basques of Spain (people from this region were the main source for peopling the British isles post ice Age)along with a small group descended from neolithic peoples who ultimately came out of the near east. With less incursions of later peoples such as vikings, the Welsh may well have retained more of their original aboriginal appearance. the same type-dark hair, dark eyes-is often found in the west of Ireland (the black Irish) and has the same root.

phoenix2frequent

Fascinating question. =D
I got interested in this after the three newest babies in our family all turned out as red-heads of one sort or another (one auburn, one ginger, one strawberry-blonde).

According to new genetic research at the University of Edinburgh and other places, red-headedness isn't actually connected to having Celtic origins.
It's caused by a variant in just one gene (this genetic variation does only appear in people of European origins.)
The gene is the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), which activates the sun-protector melanin in hair and skin. People with this gene variation don't get that melanin trigger "switched on", so they end up with red hair (instead of sun-protected black or brown) and skin that freckles easily but doesn't tan well.

Here's a good report from Jonathan Rees, one of the people who did the research: read the section "in the skin"... http://genome.wellcome.ac.uk/doc_WTD020874.html

JackoJ

Hi Slip, The Celts originated in middle Europe and the colours of their hair would be the same as the rest of the UK. The Vikings came from Denmark and invaded Britain in the 8th century and the red hair probably came from them and would by now, be evenly distributed throughout Britain including Wales.

thurmarshboy

Because nature could never be so cruel. Imagine it, Welsh AND Ginger!

Don't tell my boss I'm on here

There is not much red hair in the Irish population either. I could probably cound on one hand the amount of redheads I know.
I'm sure people in Scotland would say the same.

It's just a stereotype.

David H

The red hair comes from the norse blood not the celtic.

Cymro i'r Carn

Brother is correct,

Welsh people have been influenced less by the vikins and are more pure if to say in terms of original Dna nothing else.

Most Welsh people are fairly short with dark features i am

I have dark hair dark eyes and darkish skin and so do most of my mates.

Another theaory is that Red hair is caused when the meeting of to dna types come together thus being the norse and the scots and the Irish. Welsh have around 96 - 98% original Celtic dna in the traces of the genes just like the basque whereas whith the irish the figure is slightly lower and even lower again for the scots.

Albino Zoo

Wales has a strict state sponsored anti-ginger eugenics policy.

Red heads are systematically sterilised at birth, therefore the only ginger born babies are those spawned of mothers knocked up on a night out in Liverpool, Chester etc

stainless steven

On what research do you base your suggestion that the Irish, Scots and Welsh are all Celts? There are very many in northern Spain as well as In France. You have some confusion with the Vikings.

Dave

It's a recessive gene, it's becoming extinct!

CMGBWCJB ;)

does hair colour matter that much?
theres about 10 gingers in my college (and its small) xoxo

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