Genes

The UCL & Vikings

The UCL set out to find out if any traces of Viking DNA remained in Britain and Eire. Tests were taken amongst men who could trace their lineage locally for at least two generations. They found that it was hard to distinguish between the DNA of Anglo-Saxons and Dane-Vikings, so instead they principally discovered how much DNA was 'Invaders' and how much was 'Celtic'.

Cymru was found to be the most Celtic part of Britain, in Eire the results were also unsurprising, an almost completely Celtic population - even in those areas ruled by the Danes at points.

The North East of England, home of the Danelaw was shown to have the most genetic input of the invaders.

As we move south the bias was greater and greater towards Celtic DNA. The South West, especially Kernow was the most Celtic area in England. Surprisingly the South of England is as genetically Celtic as mainland Scotland. The North of Scotland and islands show a stronger tendency towards Viking DNA.

A Myth Exploded?

At school many English people are taught that they are Anglo-Saxon. That their ancestors swept across England driving the 'primitive' Celts before them to the less desirable parts of Britain. On the flip side the invasion of the Anglo-Saxons has been depicted as an ethnic cleansing of an ancient and noble people.

If this was the case the majority of the South of England should have exhibited very little Celtic DNA. Instead it is the North of both England and Scotland, subject to later Scandinavian immigration that exhibit the least Celtic roots. An average English person, like and average Scot, is more likely to be Celtic or Scandinavian in ancestry than Anglo-Saxon. It seems the Anglo-Saxons greatest legacy is not genetic, perhaps not even cultural but linguistic.

In a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic society does it matter what our DNA says about us? No, but studies such as the UCL's do suggest that the English Anglo-Saxon ethic identity is quite simply a lie.