Genetic history Historical immigration to Great Britain

y chromosome analysis

from genetic analysis section, sub-roman britain

modern genetic evidence, based on analysis of y chromosomes of men living in britain, western isles, orkney, shetland, friesland, denmark, north germany, ireland, norway , basque country, consistent presence of indigenous component in british regions. sake of study samples basque country considered indigenous (a putative paleolithic y chromosome). these studies cannot distinguish between danish, frisian , german (schleswig-holstein) y chromosomes although frisians closer indigenous samples. areas highest concentration of germanic (danish-viking/anglo-saxon) y chromosomes occurred in areas associated danelaw , danish-viking settlement, york , norfolk. in these areas, 60% of y chromosomes of germanic origin.

it should noted indicates exclusively male component. extent of danish/anglo-saxon contribution entire gene pool of these areas dependent on migration of women. example, if assumed few or no germanic women settled in these areas, germanic contribution gene pool halved 30%, , in turn if greater numbers of women did settle, contribution higher 60%.

current estimates on initial contribution of anglo-saxon migrants range less 10,000 many 200,000, although recent y-chromosome studies posit considerably large continental (germanic) contribution current english gene pool (50–100%). recent study team department of biology @ university college london based on computer simulations indicate apartheid-like social structure in anglo-saxon england provides plausible explanation high-degree of continental male-line ancestry in england.

mitochondrial dna analysis

this indicates majority of maternal lines in population go palaeolithic , mesolithic periods. lines tend similar in parts of britain, though norse input in northern , western isles of scotland. source of many of other lines thought iberian peninsula, there has been input germanic areas east coast of england.