| SHETLAND ISLAND HAPLOGROUPS |
| THE ANCIENT ORIGINS OF THE HAPLOGROUPS FOUND IN SHETLAND |
1) R1b (Hg1, Eu18) is the most common haplogroup in Europe and its frequency changes in a
cline from west (where it reaches a saturation point of almost 100% in areas of Western
Ireland) to east (where it become uncommon in parts of Eastern Europe and virtually
disappears beyond the Middle East). A R1b haplotype is very difficult to interpret in that they
are found at relatively high frequency in the areas where the Anglo - Saxon and Danish
"invaders" originally called home (e.g., 55% in Friesland), and even up to 30% in Norway.
Thus a R1b haplotype makes it very challenging to interpret the origin of a family with this
DNA signature. At persent it is necessary to seek rare clues available in the literature. For
example, on marker DYS385a/b repeats of 11/14 are typical. However in Norway (and
Iceland) profiles of 13/17 and 13/18 have never (or seldom) been seen in Celtic people, but are
found uniquely in Norway and the countries they colonized.
It is believed that during the Last Glacial Maximum the people bearing the R1b haplotype
over wintered in Northern Spain, and after the glacial retreat about 12,000 years before
present, began a migration to the north in large numbers, and to the east in declining numbers
(although probably arriving in Spain from the east 30,000 years ago among the paleolithic or
"old stone age" peoples considered to be aboriginal to Europe). This haplogroup is
characteristic of Pre-Celtic and Celtic populations including large areas of Scotland, probably
including Orkney and Shetland 4000 years ago.
However at this time there were other groups of "proto - Celts" residing in Ireland and
perhaps Shetland who carried a different Y-DNA signature, G which is considered to be a
remanant of the neolithic people who arrived from the Middle East, bringing with them
agricultural practices and different cultural traditions. This haplogroup has been reported
among up to 20% of the clan chieftans of the Ulster and the Scottish Highlands - who claim to
be of Pictish descent. According to other sources, this haplogroup, if found at all, may not
exceed 1%.
At present it is not known whether the Norse Vikings completely displaced the Celtic Picts of
the Islands - however it is very likely that if remenants in the form of descendants of these pre
- Norse peoples have survived to the present day in the male line, they will be R1b or,
considerably less likely, G - however, due to their long residence (pre-Norse times), they
would probably have "son" names like their Norse neighbours.
cline from west (where it reaches a saturation point of almost 100% in areas of Western
Ireland) to east (where it become uncommon in parts of Eastern Europe and virtually
disappears beyond the Middle East). A R1b haplotype is very difficult to interpret in that they
are found at relatively high frequency in the areas where the Anglo - Saxon and Danish
"invaders" originally called home (e.g., 55% in Friesland), and even up to 30% in Norway.
Thus a R1b haplotype makes it very challenging to interpret the origin of a family with this
DNA signature. At persent it is necessary to seek rare clues available in the literature. For
example, on marker DYS385a/b repeats of 11/14 are typical. However in Norway (and
Iceland) profiles of 13/17 and 13/18 have never (or seldom) been seen in Celtic people, but are
found uniquely in Norway and the countries they colonized.
It is believed that during the Last Glacial Maximum the people bearing the R1b haplotype
over wintered in Northern Spain, and after the glacial retreat about 12,000 years before
present, began a migration to the north in large numbers, and to the east in declining numbers
(although probably arriving in Spain from the east 30,000 years ago among the paleolithic or
"old stone age" peoples considered to be aboriginal to Europe). This haplogroup is
characteristic of Pre-Celtic and Celtic populations including large areas of Scotland, probably
including Orkney and Shetland 4000 years ago.
However at this time there were other groups of "proto - Celts" residing in Ireland and
perhaps Shetland who carried a different Y-DNA signature, G which is considered to be a
remanant of the neolithic people who arrived from the Middle East, bringing with them
agricultural practices and different cultural traditions. This haplogroup has been reported
among up to 20% of the clan chieftans of the Ulster and the Scottish Highlands - who claim to
be of Pictish descent. According to other sources, this haplogroup, if found at all, may not
exceed 1%.
At present it is not known whether the Norse Vikings completely displaced the Celtic Picts of
the Islands - however it is very likely that if remenants in the form of descendants of these pre
- Norse peoples have survived to the present day in the male line, they will be R1b or,
considerably less likely, G - however, due to their long residence (pre-Norse times), they
would probably have "son" names like their Norse neighbours.
2) I (Hg2, Eu7) is found at very low levels in the Celtic countries (Ireland, Wales) and at
relatively high levels in Friesland (Holland), Germany, and Denmark (the presumed homeland
of the Anglo - Saxons and Danish Vikings), and in Norway. It likely originated among the
group who "over wintered" in the western Balkans during the Last Glacial Maximum, and as
the glaciers retreated, people with this haplotype moved northward. Shetland and Orkney
have only about one quarter the number of individuals with I haplotypes relative to the above
noted countries. In those who do possess an I haplotype, it will pose challenges in saying with
certainty whether this DNA signature reflects and Anglo - Saxon or Danish Viking or Norse
heritage. To complicate matters, there is a Dinaric (e.g., Croatia) modal I haplotype and a
characteristic Northern European I modal haplotype (based on repeats on 5 DYS markers).
The Project Administrator will compare each I signature found to these tables. It is
noteworthy that Wilson et al. assert that in Orkney (and therefore presumably in Shetland), I
is "diagnostic of Viking invaders."
relatively high levels in Friesland (Holland), Germany, and Denmark (the presumed homeland
of the Anglo - Saxons and Danish Vikings), and in Norway. It likely originated among the
group who "over wintered" in the western Balkans during the Last Glacial Maximum, and as
the glaciers retreated, people with this haplotype moved northward. Shetland and Orkney
have only about one quarter the number of individuals with I haplotypes relative to the above
noted countries. In those who do possess an I haplotype, it will pose challenges in saying with
certainty whether this DNA signature reflects and Anglo - Saxon or Danish Viking or Norse
heritage. To complicate matters, there is a Dinaric (e.g., Croatia) modal I haplotype and a
characteristic Northern European I modal haplotype (based on repeats on 5 DYS markers).
The Project Administrator will compare each I signature found to these tables. It is
noteworthy that Wilson et al. assert that in Orkney (and therefore presumably in Shetland), I
is "diagnostic of Viking invaders."
3) R1a (Hg3, Eu19) is the only haplogroup that can unequivocably be linked to a Norse
ancestry, and more specifically to the west coast of Norway. It is virtually unknown in the
Celtic regions such as Ireland, and barely makes an appearance in Friesland, but occurs at a
relatively high frequency in Norway. Curiously those who have a haplotype within this
haplogroup often have fairly close matches in Mongolia, India, Siberia, and Eastern Europe.
It is believed that the haplogroup emerged among the Kurgan peoples of the Eurasian Stepes
(the Ukraine), where their ancestors had dalied during the Last Glacial Maximum. From
there they spread north and east.
In one unpublished study of Shetland haplotypes, the researchers found a very relatively
large number (under 10%) of participants with haplogroup Q - which is commonly found in
Eastern Asia, but not in Europe. This haplogroup is also that which is most characteristic of
Native Americans, and its occurrence in Shetland poses a fascinating question: Did some
Greenland Inuit (Eskimo) people somehow stray from home by being blown off course and
were rescued and brought back to Shetland where they settled to produce descendants? Did
some who joined whaling crews settle in Shetland preferring the fair Shetlands to their
icebound home? Did the Inuit who were brought to Norway as "curiosities" to the Count of
the Kings stay, have families, then their descendants went "a Viking" and settled with the
R1a, I, and R1b Norse to make permanent settlements in Shetland? It appears that there is
an interesting story here, perhaps the DNA compared with Island traditions and historical
documentation will help to provide a likely answer. What is also of interest is that even if
most Shetlanders do not have a Y chromosome inherited from Inuit ancestors, they may have
some degree of Inuit ancestry through the female descendants of these Greenlanders. At
present this is all entirely speculative - and so we must wait for more definitive evidence. It
also may just be a very rare Scandanavian haplogroup whose origins were long ago in Asia.
ancestry, and more specifically to the west coast of Norway. It is virtually unknown in the
Celtic regions such as Ireland, and barely makes an appearance in Friesland, but occurs at a
relatively high frequency in Norway. Curiously those who have a haplotype within this
haplogroup often have fairly close matches in Mongolia, India, Siberia, and Eastern Europe.
It is believed that the haplogroup emerged among the Kurgan peoples of the Eurasian Stepes
(the Ukraine), where their ancestors had dalied during the Last Glacial Maximum. From
there they spread north and east.
In one unpublished study of Shetland haplotypes, the researchers found a very relatively
large number (under 10%) of participants with haplogroup Q - which is commonly found in
Eastern Asia, but not in Europe. This haplogroup is also that which is most characteristic of
Native Americans, and its occurrence in Shetland poses a fascinating question: Did some
Greenland Inuit (Eskimo) people somehow stray from home by being blown off course and
were rescued and brought back to Shetland where they settled to produce descendants? Did
some who joined whaling crews settle in Shetland preferring the fair Shetlands to their
icebound home? Did the Inuit who were brought to Norway as "curiosities" to the Count of
the Kings stay, have families, then their descendants went "a Viking" and settled with the
R1a, I, and R1b Norse to make permanent settlements in Shetland? It appears that there is
an interesting story here, perhaps the DNA compared with Island traditions and historical
documentation will help to provide a likely answer. What is also of interest is that even if
most Shetlanders do not have a Y chromosome inherited from Inuit ancestors, they may have
some degree of Inuit ancestry through the female descendants of these Greenlanders. At
present this is all entirely speculative - and so we must wait for more definitive evidence. It
also may just be a very rare Scandanavian haplogroup whose origins were long ago in Asia.
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