In August 2020, my ethnicity profile, according to Ancestry, was as follows:
- SE England (with Kent highlighted): 41% (range 39-43%)
- Ireland (with Connacht and Roscommon highlighted): 36% (range 4-39%)
- Scotland 21% (range 0-23%)
I had serious concerns about these results at the time. I haven’t delved too deeply into the algorithm that they use. Far be it from me to challenge an algorithm! I suspect that a series of mistakes are compounding in the analysis. On a regular basis, I receive hints about possible ancestors. These are based on the deductions of others. Some are helpful. Many seem to be without evidence. If two or three other family trees have picked up the same information, then it is tempting to accept it. Repeating a mistake does not correct it. Majority opinions can be wrong!
Let me explain the reasons for my scepticism. Both of my grandmothers were born in Sussex. One grandfather was born in Kent. The records for both counties are excellent. The vast majority survive, are legible, written in English and are readily accessible. In all three cases, I have traced my roots back many generations. In one case I have 13 generations listed. This takes me back to the reign of Henry VIII in the early 1500s. The majority are agricultural labourers. No one seems to move very far, apart from farm to farm. Most of the marriages were between couples from the same or nearby villages.
As indicated by the title of these blogs, my paternal Grandfather, Patrick Stanley, was born in Roscommon. The year was 1883. His father was John Stanley (b 1823/5, d 1898) All of the evidence suggests that the Stanley family were in Roscommon for at least one or two generations before this point. The scarcity of records makes it difficult to be certain if they migrated from another area in, for example, the 1700s.
I have no evidence of any connections to Scotland. None! I am aware that many Scots were actively encouraged to settle in Ulster in the 1600s. This is known as the Plantation of Ulster. Wikipedia has a list of Scottish names that appear in Ulster. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_names_in_Ulster#S) The name of Stanley does not feature. Furthermore, these settlers were Protestants, and the Roscommon Stanley family were Roman Catholics.
It is theoretically possible that there was a previously unknown cluster of ethnic Scots living in the South East of England. This might account for the Ancestry prediction. It is possible, but extremely improbable. Kilt wearing, bagpipe playing, caber tossing, ginger haired people tend to stand out, especially in Sussex. If I have any Scottish blood, then it is likely to come through the Irish side of the family. But if the Scottish percentage goes up, then the Irish percentage must go down. In 2020, the combined total was over 50%. This cannot be right.
The most recent ethnicity estimates from Ancestry (late 2024), based on autosomal DNA, now suggest that I am 54% from SE England, 21% Ireland, 14% Scotland 7% Netherlands and some traces from elsewhere. I am still unconvinced by the 14% Scottish element. The possibility of Dutch ancestors has not appeared before.
Based on traditional research (census returns, parish records etc.) I estimate my ethnicity to be as follows:
- SE England (with Sussex being more prominent than Kent): 65%+
- Ireland (Roscommon in particular): 25%
- Other waifs and strays: low single figure percentages
I will be following the ethnicity updates with interest. Meanwhile, I will continue to focus my attention on Ireland and those people with connections back to Ireland.