WEYBURN - When I was growing up, we were always told that our ancestors were English, Irish, Scottish… and Pennsylvania Dutch.
My sister received a DNA kit for Christmas and recently received the results, which she shared in our sibling group chat.
The results were a big surprise to us!
The breakdown they determined was German, 52.2 per cent; English, 16.7 per cent; Italian, 9.6 per cent; Scandinavian, 8.2 per cent; Spanish, 7 per cent, and French, 6.3 per cent.
We share lineage with Copernicus, Napoleon Bonaparte, Queen Victoria, Warren Buffett, Susan Sarandon and Dr. Oz.
They went back 60 generations to match various general areas. Most recently, the results were Northern Europe and British Isles, but way back there is some Iberian and Chinese.
My mother always claimed that her mother was related to Irma Douglas, wife of T.C. Douglas and grandmother of actor Kiefer Sutherland.
We have yet to prove it, but it’s a great conversation topic!
I was a little saddened to find out that our main ethnic identity was not part of our family traditions. We did have English meals, as my mother’s family immigrated from England to Canada via the United States.
After some research, we discovered that Pennsylvania Dutch are an ethnic group of people who are descendants of early German immigrants to Pennsylvania. They are also known as Pennsylvania Germans or Pennsylvania Deutsch.
How I wish I had known this years ago!
I would have loved to have learned how to make German dishes in addition to English ones.
I’d love to hear your favourite recipes! From streusel to strudel, I want to hear them all.
