British & Irish ancestry in European Americans
Did you know that the genetic ancestries of 23andMe participants reflect the history of European immigration to the United States?
On average, British & Irish ancestry makes up over 25% of the Ancestry Composition of 23andMe participants who identify as European American or white. In some states, that number rises to over 50%!
Large numbers of British and Irish immigrants came to the United States beginning in the 17th century. British & Irish ancestry is highest in states like Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee, which may be because those regions were settled early in US history and were impacted less by later waves of immigration from other parts of Europe.
On the other hand, Ellis Island in New York was a major point of entry for immigrants from countries throughout Europe, not just Great Britain and Ireland, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This may explain why 23andMe participants of European descent in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey have comparatively less British & Irish ancestry than their counterparts in southern and western states.
This discovery was made possible thanks to 23andMe customers who participated in research.
Did you know that the genetic ancestries of 23andMe participants reflect the history of European immigration to the United States?
On average, British & Irish ancestry makes up over 25% of the Ancestry Composition of 23andMe participants who identify as European American or white. In some states, that number rises to over 50%!
Large numbers of British and Irish immigrants came to the United States beginning in the 17th century. British & Irish ancestry is highest in states like Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee, which may be because those regions were settled early in US history and were impacted less by later waves of immigration from other parts of Europe.
On the other hand, Ellis Island in New York was a major point of entry for immigrants from countries throughout Europe, not just Great Britain and Ireland, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This may explain why 23andMe participants of European descent in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey have comparatively less British & Irish ancestry than their counterparts in southern and western states.
This discovery was made possible thanks to 23andMe customers who participated in research.
