Did family resemblance across generations come up at your holiday gathering, perhaps in conversation or photographs or both? Today’s post is about DNA and family resemblance courtesy of abroadintheyard.com, an interesting genealogy website.
Genetic Genealogy
About family resemblance, abroadintheyard.com writes:
Resemblance is the basis of our perception of race and ethnicity. It is also a favourite topic of conversation at family gatherings – proclaimed where it is strikingly apparent, or perhaps whispered where it is lacking. Families generally like it when their male biological offspring look like their fathers and females look like their mothers, perhaps with the odd feature thrown in to mark the other half’s creative stamp (“He’s the spitting image of you, but he’s got my eyes”). Some may start life looking like one parent, then ‘morph’ into the other as they get older. Certain facial features may perpetuate for generations, or, fascinatingly, even skip generations. What family historian hasn’t felt a thrill when they unearth an old photograph of a long forgotten ancestor with a distinct family resemblance? DNA never forgets.
Does the actual percentage of DNA we share have any bearing on our degree of resemblance to each other? It’s a genetic lottery, of course.
Family Resemblance Across Generations
Courtesy abroadintheyard.com
Ralph C Lincoln discovered he was third cousins with 16th U.S. President Abraham Lincoln (right) and Prince William and his great-great-great-great-grandfather, Edward VII, are shown at top. (For a look at William’s birth certificate, visit this link.)
Don’t miss Family Resemblance Across Generations, at abroadintheyard.com. And tell me about resemblances in your family in the comments.
As to persistence across generations: I have ancestors on both sides from the Mongolian kingdom of Khazaria in the Middle Ages; everyone else was European. The epicanthic folds have shown up in every generation that we know of.
I loved the story and pictures! I always thought Prince William looked like his mother’s side, so the resemblance to Prince Edward is amazing 🤩
Yes for Prince Edward and Prince William. I suspect this will only increase as the years pass.
What a awesome lady. I like the resemblance between Ralph Lincoln and Abraham Lincoln. This is amazing work.
Isn’t it? I like the Prince William/Prince Edward one.