Was My Great Grandfather Jewish?

[Learning_Genetics]

I uncovered some old pictures of my great grandfather. Looking at him he has a very dark appearance, almost Middle Eastern. Furthermore his nose is not straight like a European nose but concave. According to his papers his religion is Christian Presbyterian but if that is the case why does he look like he could fit in Baghdad or Cairo? According to the documents he was born in 19th century Glasgow.

[armenianbodyhair]

Lol so much facepalm. He's prolly just dinaro-med or something anyone you can't tell from pictures for sure so take a DNA test.

[Mortimer]

take a DNA Test.

[Anglojew]

One of my Jewish ancestors went from Eastern Europe to Scotland, where he married a Scot before moving to America, so there were Jews there but basing your assumption on an old photo and stereotypes isn't very scientific. Plenty of Paleo-Altantid types look dark. You could just do a Genetic test or even post the photo here. What was his last name?

[Learning_Genetics]

Can DNA tests actually determine ethnic origins? I thought they only provide you with your haplogroup but that is by no means an indicator of ethnicity.

[StonyArabia]

There were Arabs and Jews in Britain. I also know of the oriental Jewish family called the Sassoons who originally came from Iraq and migrated to Britain where they became part of the nobility. Your grandfather could also be adopted Arab, since I know of a similar case. A DNA test will help.

[Dr. Robotnik the Subbotnik]

LOL

I seriously doubt it. Take a DNA test. I have ancestors who 'look very Jewish' and I have taken a DNA test and I have absolutely no Ashkenazi DNA! You might though.

[Learning_Genetics]

There were Arabs and Jews in Britain. I also know of the oriental Jewish family called the Sassoons who originally came from Iraq and migrated to Britain where they became part of the nobility. Your grandfather could also be adopted Arab, since I know of a similar case. A DNA test will help.

There was no shortage of Jews in the UK, especially from the 19th century onwards.

On a side note, I was not aware of there being Arabs in Britain. How many were there and from what time period did they arrive?

Would you be able to share the story of the "adopted Arab"? Sounds interesting.

[Learning_Genetics]

An important question to ask is, if he was Jewish or Muslim why did he put Presbyterian in his papers? There is a slot there where he could have filled in Jewish. Perhaps he converted or maybe his parents converted earlier? One can only speculate.

[StonyArabia]

There was no shortage of Jews in the UK, especially from the 19th century onwards.

On a side note, I was not aware of there being Arabs in Britain. How many were there and from what time period did they arrive?

Would you be able to share the story of the "adopted Arab"? Sounds interesting.

The Arabs that came from Arabia and settled I sine areas of Britain, from what I know most came form Yemen with some from Iraq. There was an Arab guy who was adopted by a British couple, they raised the guy as Christian and British in general, never told him where and what his origins were. He married an English lady and migrated to Canada, he had his first born daughter. She looked off white and she eventually searched for her fathers origin, she found out he is from the Negev in Israel, he was not Jewish but Arab, she did a DNA test this what also it told her. She is friends with my mom but much younger. There are many Arab kids that were adopted by westerners from Iraq, Syria, and Israel.

[Learning_Genetics]

LOL

I seriously doubt it. Take a DNA test. I have ancestors who 'look very Jewish' and I have taken a DNA test and I have absolutely no Ashkenazi DNA! You might though.

I would do so but can DNA tests actually determine ethnicity? I know they can show you your haplogroup but can they pinpoint you exactly to specific groups like Ashkenazi or Sephardi?

[Skjaldemjøden]

You should get a kit from 23andMe UK. They charge less than the other services and the shipment would be faster. You can download your raw data from their site afterwards and analyze it on GedMatch.