Are the Dutch and NW Germans really the same people?

[Watersater79]

It could be because the Netherlands is fairly isolated from the rest of Europe being on the northwest corner? It makes sense that the least distinct people are from central, central eastern Europe i.e the eastern French, Swiss, Austrians, Czechs.

The Netherlands certainly is hardly isolated. It resides on the Northern European plain. If it was like Wales, bearing a mainly upland landscape, we wouldn’t have people querying as to why the Dutch bear an overall unique phenotype in a NW European context. But it isn’t and so the mystery prevails.

[Watersater79]

That's an oddity I've remarked upon before: the Dutch are the one of the most genetically indistinct nations in Europe, while simultaneously being one of the most phenotypically distinct.

Particularly bizarre as the Netherlands isn't an ancient/early medieval nation but a political creation of the 16th century, and doesn't have strong natural borders (besides the sea). You get lots of Dutchmen who look distinctly Dutch, by contrast you get far fewer Englishmen who look distinctly English.

I would say the majority of English look distinctly ‘English’, Creoda. The English definitely have a very ‘distinct’ look on average.

[Oliver109]

I wrote few years ago I find Dutch most alien looking nation to Croats in entire Europe, if we exclude far southern Meds like Maltese and similar groups.

They just have very distinct and very western look and are also very blond. But it's mostly about facial features.

Almost no Dutch pass well in Croatia.

North Germans don't look nearly that alien, neither do Brits and neither do Scandinavians which is very interesting and hard to explain.

Interesting, I think the Netherlands is basically where very robust and fair people managed to find a seat, the area saw minimal Mediterranean migrations and probably little alpinid influence as well.

[Creoda]

I would say the majority of English look distinctly ‘English’, Creoda. The English definitely have a very ‘distinct’ look on average.

So you think the majority of English don't pass well among neighbouring nationalities? I'm not saying the majority of English don't look English first and foremost, but fewer of them look only English, than the amount of Dutch who look only Dutch. But I also think the English are less distinct looking overall than the Scottish, Irish, and Welsh (and French). Many English pass well as Welsh, Scottish or Irish due to Brittonic ancestry and historical English settlement in those countries, many pass well as Dutch or Danish due to Anglo-Saxons and the Danelaw, and many pass well as French due to the medieval French migration.

[Scarface F]

Interesting, I think the Netherlands is basically where very robust and fair people managed to find a seat, the area saw minimal Mediterranean migrations and probably little alpinid influence as well.

Could Donald Trump pass as Dutch?

[CosmoLady]

Could Donald Trump pass as Dutch?

Yes I think so.
He looks Anglo-Saxon to me (his mother was Scottish), these types exist in the Low Countries and northwest Germany.



With his 100% German father:

[Oliver109]

Could Donald Trump pass as Dutch?

Yeah, i see his type in the UK too, he looks general west Euro

[Watersater79]

Yes I think so.
He looks Anglo-Saxon to me (his mother was Scottish), these types exist in the Low Countries and northwest Germany.



With his 100% German father:

I always thought of Trump as looking pretty English, TBH. Despite his parentage he doesn't give off that pan-American 'Euromutt' vibe so endemic to the Midwest. His mother was a Norse-Gael anyway, being from the Isle of Lewis and all. His 'Trump' side didn't exactly come from the most 'Germanic' part of Germany either, so it all evens out (concerning his phenotype).

[Oliver109]

I always thought of Trump as looking pretty English, TBH. Despite his parentage he doesn't give off that pan-American 'Euromutt' vibe so endemic to the Midwest. His mother was a Norse-Gael anyway, being from the Isle of Lewis and all. His 'Trump' side didn't exactly come from the most 'Germanic' part of Germany either, so it all evens out (concerning his phenotype).

He looks English and American really, i see him as "one of us" and also as typically American, he isn't more American the way George Bush was.