It is probably true that if an Englishman goes back far enough he or she is related to royalty.
I can trace my dad's side without a break to the mid 1500s in a few parishes in South Devon including the one in the photo, Hope Cove, which was a small fishing village.
If you go back to the mid 1500s you have to have had about 8000 people for you to be here. If you go back another 500 years you would probably have had to have more than the entire population of England at that time!
2 comments:
That is only true if you assume all your ancestors hold unique positions in your family tree. In reality especially in country areas, the further you go back the more your ancestors are likely to occupy multiple roles. In other words second or third cousin marriages are very common, even more so fourth cousins. No genetic problems with this normally. Otherwise people would not have had anyone to marry. In Iceland I understand this is such an issue they have developed apps to let you know how the person you are dating is related to you.
Agreed. However as you go further back you have to have an enormous number of people to make 'you'.
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