Things you learn from your family...

[Ludens]

Keep it polite! Although it indeed is impossible for the average family to trace their line that far back, the nobility of England may be able to, since IIRC their possesions shortly after the conquest were noted down in the domesday book.

[ULC]

I myself am not a hundred percent sure about everything. Yes, my family was noble but slowly lost that status, and by the 15th. After Hastings, thinks become considerably murky. The sad thing is I just jumped on such a wagon, and have really no way to find out much more about it. I am currently working on it though. My grandmother had started it, and I currently trying to validate it. I wish I had more help in such an endaevor, and any help would be appreciative, although what could be supplied would probably not substantial. If I can remember correctly, my family's name was anglicized to "Seymour" after the Norman Conquest. Oh, and just for clarification, the Tuetonic Order/Russian line of my family was NOT during the Drang Noch Osten, and was during the 17th century.

[General Dazza]

I have been told that a member of our family who has spent years tracking down the family tree has discovered that a distant relative wads Lord Nelson's cabin boy (or some other type of personal help).

I can't validate this though as I haven't seen her work, but kinda nifty if true. I'm aiming to meet this person soon though, so if I do I'll let you know!

Other than that my grandfather was a member of the Australian Light Horse regiment in WW1, which is famous for (I believe) the last successful cavalry charge - in Bersheba.

[Louis VI the Fat]

If I can remember correctly, my family's name was anglicized to "Seymour" after the Norman Conquest.

The name Seymour is an Anglicised French-Norman name. It is derived from 'Saint-Maur', a town in Normandy. Its lord conquered England together with William the Conquerer.

Maybe you really can genealogically trace your ancestry back to Norman nobility. Maybe your family at one point adopted the name of Seymour. And much later somebody else in your family read up about the meaning of the surname and without further investigation accepted the 'Norman noble' family origin explanation, for all the glamour it brings.

Yes, my family was noble but slowly lost that status,

Actually, few noble families slowly lose their status. This usually means that somebody does genealogical research, discovers noble blood somewhere, and this later gets turned into a family legend. 'Once we were noblemen...'

There is probably not a single family in Europe without multiple infusions of noble blood. Such is the nature of genetic diffusion. You have two parents, four grandparents, eight...sixteen....thirty-two etcetera. Go back a thousand years, and you have 2^40 ancestors.
So you probably do have French-Norman ancestors. In fact, one would be hard pressed to find a single Briton without any.

[Don Esteban]

So you probably do have French-Norman ancestors. In fact, one would be hard pressed to find a single Briton without any.

I'd debate that point. there are so many potential different genetic inputs to a "Briton" that it is quite possible not to have Norman blood. the Normans were a relatively small group who seized power (and many of them were non-Norman mercenaries). It would be quite possible to have a mix of saxon, cletic and norse (but not specifically norman) blood.

If you go to the extremities of the UK the chances become higher as the Norman nobility had relatively little impact in Cornwall or the Highlands of Scotland although somewhat mor ein Wales and Ireland.

[macsen rufus]

I know where MY noble blood came from - my great, great, great grandmother was a serving maid and was fired from the "big house" after dropping the Lord's distaff. Alas the family grapevine did not preserve the identity of the Lord in question... Every time I see the House of Lords I wonder who's sitting in 'my' seat

Last news I saw of genetic studies of the Brits suggested that we are still predominantly of the pre-Celtic/Saxon/Norse/Norman stock, as with most invaders they brought their culture and language but didn't really replace the genetic stock. As such we are more related to Basques than most of our conquerors, although I don't doubt quite a few family lines will have been preserved from then. Interestingly, at the genetic level, the Welsh and Cornish are NOT distinguishable from the English.

[Don Esteban]

I know where MY noble blood came from - my great, great, great grandmother was a serving maid and was fired from the "big house" after dropping the Lord's distaff. Alas the family grapevine did not preserve the identity of the Lord in question... Every time I see the House of Lords I wonder who's sitting in 'my' seat

Last news I saw of genetic studies of the Brits suggested that we are still predominantly of the pre-Celtic/Saxon/Norse/Norman stock, as with most invaders they brought their culture and language but didn't really replace the genetic stock. As such we are more related to Basques than most of our conquerors, although I don't doubt quite a few family lines will have been preserved from then. Interestingly, at the genetic level, the Welsh and Cornish are NOT distinguishable from the English.

that's strange as it doesn't match the last study I saw which said a clear difference could be seen between the North and South of England - broadly following the line of what was the Danelaw and that there WAS a clear difference between Cornwall, Celtic Scotland and Wales.

Just shows that even academics can't agree on anything! Who know what is true ...... but what we do know is that we are one almighty great mix genetically.

Oh, and i can believe about us being related to the Basques because from my experience living here in Spain they are the most "english-like" - healthy love of beer being one major similarity

[macsen rufus]

healthy love of beer being one major similarity

That's what I call real scientific proof

[Brandy Blue]

Maybe you really can genealogically trace your ancestry back to Norman nobility. Maybe your family at one point adopted the name of Seymour. And much later somebody else in your family read up about the meaning of the surname and without further investigation accepted the 'Norman noble' family origin explanation, for all the glamour it brings.

I guess you're about on target there. I know someone who has some ancestors with the last name Allen. Related to Scots called Alan? Not at all. His ancestors are from Greece. They fled to America because they weren't welcome in Turkey anymore (though Turks deny that anything bad was going on at all ) and wanted a name that Americans could pronounce.

Of course, what with one thing and another, who knows? His Allen ancestors may have had ancestors from Scotland named Alan.