Peeling Back Layers of Ancestry: iGENEA DNA Test Insights on the Pierce Surname
Family name Pierce
Upon receiving my iGENEA DNA test results, I was immediately excited by the unfolding narrative about my ancestry, particularly related to the surname Pierce. The test laid out fascinating insights about my heritage, tracing back to Western Europe's Early Middle Ages. My paternal lineage, carrying the Pierce surname, was revealed to be part of the common Western European R1b haplogroup, suggesting my Pierce forefathers emerged there.
From my recent iGENEA DNA test, fascinating insights into my lineage, particularly related to the surname Pierce, materialized. Unveiling centuries-old narratives of migrations and connections, the results illuminated aspects of my heritage I never grasped.
The test first explained my paternal lineage, tracing back to the Y-chromosomal DNA that is passed from fathers to sons. By analyzing this DNA, it was revealed that the Pierce lineage crawls back to Western Europe's Early Middle Ages. Specifically, it aligns with the R1b haplogroup, most common in Western Europe. This information suggests that the original bearers of the Pierce surname likely emerged around this area and period.
There was also intersection with the Vikings - seafaring Norse people from Southern Scandinavia. My Pierce ancestors may have been Vikings or been profoundly impacted by them, impacting our lineage's trajectory.
On my maternal side, the mitochondrial DNA, passed down the matriarchal line, was analyzed. This DNA linked my ancestry back to the H3 haplogroup, which is predominantly found in Western Europe and is believed to have expanded in the Paleolithic period.
The autosomal DNA test, analyzing DNA apart from sex chromosomes, confirmed my Western European roots but highlighted a sprinkling of Eastern European and Near Eastern heritage pointing toward the significant level of interactions, migrations and mixing involved in the construction of my DNA.
Foremost, my results reveal the surname Pierce as a Western European origin, likely emerging during the Early Middle Ages, with potential connections to Viking history. The presence of Western European lineage in both paternal and maternal sides underlined a strong connection.
U. Pierce