The Scots: A Genetic Journey

by Alistair Moffat

History has always mattered to Scots, and rarely more so than now at the outset of a new century, after more than ten years of a new parliament and the new census of 2011. An almost limitless archive of our history lies hidden inside our bodies and we carry the ancient story of Scotland around with us. The mushrooming of genetic studies, of DNA analysis, is rewriting our history in spectacular fashion. In this new edition of The Scots: A Genetic Journey, Alistair Moffat explores the history that is printed on our genes, and in a remarkable new approach, uncovers the detail of where we are from, who we are and, in so doing, vividly paints a DNA map of Scotland. This edition takes into account recent developments in DNA science and includes recent findings on early farming and its migrations, Neanderthal DNA, the classic Celtic DNA Y chromosome haplogroup, the royal Stewart lineages, and physical characteristics.

Genres: History, Scotland, Science, Nonfiction, Genetics, Anthropology, Audiobook

324 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 12, 2021

About the author

Alistair Moffat is an award winning writer, historian and former Director of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Director of Programmes at Scottish Television.

Moffat was educated at the University of St Andrews, graduating in 1972 with a degree in Medieval History. He is the founder of the Borders Book Festival and Co-Chairman of The Great Tapestry of Scotland.

Reviews

[Holly McIntyre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating and frustrating. I read the book to prepare for an upcoming trip to Scotland and to learn more about DNA-based genealogical research. The book was helpful on both counts, but wasn't what I expected.

The DNA information was scattered throughout the book like pearls before swine. If gathered together it would constitute one good academic article. I had hoped for more.

I had not expected the wealth of archeological, anthropological, and historical information which added great insight into Scotland's past.

The problems were two: 1) DIS-organization. I have never seen a published work more in need of a good editor. The information, although fascinating, was swirled together with little system, sometimes even breaking the most fundamental rule of "one idea per paragraph". 2)As an American reader, I desperately needed a detailed map of Scotland to accompany the written text. Perhaps British audiences could visualize the areas to which the authors referred, but I found myself lost most of the time.

This book is very much worth reading, but prepare yourself with a good map and a lot of patience for sorting out the useful information.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moffat can be on shaky ground with his science. There just isn't that much definite one can say about specific y-DNA and mt-DNA markers as the science keeps changing so quickly. Also, while it is possible to denote specific genetic markers to certain groups when specific studies have been done for that purpose, it down's necessarily rule out the presence of those genetic markers in other groups. Though I will say that Moffatt does a good job with his qualifiers. Moffat is however, very R1b-centrick. I would have liked to see more exploration of Y-DNA haplogroup I-M253 in Scotland. It's not dominant like R1b but there is s significant presence especially in the lowlands. It's barely mentioned.

Where this book is strong is Moffat's command of the wide sweep of European migratory history in general and Scottish history in particular. His prose is lively, easy to understand and I feel that I have a much better grasp on the importance of the Southern European ice age refugia in the peopling of Europe after the Last Glacial Maximum.

[Moira McPartlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book. Not only does it describe in easy language the genetic history if the Scots, it links it with the history of the country, language, place names and family names. It has rekindled my interest in Scottish history.

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was initially going to say that this is more of a general history of Europe but gradually I got in tune with the theme of the book.

I think that probably you would get more out of the audio book if you follow along with the maps and charts that I expect are in the text versions. Also, talk of the genetic markers makes me want to get tested too.

One thing that comes across is that the origin of the scots is complicated and diverse. The people we see today are not the same mix of genes a hundred years ago or even that of a thousand years ago. Very poignant given the politics of accepting refugees and immigrants.

Worth a read if you are interested in the history of the people of Scotland and those who arrived on it's shores.

[Karen Wilke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book holds a lot of surprises. There are topics discussed (but still relevant to the subject matter) that I wasn’t expecting. For instance? The origin or Roman numerals, root languages: I.e. Sanskrit has its roots in Hinduism and Buddhism, which in turn brought about Latin and Greek- which both derive from Sanskrit, the origins of Stonehenge etc. Really interesting stuff. It’s obviously a history and genetics book so maybe not a “page turner” but definitely worth the read.

[Terra · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of this went over my head since I stopped taking science class after grade 10 lol… having said that I still like to push myself to learn new topics and the book was still interesting.

You definitely need some sort of understanding of genetics to grasp this book, otherwise you’ll be a bit lost like I was.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting angle from which to examine the earliest history of a country and its inhabitants.

[Mark Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am totally fascinated by genetic science as applied to genealogy. The Scots are an amazing people, the variety of races interacting there, and complexity of events over the centuries and millenniums, is mind boggling. I will refer to this book many times over the years as I unlock my own DNA heritage.
The reading was a bit difficult at times because of my lack of knowledge of certain places, and my own weakness on British Isles history, but the presentation of data presented was more than enough food for thought. I enjoyed taking numerous bits and researching them more online.
Deep contemplation on even some of the minor pieces of information can evoke strong images towards what these people endured, and how nature and culture are so deeply intertwined.
Thumbs up. I look forward to reading more of Mr. Moffat's books, especially regarding the borders peoples. Our DNA is a book each of us carries, genetic science is truly unlocking the most fundamental, amazing story of who we ARE, Scottish or not.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look at the earliest movement of peoples into - and out of - and back into Scotland, as well as how the different groups interacted and moved about. Some of the information is based solely on DNA evidence, as there simply isn't anything else on which to base conclusions. However, when other evidence exists, the DNA evidence often sheds interesting light on it - confirming some family legends, for example, or revealing the most likely builders of various archaeological sites. For those who are mostly interested in the developing science of DNA, this book won't shed much light. For those interested in the earlier history of Scotland, however, it is a quick-moving overview that should add to the knowledge of readers new to the topic and serve as a good refresher for those more familiar with it.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a Scots’ heritage – my great grandfather came to Canada in the second half of the 19th century from Beauly in Invernessshire. The McKenzies fought at Culloden. My brother has always told me that if you were a Scot, you also had Viking blood.

This book is a wonderful short history of the Scots with genetic overtones. I enjoyed learning more about genomic research and found this information so much more interesting and rewarding than the surface/popular treatment provided by the commercial genomic testing that is so popular today. I knew about mitochondria DNA and was surprised that the author relies much less on it than on the Y Chromosome DNA. There are lots of fairly useful maps.

Not quite yet convinced to have my DNA testing done, but now I am pretty certain that I would have Viking blood.

[Cecilia Peartree · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book which covers the pre-history and history of Scotland from the point of view of genetics and DNA.
As a family historian I am particularly interested in the topic - my late brother had his Y-DNA tested as part of the Clan Morrison DNA project. This is still ongoing, but it seems to be showing a pattern of more than one family with the same name.
The study of genetics seems to be developing very fast as this book gives a rather different picture from a book called 'The Origins of the British' which I read a few years ago. Sometimes I find the changes in terminology quite confusing, but apart from that this book seems to make a lot of sense!

[Avis Vacheresse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am interest in the history of my family ,so when traveling with my daughter in Scotland this book was brought to my attention by our tour guide. I have spent many an hour on the Internet and going through books trying to trace my father and mother's family. This book helped me understand that to say I am of English /Scottish heritage is an understatement ! Maybe one day I will be able to have my DNA traced and find the routes my family travelled to get where they are today. A very enjoyable read.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to say that the title of this book did make the thought of reading this book quite daunting, but thankfully I was pleasantly surprised and ended up quite enjoying it. Especially at the start of the book it didn't quite feel like a book on genetics with carefully created scenes describing historic times drawing me in. Nearer the end it did get a bit fact, after fact but still a good book and an author I will read again in the not too distance future.

[Catherine Kesseler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great descriptions of the events that influence migrations, natural disasters, climate change, etc. The inclusion of the accounts of Herodotus and Bede helped in my understanding of the early history. I would have liked to see a chart or something of the ydna markers as I had trouble keeping them straight.

[David Comerford · Rating 2 out of 5]

Using genetics to do history is a great idea, but Alastair Moffat really has to avoid writing the same book over and over again. I've also bought his 'Sea Kingdoms: A history of Celtic Britain and Ireland' but now I think it'll end up being a repeat of this book and his Faded Map book.

[Judit Harangozó · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant book about modern genetics and the history of mankind. Recommended in general, not only if you are interested in the Scots, as the book literally goes back to "Adam and Eve" and reveals the findings of recent genetic research.

[Book Dragon Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

simply brilliant

[Gail Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing journey for anyone with Scottish roots or anyone who think they may have Scottish roots. Totally recommended!

[Bert Christie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book

[Charles Berteau · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book linking key elements of Scottish history with their reflection (or not) in the DNA of the Scots today. Organized chronologically, from prehistory to recent times, it highlights both well-covered and obscure aspects of the history of Scotland, and in particular events that led to a change in populace that might be detectable in the genetic makeup (particularly as reflected in male-line Y-DNA and female-line mtDNA).

I found the historical snippets really interesting - many are familiar to anyone conversant in Scottish history, but others were new (to me, at least). I found a lot of the latest thinking on the history of Scotland prior to recorded times (the effects of Doggerland, for example) to be intriguing, and I was also struck by the degree that archaeologists can aggregate evidence to produce plausible hypotheses that can then be tested against DNA evidence.

That leads to the DNA aspect of the book, which is what makes it unique. This is the first time I've delved into the topic of population-level DNA studies in any detail, and I found it fascinating. The book does a good job of explaining the basics, though the reader would benefit from at least a rudimentary understanding of genetics going in. In the same way that "documented family trees" can be confirmed or refuted by DNA evidence, so can historical legend (e.g. the descent of some clans from Kenneth mac Alpin may be true; the assumption that there are lots of descendants of shipwreck survivors of the Spanish Armada is almost certainly not). Particularly in the case of male lineages documented in Y-DNA, there is a great deal of evidence of common descent from major historical figures (the so-called "social selection" advantage of powerful men).

Overall, I liked the book a lot. It's fairly short (243 pages) and quite readable. I only had a few quibbles. First, there's no need of photos in the book - publishers must push for this in a popular history, but I find them a distraction. As is almost always the case, more maps would be a great trade for fewer photos - don't read this book without a thorough grasp of Scottish geography, or a handy source nearby. The "recent history" part felt very rushed, particularly since there's no real link to the DNA theme - it could've been enhanced or simply left out...but I guess the author wanted to give a story to all present-day Scots, however recently arrived. Some of the editing could've been improved - for example, there's no need to explain the same concept (e.g. "social selection") five different times...after a while, it feels like filler - but overall it was pretty tight.

A last thing the book could really benefit from (in my opinion, at least) is a Y-DNA summary section, to make sense of the variants and how they reflect. As the book progresses, the author highlights points such as "x% of the male population of y contains such-and-such a marker", but nothing is every brought together to talk about the genetic makeup of regions as a whole

As I said, these are quibbles. The book was unique and interesting, and I look forward to more studies on DNA inheritance as the science progresses.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting and readable book about Scottish DNA starting from far back in prehistory to when our ancestors first left Africa up to the present day. It shows patterns of migration, conquest and population change with intriguing geographic clusterings of certain genes and some genes persisting over many many centuries.

There are some interesting facts that emerge, for example a Viking descendant in Orkney, Shetland, Caithness or the Western Isles is more likely to be related to a Pakistani or a Pole than to other Scots.

The main takeaway from this book is that we all came out of Africa and nationality and race are really quite meaningless concepts when you drill down to the level of DNA, and that humans have been moving and migrating since time began. As the book so aptly concludes, 'we are all immigrants'.

[Paul Chasen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I suggest this read for anyone who is preparing to travel to Scotland, as a follow-up to your Scottish vacation, or those who are interested in wondering why Scottish people have specific traits, last names, and other interesting characteristics. Even if you are not Scottish, you may be interested in this read if curious about the genetics of the UK and Ireland, and like science and history reads that are not too technical. The only flaw in this book is keeping track of the different DNA markers. I had to write them down on post-its to remind myself of what is what. Overall, it's a solid read that will leave you wanting to learn more about your genes.

[N.W. Moors · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book that traces the DNA and people of Scotland from earliest times and from all parts of the country including the islands. It is very detailed, using both historical records such as they are and DNA patterns to tell a history of the country. I found it more difficult to read than Bryan Sykes' books and not quite as organized, but it was still a good read with clear explanations of the diverse people and how they lived.
A very enjoyable read.

[Nell Engeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

more about Scotland with evidence

I like this writer. I thought I might learn something about my own roots, and I did. It shouldn’t surprise that humans fight but as an American I think of prejudices in terms of color. It seems people everywhere find ways to fight with each other even when they look very much alike.
I like this book very much. The story gets more and more interesting as it comes to the conclusion.

[William Shearer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book needed a competent editor. I lost count of how many times the author explained social selection. Because genetic science is developing swiftly and the number of people who have taken DNA ancestry tests has grown exponentially, this book relies on a very small set of data compared to what would now be available.

[Robert E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating

The identification and tracing of a diverse set of people to Scotland- a modest sized country - unravels a great deal of history. I have long admired the Scots. The Scottish Enlightenment including Adam Smith, David Hume, Adam Ferguson, et al is an astonishing accomplishment and I wonder how much it owed to a complex ancestry.

[Robyn Echols · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not light reading

This is a detailed history of Scotland and the those who make up the Scottish people. The author's delve into ancient texts for much of their information to explain the origins of certain genetic markers. The study focuses more o Y DNA and to a lesser extent mtDNA.

[Mairi Byatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it in two journeys, from Edinburgh to Aberdeen and back! I have always been fascinated by the genes in Scotland! When I started teaching, all the little children were blonde, just along the road they were all dark haired! And so much taller up North! The Vikings and the Irish, but this book made it so much more intricate!
Personally I would be so proud to be a little bit Ukrainian!

[Alistair Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I really enjoyed this, although it was a bit difficult to follow some of the detail at times.

Very interesting history of the Scots from a genetic perspective, relating the population to the wider environment at various points in time. Some challenging thinking, but all rooted in the science.

[David Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at the DNA history of Scotland from the prehistoric era through to the modern day. My only criticism is that it perhaps warrants a more indepth analysis given the huge timespan covered. This story acts as a great example of how vital immigration is to the building of a nation and how we are all descended from somewhere far away from what we currently call home.