Was your ancestor a Gypsy?
Is there a story in your family that one of your ancestors was a Romany Gypsy? Or have you come across people in your own research that look as though they may led a travelling lifestyle? If so, how can you establish a firm connection with a Gypsy family?
Not everyone described as a traveller, vagrant or hawker in historic records was a Gypsy, but many were. By gathering other types of information about a person or a family, it may be possible to confirm that you have Gypsy blood.
There arefour main characteristics to look out for in an individual:
- Typical Romany surname: common ones include Cooper, Smith, Lee, Boswell, Lovell, Doe, Wood, Young and Heron. But take a look at our Famous Families books for many more examples.
- Typical Romany occupation: descriptions such as hawker, licensed hawker, pedlar, basket maker, mat maker, beehive maker, brush maker, chair bottomer, sieve bottomer,tinker, tinman, razor grinder, knife grinder,dealer, general dealer, marine store dealer, wardrobe dealer, peg maker, umbrella mender, chimney sweep, horse dealer, marine store dealer, general dealer or Egyptian.
- Evidence of mobility: for example, a description in a document such as tent dweller, van dweller, stroller, itinerant or of no fixed abode. Or, in a census return, a different place of birth for each child.
- Unusual forename: Romany parents often gave their children names that aren’t generally found in the settled community. Female examples includeAnselina, Athalia, Britannia, Cinderella, Clementina, Dotia, Gentilia, Lementeni, Sabina, Tryphena, Urania,Fairnette, Freedom, Mizelli, Ocean, Reservoir, Sinfai, Unity and Vancy. Male examples includeElijah, Goliath, Hezekiah, Nehemiah, Noah, Sampson, Shadrack,Amberline, Belcher, Dangerfield, Gilderoy, Liberty, Major, Nelson, Neptune, Silvanus and Vandlo. You will, however, also find some British Gypsies with more familiar forenames such as John, Mary, Elizabeth and William.
Like to find more clues?
Start with a specialist family history research guide such asMy Ancestors were Gypsies by Sharon Sillers Floate (3rd edition, 2010), published by the Society of Genealogists, and available from the RTFHS. Find out more about it here.
This page last updated: 27 April 2017.
FAQs
Talk to older relatives for clues and family stories. Old family photos can help to identify Gypsy heritage. Photographs taken at gatherings such as hop picking or fairs might be a sign, although these were often annual events which brought together families from many backgrounds, not just Gypsies and Travellers.
Does ancestry test for Gypsy? ›
Also, when you take a test with a company like Sequencing.com, which has the largest ancestry report database, you can determine if your genes match those in groups that have strong Roma markers.
What is the most common Gypsy last name? ›
Surnames are not conclusive evidence of Romany heritage, as many of them were also generally common ones, including Young, Taylor, Smith (a translation of the Romany for 'horseshoe maker,' Petulengro), Shaw/Shore, Lea/Lea/Leigh, Gray/Grey, Draper, Cooper and Boswell.
What is the genetic origin of the Gypsy people? ›
Linguistic and genetic evidence suggests that the Romani originated in the Indian subcontinent, in particular the region of present-day Rajasthan. Their subsequent westward migration, possibly in waves, is now believed by historians to have occurred around 1000 CE.
What are Romani Gypsy facial features? ›
In comparison with other studied groups from Ukraine (mainly Ukrainians but also other minorities) Djaczenko found that Gypsies have the lowest cephalic index, the widest nose, darkest pigmentation, and the most dense beard.
What are the Irish Gypsy last names? ›
They used to live mostly in caravans or mobile homes in which they travelled all over the country or into England. They have Irish surnames – Ward, Connors, Carty, O'Brien, Cash, Coffey, Furey, MacDonagh, Mohan.
What blood type are Romani Gypsy? ›
Heterogeneity between countries has become apparent and has led to the conclusion that the European Roma are composed of two different populations, characterised respectively by a high and a low frequency of blood group B [23], or defined as East and West European Roma, with the former closely related to Indian ...
What does black blood Gypsy mean? ›
True Romany Gypsies were regarded as being of the pure “black blood” and the word “black” was regularly used as a compliment, particularly in people's names, meaning a gypsy of the purest type.
What is the most famous Gypsy family? ›
The Boswells were for centuries one of England's largest and most important Gypsy families.
What are big Gypsy family names? ›
What are Gypsy surnames?
| Boss | Boswell |
|---|
| Lee | Lovell |
| Loveridge | Royles |
| Ryalls | Scamp |
| Smith | Stevens or Stephens |
7 more rowsBoth Rom and Romany have been in use in English since the 19th century as an alternative for Gypsy. Romany is also spelled Romani, or Rommany.
How many types of Gypsy are there? ›
They can include Romanichals in England; Kalé in Wales and Finland; Travellers in Ireland (who are not Roma), Scotland, Sweden, and Norway; Manouche from France; Gitano from Spain; Sinti from Germany, Poland, Austria, and Italy; Ashakli from Kosovo; Egyptians from Albania; Beyash from Croatia; Romanlar from Turkey; ...
What religion are Gypsies? ›
Most Eastern European Roma are Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Muslim. Those in Western Europe and the United States are mostly Roman Catholic or Protestant. In southern Spain, many Roma are Pentecostal, but this is a small minority that has emerged in contemporary times.
Does Romani dna show up on ancestry? ›
It then lists your top 50 world populations (including potentially 50 North American indigenous tribes, notably Cherokee, as well as Sephardic, Ashkenazi and other Jewish matches, Romani/Gypsy and other exotic groups).
Is Irish Gypsy an ethnicity? ›
Advocacy groups such as the Irish Traveller Movement, Pavee Point, and the National Travellers' Women Forum formed. In Northern Ireland, Irish Travellers were formally recognized as an ethnic minority in 1997, followed by recognition in Britain in 2000.
What does Romani DNA show up as? ›
In general, Romani people carry approximately 65–80% West Eurasian (European, Middle Eastern and Caucasian) ancestry, estimated to have been acquired by extensive gene flow between the 13th and 16th centuries [4,7].
What is the religion of the Gypsies? ›
Most Eastern European Roma are Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Muslim. Those in Western Europe and the United States are mostly Roman Catholic or Protestant. In southern Spain, many Roma are Pentecostal, but this is a small minority that has emerged in contemporary times.
What do Gypsies identify as? ›
Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers are recognised ethnic groups according to English law. However Roma people and Scottish Gypsy/Travellers are widely recognised as ethnic groups and would be likely to meet the same criteria. It depends. 'Gypsy' is sometimes seen as offensive or as a racial slur.
Is there a story in your family that one of your ancestors was a Romany Gypsy? Or have you come across people in your own research that look as though they may led a travelling lifestyle? If so, how can you establish a firm connection with a Gypsy family?
