I have a heritage riddle for you...

[xxMeggieMaggot]

I'm of Italian descent -(my grandfather was italian).
I have a very "wog" nose - (obviously from the italian side).

BUT
I'm a pale skinned, freckly Redhead o.O
And neither of my parents have any redheads in their close family.
But you need it from both sides to make a redhead... and my brother is ginger too...

What happened there?

[Miranda_]

There must be a hidden gene somewhere that pops up in you and your brother. Since the red haired gene is recessive, there doesn't need to be any redheads in your family to create you and your brother.

Red hair - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Red hair can originate from several different changes on the MC1R-gene. If one of these changes is present on both chromosomes then the respective individual is likely to have red hair. This type of inheritance is described as an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. Even if both parents do not have red hair themselves, both can be carriers for the gene and have a redheaded child.

[LancasterPrincess]

You might be surprised about the potential hair color of your father. My hubby has blonde hair like his mother. His father has black hair. His sister was born with blonde hair that gradually changed to strawberry-blonde/red.

I mention your father might surprise you because my blonde husband surprised me. When his facial hair grows out do to his occasional laziness there are RED hairs mixed in it! So even though he is most certainly blonde he carries the red-headed gene.

Other than his sister there's only one red head in this family, that I know of, and it's extended family. His grandmother's sister had red hair. So even though his brunette grandmother was obviously not a red-head, she obviously carried the gene too, then passing it off to his mother, and she passing it off to himself and his sister.

His sister just had a baby with her brunette husband. Remember I said the sister was born with blonde hair, that later changed to red? She gave birth to a red head. No one has any clue if the baby's hair will stay red, or change colors as she gets older!

I don't set a whole lot of stock by genes. Brown eyes and dark hair are dominate. My father had black hair and dark skin with silver/green eyes. He and my originally-blonde light skinned brown eyed (later turned brunette) mother gave birth to 3 children, 2 of which did not follow the ratios of dominance.

Only I did for some reason? I have dark skin, dark hair and dark eyes.

My twin has light skin, light brown hair, and silver/green eyes.

Our brother was born blonde, but it's gotten a lot darker and is probably considered brown now, with light skin and silver/green eyes.

Geneoligy is not a sure-fire science. It's all to do with ratios and a whole heck of a lot of luck...or lack thereof! xD

[spirit_queen]

Aside from that, things like hair and eyes are in fact polygenetic, meaning that a whole host of genes make up the color of your hair and eyes, therefore making it a bit harder to pin down than just mixing the parents or bettingt hat the "dominent" colors will win. There's a whol host of variables to factor in, so it's best just to not bother and let yourself be surprised. XD

[xxMeggieMaggot]

haha, yes. Genes are very strange things. Thank you for all the information!

[angel_deceiver]

It is crazy how it can happen but I too am the only red head in my whole family (living anyway) the only other person who has ever had red hair in my family is my great great grandma. Genes can stay hidden generation after generation after all the one for red hair is recessive it can hide behind more dominant genes you and I are just lucky I guess ^_^