Finnish- and Swedish-speaking populations

Finnish Admixture in Swedish speakers of Finland

Hum Hered. 1991;41(4):248-64. Related Articles, Links
A population genetic study in Finland: comparison of the Finnish- and Swedish-speaking populations.
Virtaranta-Knowles K, Sistonen P, Nevanlinna HR.
Finnish Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, Helsinki, Finland.
In Finland there is a substantial but geographically limited Swedish-speaking minority (in 1980 6.3% of the total population) which originates mainly from Swedish immigrants during the years 1100-1300 AD. The admixture of this population with the neighbouring Finns was studied using more than 20 blood marker loci. The reference populations, Swedes and Finns, in spite of being part of the genetically rather uniform European populations, differ from each other genetically. These quantitative and also qualitative differences in gene frequencies are mostly due to the Finnish population possessing a number of genetic markers absent or rare in the rest of Europe. The results based on a sample of 620 individuals from the Swedish-speaking population in Finland showed a rather high degree of Finnish admixture, which was estimated to about 60%. This admixture most probably occurred at an early stage since it has reached such a high and geographically homogeneous degree.

Posted by Dienekes at 10:25 PM | Comments (0) | PermaLink

Finnish and Saami Admixture in Sweden

Hum Hered. 1991;41(3):157-67. Related Articles, Links
Population studies in northern Sweden. XVII. Estimates of Finnish and Saamish influence.
Nylander PO, Beckman L.
Department of Medical Genetics, University of Umea, Sweden.
The North-Swedish population is a mixture of Finnish, Saamish and Central-Swedish ethnic groups. We have studied the Finnish and Saamish admixture by means of genetic markers in 23 North-Swedish subpopulations. The Finnish influence was estimated using the transferrin genes B0-1, DCHI and C3 and the enzyme gene SOD1*2, and markers for Saamish influence were the blood group gene ABO*A2, the serum group gene GC*1F and the enzyme gene 6PGD*C. In the subpopulations the Finnish influence (admixture) varied between 0 and 84% and the Saamish influence between 0 and 34%. The Saamish influence was strongest in the western and northern parts of the area. In the northern part of the area, between 1/4 and 1/3 of the gene pool of the present-day population may be Saamish in origin. The Finnish influence was strongest in the northern and northeastern parts of the area. In the subpopulations along the Finnish border, between 60 and 80% of the gene pool may be Finnish in origin. Significant correlations were found between the Saamish marker genes and between the Finnish marker genes. Due to geographical overlapping of Finnish and Saamish influence, significant correlations were also found between Finnish and Saamish marker genes. The geographical pictures of Saamish and Finnish influence in northern Sweden showed a fair agreement with the expectations derived from historical knowledge. Although a substantial part of the genetic heterogeneity of the North-Swedish population is ethnic in origin, it is obvious that founder effect and genetic drift also have played an important role.
http://dienekes.50webs.com/blog/archives/2003_10.html