The term Black Irish has been in circulation among Irish emigrants and their descendants for centuries. The term is commonly used to describe people of Irish origin who have dark features, black hair, a dark complexion and dark eyes.

Who is considered black Irish?

The definition of black Irish is used to describe Irish people with dark hair and dark eyes thought to be decedents of the Spanish Armada of the mid-1500s, or it is a term used in the United States by mixed-race descendants of Europeans and African Americans or Native Americans to hide their heritage.

Is Black Irish a real thing?

Black Irish is an ambiguous term sometimes used (mainly outside Ireland) as a reference to a dark-haired phenotype appearing in people of Irish origin. However, dark hair in people of Irish descent is common, although darker skin complexions appear less frequently.

Why are Irish Pale?

Researches at Penn State University identified SLC24A5 as the gene responsible for skin pigmentation, and a specific mutation within it responsible for fair skin. The mutation, A111T, is found most commonly in Ireland and all who possess it share a common genetic code descended from the same ONE person.

Where do Irish get red hair?

“If you look at where the red haired patterning is in Ireland, in particular, it is very much around the areas where Vikings settled. “Research has shown that 60 per cent of the DNA of modern males on the Orkney Islands, where there is a particularly high proportion of redheads, is Norwegian.

What color eyes do most red-haired people have?

Most (natural) redheads will have brown eyes, followed by hazel or green shades.

Do the Irish have red hair?

Ireland has the highest per capita percentage of redheads in the world -- anywhere from 10 to 30 percent, according to Eupedia, a website that explores European genetics and ancestry. They are almost equally prevalent in Scotland and other pockets of Celtic pride.

Why does Ireland have red hair?

Irish people developed their red hair because of a lack of sunlight, according to new research from a leading DNA lab. Red hair is associated with fair skin due to the lower melanin concentration and this has advantages as more vitamin D can be absorbed.