What country is known for gingers?
Ireland: The Emerald Isle and Home of the Red Heads
With more red-headed residents than anyone else in the world, Ireland is the king of people with red hair. The latest estimates suggest that about 10% of Ireland's population are redheads.
And the statistics bear that stereotype out. 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.
But come to Ireland and the story is different. The percentage of redheads in Ireland hovers around the 10% mark. Scotland weighs in at around 6%, followed by England at around 4%. Scottish people may disagree, but we say Ireland is the undisputed world capital of redheads.
| City | State / Territory | Number of Locations |
|---|---|---|
| New York | New York | 80 |
| Brooklyn | New York | 63 |
| Los Angeles | California | 61 |
| Portland | Oregon | 52 |
While it may seem that only Caucasians have red hair, people from all races and ethnicities have ginger locks. It is more common in areas such as Northern Europe and specific parts of Russia. However, the genetic mutation has also spread throughout parts of South America, Asia, and Africa.
The Vikings maybe brought a few red-hair genetic variants over with them, but the majority of redheads were already here.” Previously it has been argued that Scotland's poor climate was responsible for the high frequency of the ginger mutation.
The recessive gene that carries red hair has been traced back 50,000 Years when early modern gingers first appeared in the grasslands of Central Asia.
8. Blue eyed redheads are super rare. Blue eyes and red hair forms the rarest combo on earth. Most (natural) redheads will have brown eyes, followed by hazel or green shades.
Redheads probably won't go grey. That's because the pigment just fades over time. So they will probably go blonde and even white, but not grey.
Red is the rarest hair color, according to Dr. Kaplan, and that's because so few MC1R variants are associated with the shade. “Only three variants are associated with red hair,” she says. “If a person has two of these three variants, they almost certainly have red hair.
Do redheads have different DNA?
Redheads have a genetic variant of the MC1R gene that causes their melanocytes to primarily produce pheomelanin. However, a study published in 2018 has lead scientists to believe that there many be a number of other genes associated with pheomelanin that controls hair colour.
However, it is worth noting that people of Asian descent can have a range of hair colors, including red. So while some people may assume that all redheaded Asians are naturally born with their hair color, this may not be the case for everyone.
Even today, the small population of redheads in Sicily are referred to as “normanne”, or Normans. So the Normans, led by Roger I, transported the gene to Sicily, “and it spread across Italy from there,” said Rosso, who estimates a red-headed population of just one percent in the whole of Italy.
Research has shown that people with red hair perceive pain differently than others. They may be more sensitive to certain types of pain and can require higher doses of some pain-killing medications. However, studies suggest that their general pain tolerance may be higher.
Less than 2 percent of the world's population has red hair, making it the rarest hair color in the world. It's the result of the mutated MC1R gene. If both parents carry that gene, their child has a 25% chance of getting lovely, red locks, even if the parents don't have red hair themselves.
One study shows that, contrary to popular belief, redheads are not weaker than blondes or brunettes. After studying the effect of pain in humans, researchers found that redheads appear to be "better protected" on the surface level.
Recessive traits like red hair can skip generations because they can hide out in a carrier behind a dominant trait. The recessive trait needs another carrier and a bit of luck to be seen. This means that it can sometimes take a few generations to finally make its presence known.
These red hair variants in MC1R likely first appeared in ancient humans around 30,000-80,000 years ago, at about the same time as early migrations out of Africa. Scientists used to think red hair evolved to help people produce Vitamin D in chilly places with little sunlight (think Ireland).
Irish people developed their red hair because of a lack of sunlight, according to new research from a leading DNA lab. Irelands DNA has revealed that one in 10 Irish people have red hair but it is thought that up to half the population could be carrying the redhead gene even though they are blonde or brunette.
In northern Europe, it's speculated that the M1CR mutation was brought to the mainland from the Viking raiders of Norway. The greatest concentration of red hair is found in Scotland and Ireland, and the coastal areas where the Vikings settled show the highest number of gingers.
Why is red hair going extinct?
Red hair is caused by a recessive gene and it's not possible for this gene to simply die out. Even if there were no more redheads, people would still carry the recessive gene and that gene can appear at any time. Redheads may become rarer in the future, but they aren't going anywhere.
The answer is almost always: from both. The main gene that underlies red hair is Melanocortin 1 Receptor, or MC1R. As implied by its name, the protein that it encodes is a receptor that plays a role in pigment synthesis. This gene has several versions (alleles), one of which is related to red hair.
Lifespan: up to 20 years in captivity, 5-10 years in the wild. Special Adaptations: Males have an elaborate courtship dance where they throw back their heads, almost touching their tail!
gingerphobia (uncountable) (UK, informal) Fear, dislike, or hatred of people with red hair.
Ireland has the highest number of red-haired people per capita in the world with the percentage of those with red hair at around 10%. Great Britain also has a high percentage of people with red hair.
REDHEADS are significantly less likely to age badly.
According to their findings, those who carry a variation of the MC1R gene responsible for red hair, look around two years younger than they actually are.
The skin of a redhead is thinner compared to others and is derived from the ectoderm. Teeth enamel is also derived from the ectoderm and thus is thinner than usual. Since the enamel coating is thin, the inner layer of tooth-dentin is more visible and offers a yellowish appearance.
Some studies indicate that redheads are more prone to illness because they prefer to keep out of the sun and so lack vitamin D, or because their ability to absorb the vitamin is less efficient.
2. Blonde hair. Blonde hair is the second rarest hair color in the world. About 20% of the population has blonde hair.
Red hair and green eye genes are simply not as common in populations as other hair and eye colors. One study found that the red hair-green eyes genetic combination is one of the rarest, at -0.14 correlation. Having red hair and blue eyes is even rarer.
What is the prettiest eye color?
We found that green is the most popular lens colour, with brown coming in a close second, despite it being one of the most common eye colours. Although blue and hazel are seen as the most attractive eye colours for men and women they are surprisingly the least popular.
At some point, you've probably wondered what the rarest eye color is. The answer is green, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). Only about 2 percent of the world's population sport this shade.
Less than 2% of the world's population has red hair. The highest concentration of redheads is in Scotland (13%), followed by Ireland (10%).
The title of rarest hair colour/eye colour combination belongs to red haired folks with blue eyes. According to Medical Daily, both the blue eye trait and the red hair trait are recessive, so their likelihood of simultaneous appearance is pretty slim. Just ask anyone who's pieced together a Punnett Square.
The study of 10,878 people found blonde-haired white women had an average IQ of 103.2, compared to 102.7 for those with brown hair, 101.2 for those with red hair and 100.5 for those with black hair.
About 1–2% of people of European origin have red hair. Especially female redheads are known to suffer higher pain sensitivity and higher incidence of some disorders, including skin cancer, Parkinson's disease and endometriosis.
Naturally Produce More Vitamin D
Per a study published in 2020 in Experimental Dermatology, redheads are more efficient at synthesizing vitamin D. The vitamin is crucial for bone health and may protect against depression and fight off colds.
So what does that all mean for your chances of having a red-headed child? Since you need two pieces of “red hair” DNA to have red hair, your child will only have red hair if they receive “red hair” DNA from both parents. Even if you don't have red hair, you can still pass on a red hair allele to your child!
Usually, redheads have freckles. They may form on the face, shoulders, legs, arms, or all of the above!
The test will scan each parent's DNA for signs of the so-called MC1R gene that causes redheadedness. "Through a simple saliva test to determine deep ancestry, we can … identify whether an individual is a carrier of any of the three common redhead variants in the gene MC1R," said Dr.
What race has red facial hair?
In particular, it's the Celtic nations of Scotland, Ireland, and Wales with the highest redhead population. With approx 10% of these nations sporting red locks, the chances are they are the proud epicenter of red beards. So if you see those red hues, it's a good chance one of your ancestors was from a Celtic country.
Redheads galore
The Netherlands boasts an estimated 5% of redheads, so fellow gingers will feel right at home!
Researchers think that the ginger gene, known as MC1R, may cause the temperature-detecting gene to become over-activated, making redheads more sensitive to the cold.
Red hair is the result of a genetic variant that causes the body's skin cells and hair cells to produce more of one particular type of melanin and less of another. Most redheads have a gene mutation in the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R).
Reds have fewer and thicker strands than blondes and brunettes. On average, redheads have about 90,000 strands, blondes 110,000, and brunettes 140,000. Because each fiery strand is significantly thicker and coarser than its color counterparts, it makes hair look fuller and easier to style.
Red hair is a recessive genetic trait caused by a series of mutations in the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), a gene located on chromosome 16. As a recessive trait it must be inherited from both parents to cause the hair to become red.
It had been thought that red hair is controlled by a single gene, called MC1R. The new research sheds light on other genes that are involved. Previous studies had shown that redheads inherit two versions of the MC1R gene that leads to red hair – one from their mum and one from their dad.
Most (natural) redheads will have brown eyes, followed by hazel or green shades.
They don't need as much vitamin D
So when a redhead goes outside, he or she produces more vitamin D in a shorter amount of time than people with other hair colors. This gives an evolutionary advantage, since low levels of vitamin D can lead to ailments like rickets, diabetes and arthritis.
Rarest kind of redhead
Having red hair and blue eyes is the rarest hair/eye color combination possible. The odds of a person having both of those recessive traits is around 0.17%. Instead, most redheads have brown, hazel or green eyes, according to Medical Daily.