# Why do so many british people do have dark hair and eyes? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 30, 2015, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-british-people-do-have-dark-hair-and-eyes/729368 "2015-08-30T02:41:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-british-people-do-have-dark-hair-and-eyes/729368/21 "2015-08-31T01:26:11Z")
As a sample of one, my husband was quite surprised when our mixed child turned blonde after birth, apparently that was not the norm in his family of pure Danes, she now has the same hair color as her dad (light brown with blond highlights). I just asked my husband if he would believe me if I said that half of danes are blonde, he very quickly said “I don’t think so!”. Neither of us have been to Finland, which is apparently the “blondest” Nordic nation, so I can’t tell you if half or more of them are blonde. ---
**Author:** ![RebrandingHumor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/22d042/32.png) [@RebrandingHumor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RebrandingHumor)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-british-people-do-have-dark-hair-and-eyes/729368/22 "2015-08-31T01:37:36Z")
> [@Mighty\_Girl](#): > > You seem to believe that I said there are no blondes in Scandinavia. Yes, there’s a higher percentage of real blondes there than in, say, Belgium, to name a random European nation I have visited. However, adult blondes are not nearly as common as brunettes. Belgium has many blondes too, maybe not as many as scandinavia but flemish people have a lot of blondes, brussels and the french speaking part have more brown haired people though… Maybe you have sticked in highly multicultural cities, I have been to rural Sweden and Denmark, including mid cities, small cities and towns and the majority are blonde, same goes for the Netherlands. ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-british-people-do-have-dark-hair-and-eyes/729368/23 "2015-08-31T01:41:23Z")
> [@Mighty\_Girl](#): > > That is not my impression. Yes, Scandinavians have a lighter complexion than the average European, but natural Marilyn Monroes are not the norm. Random comment: a month or so back I actually learned that Marilyn Monroe dyed her hair too - her natural hair was very dark brown. I don’t know, it might be common knowledge, but for some reason it came as a surprise to me. Also, [Elvis had light hair](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/71/16/c2/7116c2a91b968c5abbd14103a4c8d705.jpg). People are weird. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-british-people-do-have-dark-hair-and-eyes/729368/24 "2015-08-31T01:42:16Z")
> [@woglander](#): > > If you go to northern germany you would notice how most people are quite tall and generally blonde, same as in Scandinavian countries or the Netherlands… Southern germany is more similar to central europe…lot of darkblond/lightbrown haired people…with quite a large minority of medium/light blond and another large minority of brown/darkbrown and even black hair. I’ve already been to Germany, and that’s not how I remember it. ---
**Author:** ![RebrandingHumor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/22d042/32.png) [@RebrandingHumor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RebrandingHumor)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-british-people-do-have-dark-hair-and-eyes/729368/25 "2015-08-31T01:43:32Z")
> [@Mighty\_Girl](#): > > As a sample of one, my husband was quite surprised when our mixed child turned blonde after birth, apparently that was not the norm in his family of pure Danes, she now has the same hair color as her dad (light brown with blond highlights). > > I just asked my husband if he would believe me if I said that half of danes are blonde, he very quickly said “I don’t think so!”. > > Neither of us have been to Finland, which is apparently the “blondest” Nordic nation, so I can’t tell you if half or more of them are blonde. Because danish people have a very different definition of what is blonde compared to Americans, most of those “hollywood blonde boys” would be considered brunettes in Denmark. Random crowd of ethnic danes in Roskilde festival (denmark). [![](http://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/DSC_5216trim.jpg) ](http://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/DSC_5216trim.jpg) [http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/sites/default/files/styles/galleries\_ratio/public/asp/visitcopenhagen/Visit-sites/1024x576/Events\_and\_festivals/Roskilde\_Festival/crowd\_marie\_key\_photo\_connie\_maria\_westergaard.jpg?itok=JuUUW1hm](http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/sites/default/files/styles/galleries_ratio/public/asp/visitcopenhagen/Visit-sites/1024x576/Events_and_festivals/Roskilde_Festival/crowd_marie_key_photo_connie_maria_westergaard.jpg?itok=JuUUW1hm) Most are either blonde, darblond and golden brown… people with darkbrown/black hair are very uncomon and plain brown hair a minority… ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-british-people-do-have-dark-hair-and-eyes/729368/26 "2015-08-31T01:43:47Z")
[Roman Centurion "Biggus Dickus"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K8_jgiNqUc)spend some time in Britannia sowing his oats after leaving the holy lands. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-british-people-do-have-dark-hair-and-eyes/729368/27 "2015-08-31T01:47:43Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > I’ve already been to Germany, and that’s not how I remember it. I had the same impression as you. ---
**Author:** ![RebrandingHumor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/22d042/32.png) [@RebrandingHumor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RebrandingHumor)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-british-people-do-have-dark-hair-and-eyes/729368/28 "2015-08-31T01:48:32Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > I’ve already been to Germany, and that’s not how I remember it. I just point out that Germans are way blonder as a whole than white americans, aussies or british people. And this thread is about why brits are considerably darker featured than Scandinavians, Dutch and even Germans, if they are supposed to be northern-european by genetic make up. Random german football players (back in the day when bundesliga was mainly composed by ethnic germans) [http://file1.npage.de/010174/25/bilder/saison\_1988-89.jpg](http://file1.npage.de/010174/25/bilder/saison_1988-89.jpg) [![](https://64.media.tumblr.com/d25a82f2eb31c61d2be8dba05a3dab1a/tumblr_mko0r19q5k1rctpiwo1_1280.jpg) ](https://64.media.tumblr.com/d25a82f2eb31c61d2be8dba05a3dab1a/tumblr_mko0r19q5k1rctpiwo1_1280.jpg) [http://file1.npage.de/010174/25/bilder/saison\_1985-86.jpg](http://file1.npage.de/010174/25/bilder/saison_1985-86.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-british-people-do-have-dark-hair-and-eyes/729368/29 "2015-08-31T01:49:28Z")
Here’s a [map](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Light_hair_coloration_map.png) of light hair distribution in Europe from wiki’s [blond](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blond#Geographic_distribution) page. Blond hair originated in Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea countries, so that’s the epicentre of blondism. ---
**Author:** ![RebrandingHumor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/22d042/32.png) [@RebrandingHumor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RebrandingHumor)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-british-people-do-have-dark-hair-and-eyes/729368/30 "2015-08-31T02:04:49Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > Here’s a [map](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Light_hair_coloration_map.png) of light hair distribution in Europe from wiki’s [blond](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blond#Geographic_distribution) page. Blond hair originated in Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea countries, so that’s the epicentre of blondism. There is no way most of england and scotland are on the same category as Denmark or Sweden, it makes no sense, I have been to most of the UK and the vast majority of people have brown (or even black) hair and blue or hazel eyes. From the countries I’ve been (which is pretty much all of europe bar iceland, montenegro and macedonia) I have found the blondest people in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, The Netherlands, Estonia, Latvia and Iceland (although I havent been to the last one and just speaking from people I have met abroad)… Some other areas like Northern germany ,Northwest Russia and Lithuania come close though. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-british-people-do-have-dark-hair-and-eyes/729368/31 "2015-08-31T02:17:53Z")
> [@woglander](#): > > I just point out that Germans are way blonder as a whole than white americans, aussies or british people. That was not what I saw when I was there. > [@](#): > > And this thread is about why brits are considerably darker featured than Scandinavians, Dutch and even Germans, if they are supposed to be northern-european by genetic make up. I don’t think they _are_ supposed to be Northern European by genetic makeup. History tells us that people from many different places have settled in and/or invaded the British Isles. I’ve heard that genetic testing indicates that the British are most closely related to the people of France and Spain, although the Angles, Saxons, Jutes, etc., also left their genetic mark. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-british-people-do-have-dark-hair-and-eyes/729368/32 "2015-08-31T02:26:08Z")
> [@woglander](#): > > [http://file1.npage.de/010174/25/bilder/saison\_1988-89.jpg](http://file1.npage.de/010174/25/bilder/saison_1988-89.jpg) > > [cronologiafutbolistica: Image](https://41.media.tumblr.com/d25a82f2eb31c61d2be8dba05a3dab1a/tumblr_mko0r19q5k1rctpiwo1_1280.jpg) > > [http://file1.npage.de/010174/25/bilder/saison\_1985-86.jpg](http://file1.npage.de/010174/25/bilder/saison_1985-86.jpg) That one is easy. Hair always looks lighter under sunlight. In some outdoor pictures my daughter and husband look completely blonde. MG Photographer ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-british-people-do-have-dark-hair-and-eyes/729368/33 "2015-08-31T02:33:18Z")
> [@woglander](#): > > There is no way most of england and scotland are on the same category as Denmark or Sweden, it makes no sense, I have been to most of the UK and the vast majority of people have brown (or even black) hair and blue or hazel eyes. Well, Sweden and Denmark are closer to the blondism epicentre than the British Isles so I would imagine that the instances of blond hair there would be higher. If you’re going on football team photos then compare the [West Germany 1974 football team](http://www.worldcupbrazil.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/19741.jpg) with the [1970 England team](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/11/12/article-1227360-0731EB3D000005DC-112_634x429.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-british-people-do-have-dark-hair-and-eyes/729368/34 "2015-08-31T02:49:03Z")
Also, I am curious about your username. You do realise that “wog” is an offensive term? > [@](#): > > [Wog](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wog) is a slang word in the idiom of Australian English and British English, usually employed as an ethnic or racial slur and considered derogatory and offensive. > > In British English, wog is an offensive racial slur usually applied to Middle Eastern and South Asian peoples. In Australian English, wog is a term used in jest or as a racial slur for people from Southern Europe, Eastern Europe, and the Mediterranean region of the Middle East. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-british-people-do-have-dark-hair-and-eyes/729368/35 "2015-09-02T00:38:31Z")
While the OP makes a good point, it’s not wholly accurate. For example some of the Beatles, John Lennon notably and even Ringo Starr, were NOT that dark haired, in fact they were light brown. This evident in colorful pictures and videos, not black and white pics of the Fab Four I think the average hair color of a Brit is medium brown, something like Prime Minister David Cameron or Piers Morgan as examples. Also brown eyes are not the majority, even among brunettes, light eyes seem to be common, actress Emily Watson(not Emma Watson of Harry Potter fame) being a prime example. And to state that blond(e) hair is rare in the British Isles, is stretching it too far. Blondes are found quite in good numbers in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Take Princess Diana, Princes William. Blond hair is rare in say the Middle East, and most of Asia. Britain’s current Permanent Representative to the United Nations, or UN ambassador is a blond, Matthew Rycroft. And taking Queen, while guitarist Brian May was dark, drummer Roger Taylor is blond. So in closing native Brits come in different hair colors, take a look at any British movie, and the characters tend to be brown, dark brown, blond and that one red head. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-british-people-do-have-dark-hair-and-eyes/729368/36 "2015-09-02T01:10:42Z")
> [@Nema98](#): > > While the OP makes a good point, it’s not wholly accurate. For example some of the Beatles, John Lennon notably and even Ringo Starr, were NOT that dark haired, in fact they were light brown. This evident in colorful pictures and videos, not black and white pics of the Fab Four > I think the average hair color of a Brit is medium brown, something like Prime Minister David Cameron or Piers Morgan as examples. > Also brown eyes are not the majority, even among brunettes, light eyes seem to be common, actress Emily Watson(not Emma Watson of Harry Potter fame) being a prime example. > > And to state that blond(e) hair is rare in the British Isles, is stretching it too far. Blondes are found quite in good numbers in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Take Princess Diana, Princes William. Blond hair is rare in say the Middle East, and most of Asia. > > Britain’s current Permanent Representative to the United Nations, or UN ambassador is a blond, Matthew Rycroft. And taking Queen, while guitarist Brian May was dark, drummer Roger Taylor is blond. > > So in closing native Brits come in different hair colors, take a look at any British movie, and the characters tend to be brown, dark brown, blond and that one red head. Apparently, Lady Di colored her hair (cite: an article linked earlier). I did not know that. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-british-people-do-have-dark-hair-and-eyes/729368/37 "2015-09-02T05:17:18Z")
> [@Mighty\_Girl](#): > > That one is easy. Hair always looks lighter under sunlight. In some outdoor pictures my daughter and husband look completely blonde. > > MG > Photographer So, what definition would you have for being blond, other than looking it? ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-british-people-do-have-dark-hair-and-eyes/729368/38 "2015-09-02T11:32:42Z")
> [@woglander](#): > > Most germans arent brunette…at least not on the way aussies, brits or americans are… The people with darkbown/black hairor even plain brown haire are in the minority, most germans are either blonde (from platinium/lightblonde to dark blonde) or have some goldern shade of brown/lightbrown which is neither real brunette or blonde… If you go to northern germany you would notice how most people are quite tall and generally blonde, same as in Scandinavian countries or the Netherlands… Southern germany is more similar to central europe…lot of darkblond/lightbrown haired people…with quite a large minority of medium/light blond and another large minority of brown/darkbrown and even black hair. I have lived in Germany for 19 years, and the above is simply not true. I know people whose hair colours range from white-blond to jet black, but the majority of people in Germany have brown hair. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-british-people-do-have-dark-hair-and-eyes/729368/39 "2015-09-02T12:16:38Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > Also, I am curious about your username. You do realise that “wog” is an offensive term? It does make one take his racial opinions with a grain of salt. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2015, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-british-people-do-have-dark-hair-and-eyes/729368/40 "2015-09-03T01:20:34Z")
> [@shantih](#): > > I have lived in Germany for 19 years, and the above is simply not true. I know people whose hair colours range from white-blond to jet black, but the majority of people in Germany have brown hair. This seems to be the case with Brits also and many other Western Europeans. By the way I have to add since I had forgotten, true jet black hair is rare among Europeans, even Southern Europeans with dark hair, really have dark brown. Even many people outside Europe with dark hair in reality have dark brown hair, with brown highlights as opposed to true black hair which looks blue/purple in the sun. And again very dark hair is not the most common hair color among the average British. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-british-people-do-have-dark-hair-and-eyes/729368.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-british-people-do-have-dark-hair-and-eyes/729368.md?page=3)