Florida Accountant a Genghis Khan Descendant

A Florida accountant is apparently a direct descendant of Genghis Khan

Tom Robinson had long wondered about his family tree. He never suspected its roots might lie in the Mongolian steppe.

Tom Robinson while visiting Juneau, Alaska on Thursday May 25, 2006. Tom Robinson had long wondered about his family tree. He never suspected its roots might lie in the Mongolian steppe. The Florida accountant knew that his great, great-grandfather had come to the United States from England _ but beyond that his research drew a blank. So he turned to the burgeoning field of 'bioarchaeology,' having his DNA tested to see what it revealed about his origins. He was in for a surprise. According to a British geneticist who pioneered the research, Robinson appears to be a direct descendant of Genghis Khan, the Mongol warrior who conquered vast tracts of Asia and Europe in the 13th century. (AP Photo/David J. Sheakley)The Florida accountant knew that his great, great-grandfather had come to the United States from England — but beyond that his research drew a blank. So he turned to the burgeoning field of “bioarchaeology,” having his DNA tested to see what it revealed about his origins.

He was in for a surprise. According to a British geneticist who pioneered the research, Robinson appears to be a direct descendant of Genghis Khan, the Mongol warrior who conquered vast tracts of Asia and Europe in the 13th century. Robinson said he was startled when he received a call from the firm Oxford Ancestors about a surprising ancestor uncovered by his DNA tests.

“My first impression was, ‘Oh no, who is it’ — imagining it was Adolf Hitler or something like that,” said Robinson, 48. “So I was actually pleasantly surprised.”

One might even say he was reminiscent of Genghis Khan. Although he looks a lot like David Ogden Stiers.

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James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Anderson says:

    It says something about general ignorance of history that anyone is “pleasantly surprised” to be descended from Genghis Khan rather than Hitler.

    At least he’s not kin to Ann Coulter.

  2. James Joyner says:

    Anderson:

    Yes, quite. I’d say old GK was quite high on the list of historic bad guys.

    Of course, writing in the middle of the night because I couldn’t sleep, the John Kerry thing amused me to no end.

  3. From the story: “How this chromosome came to be so prominent was that when he conquered new territory Genghis Khan would kill the men and routinely inseminate all the women.”

    I think most would call that rape, wouldn’t they?