Many times, rumor of “Black Irish” blood is code for interracial marriage, especially Indian/Caucasian marriage. I have rumors of Black Dutch in my family and it’s the same thing. I actually may have found an ancestor about the time of the American Revolution who was Indian. It’s still unconfirmed, but does indicate that those “rumors” may have been correct.
As this is a thread about British Ancestry, I feel I should post the following link regarding Hereditary Hemochromatosis:
http://www.americanhs.org/
Anyone of Northern European heritage should take a look at the site and discuss with you family doctor. HH can be found thru simple (fairly inexpensive) blood screens. It can also be found thru genetic testing. As it heavily affects my family (Irish) I thought I would share the info.
We have the family legend of Cherokee blood. The family *sort of* knows where it stems, but really doesn’t know WHO was the Indian. I think I know who it was, but there is no one still alive who has the right mtDNA. In other words, everyone alive in that line has mtDNA from someone else. FWIW, the yDNA on this line is R1b1.
I personally think it’s amazing we have gotten this far in this line, my great-grandfather changed his name is 1945 from Oceola to Otis and went by “OJ” to escape any association with being an Indian. His father’s family is never on any census until 1900 (when all the children were adults and passed as white).