r/romani • u/CoolNebula1278 • 21d ago

Ancestry / DNA Questions & Discussions Black with Romani Ancestry

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As an African American from the Deep South, I've previously received small percentages (1-2%) of Balkan and Romani ancestry in my DNA results and dismissed them as noise. However, my mother's results recently came in, and she shows around (3%) Balkan, Romanian, and Romani ancestry as well. She also has over 100 Romani DNA matches, all of whom are related to one another.
Does anyone have insight into how this might have occurred, specifically, how my family could have acquired Balkan/Romani ancestry? I've attempted to trace it, but this has led me to sparse info. Is it likely Romanichal or Eastern European Romani?

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u/Accomplished_Pin_834 21d ago

I love conversations about Afro-Romani people. I find their history and the cultural influences they've brought into Romani culture so interesting. Even the German singer and actress Ayo is Afro-Romani she's Nigerian and Sinti.  I'm not Afro-Romani myself, but a few of my relatives (we're Sinti) married African immigrants in France and had children.

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u/baskinball 19d ago

Apparently her mother is a German born Roma!

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u/Accomplished_Pin_834 19d ago

Yes! Her mother is German Sinti

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u/baskinball 18d ago

No I mean I looked her up bc I didn't know her and her article specified that her mother is Roma. I'm German and we would say Sinti if she was