The Iberian Peninsula

A friend suggested I look up "celtiberian " in my quest for knowledge about my early ancestors. I did and learned that it means "celt-iberian" (as in Iberian Peninsula of Europe - now Spain). The people living there, the Celts and the Iberians, co-mingled and apparently migrated to Ireland over two millennium ago. My DNA group (R2B2) closely matches a small group of these people from what is now the area near Albacete, Spain.

I shared my information with my new-found 'cousin' in Canada, Lyn McMullen, and he wrote back:

"I have read that article, and here is a better map outlining populations that inhabited the Iberian peninsula circa 200 BC. It is more specific in terms of listing ethnic population groups that occupied territory at that time. It is this map which forms part of the evidence I have reviewed concerning the Germanos (Germano-Celts), the group I believe our family genetically descend from. They are shown as located in the Celtic language speaking area just above another group called Oretanus. Recorded history around these Germano-Celt Suebi, clarify that a larger group (mercenaries) were invited into this area later (circa 100BC), then subsequently driven out circa 57 BC by Roman Legion’s. This I believe may have been the migration point for elements of that ethnic population to Ireland."




The circle near the center is the area around Albatete.
So now I'm beginning to get a picture of where my family can trace it's earliest roots. We are descendants of Germano-Celts.
This is great information that would have taken me years, if ever, to find. Thanks to Lyn I have been able to place us in Ireland, Scotland and now Spain over a 2,000 year period. How cool is that!!!