With the more delineated breakdown of the "Ethnicity Estimate" that Ancestry DNA provides, it shows that I have ancestors from the Gaspe region. This estimate aligns well with research I have done in this area and others represented in the red circle on the image above.
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| Fishing boats on the Gaspe around 1900 |
Our immigrant ancestor, Gabriel Albert, moved from France to the Gaspe region in the mid-18th century surely attracted by the rich industry of cod fishing. What lured fishermen like Albert away from their homeland in France? According to GaspeCured, a modern day processing plant, the old tradition of curing cod dates back to 1755. "The region's perfect weather conditions, a cold and dry climate, make it the ideal place to salt and dry the cod." Seemingly, those conditions have not changed from Gabriel Albert's time.
The map with description above shows the closeness of the DNA report to my actual French Canadian heritage. Two of my family lines immigrated from areas where the line emanates from (France). Of course, one of these families is the Alberts.
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| Creative Commons image of an English Silk Mill |
Image Sources:
1. Fishing boats:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/museemccordmuseum/5352062700/
2. Silk mill:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Silk_Mill_AJKeene.jpg
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