Irish Ancestry?

Question

I have a lot of Irish blood in my family, especially on my mom's side. I have darker blonde hair and blue eyes, but I have an aunt with red hair, and my grandmother and several of her sisters had red hair and green eyes. My grandmother's maiden name is Cornwell and my grandfather's last name is Ledbetter (not specifically Irish names, but from that region, from what I gather).

My dad's side of the family is primarily English with some Irish and other bits and pieces.

Besides the fact that I have freckles (had more like, they've faded as I've gotten older) I don't think I look very Irish, even though I look just like my mom as far as facial features and bone structure.

My question: Is there a certain bone structure or other features (besides the red hair and eyes, and being "hot blooded") that goes along with being of strong Irish descent?

Answer 1

Appearance for basis of ancestry is, in almost all cases, pure stereotyping.

Answer 2

Don't know, I'm not Irish.

Answer 3

The short and simple answer is no !

The Irish, and I am part Irish from my paternal grandmother, with the freckles, pale skin and red hair ! Are just as varied in appearance as most other nations.

You are correct in saying that Ledbetter and Cornwell are not Irish names.

Ledbetter

This surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is an occupational surname for a worker in lead. The derivation is from the Olde English pre 7th Century "lead", lead, with "beatan", to beat, strike. Job-descriptive surnames originally denoted the actual occupation of the namebearer, and later became hereditary. The surname is first recorded in the early half of the 13th Century (see below) and can also be found as Leadbeat(t)er, Leadbitter, Ledbetter and Lidbetter. Walter Ledbeter is noted as witness in the Assize Court Rolls of Northumberland (1256). Recordings of the surname from London Church Registers include; Jane Leadbetter, who married Anthony Arkinson on June 27th 1592 at St. Margaret's, Westminster; Laurence Leadbetter, who married Mary Crannam on September 1st 1603 at St. Dunstan's, Stepney; and Michaell Leadbetter, who married Dorothie Clarke on May 25th 1618 at St. Martin Vintry. One of the most notable namebearers was Charles Leadbetter (flourished 1728), who was an astronomer. He was the author of treatises on astronomy and mathematics, and was one of the first commentators on Newton. . The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Ingald Ledbater, which was dated 1221, witness in the "Assize Court Rolls of Warwickshire", during the reign of King Henry 111, known as "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272.

Cornwell

This surname is of English origin, either a locational name from Cornwall in Oxfordshire so called from the Old English pre 7th Century "corn" a metathesized form of "cron", "cran" meaning "crane" plus "well(a)" spring, stream, or it is a regional name from the county of Cornwall, so called from the Old English pre 7th Century tribal name Cornwealas. This is from Kernow, the native name that the Cornish used to denote themselves, of uncertain etymology, perhaps connected with a Celtic element meaning "horn", "headland", compounded with the Old English pre 7th Century "wealas" meaning "strangers", "foreigners". The surname dates back to the mid 12th Century, (see below). Variations in the idiom of the spelling include Cornewell, Cornewall, Cornwal, etc.. One, Marye, son of Clementt Cornwell, was christened on December 7th 1545, at St. Olave Old Jewry, London, and Jone Cornwell married Edward Hearne on July 9th 1565, at St. Margaret Lothbury, London.  The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Roger de Cornwelle, which was dated 1161, Eynsham, during the reign of King Henry 11, known as "The Builder of Churches", 1154 - 1189.