I came across forum today, and it is very good! interesting subject. i am quite dark, with green eyes, and a small build with strong shoulders. my friends call me MUZYN, but i do not like the name. do you think I am Tartar??? My family all looks very white, blonde!
Could anyone answer and know? Thank you girls and guys!
From my observations polish girls look far more similar to each other than girls from other slavic ethnicities.It is easy to tell them apart.I also believe that mix with other ethnicities in Poland was very restricted(I do not know why) in comparison to what happened in other slavic countries.That is why I am sure gene diversity in polish population is limited and most Poles share the same genes.
Maybe the evolution promoted the survival of the fittest and most beautiful girls who know comprise the bulk of polish girls.
it is people of Polish descent NOT Polish descended people
Time to correct you......I am of russian blood...an eastern slav, that now lives in america. The picture you post looks like many people I see in western Europe as well as America..I take it you don't travel as often as i do, or you would notice the obesity in europe...and South Africa...and Middle East.
Also, i am sensitive to the fact many of my friends around the world suffer from Hypothyroid disorder. In other words, they gained 10-30 kilos in a month because their metabolism and body temperature was that of a dead person. Do you know that even after 2-3 years, some of them are still having their doctors adjust medications to try and get their bodies to work correctly. And it depresses them extremely. I am an emotional person, so I feel offended by that picture because I know how that would make my friends with hypothyroid disorder feel. imagine...eating nothing every day and not being able to lose any weight.
As far as Russia, if you think there are no obese people there...maybe you should come there and visit one time.
How funny...I found this page researching Tartar facial features.
I am American. My grandfather on my mother's side came over from Lithuania in the 1880s. My great-grandfather on my father's side came over from a tiny town right on the Poland-Russia border in the 1890s. Here in NY we have large Lithuania, Russian and Polish communities, but only the Russians seem to see something familiar in my face. I've been on the subway several times only to have a Russian ex-pat come up to me and start asking me questions in Russian. That's never happened with folks from Lithuania or Poland.
And when I travelled in Russia a few years ago, not only did I feel like I "fit in" completely, but people would just start talking to me, not realizing I wasn't local. It was fun and kind of sweet, knowing that whatever my life is like here in NY (I'm a journalist and photographer), my DNA still comes from somewhere else far, far away, and I could have a connection to that place whenever I want it.
I'm wondering if I have Tatar ancestry down the road. I put two of my pictures on a website which shows which celebrities you resemble. On both pics I got almost all Asian celebrities.
Easternslav is correct - hypothyroidism is rampant in many families, and in my mother's side. Part of the issue is that they treat Hypothyroidism on a BELLCURVE, since the '70s. Before that, they'd give you the dessicated thyroid until you felt better. Today's dosage is at least half of what it was, out of fear of causing heart attacks; it never caused them! This single lack of proper treatment I believe has contributed to morbid obesity, Fibromyalgia, CFS, and created a way for the drug companies to make BILLIONS of bucks per year.
How much does it cost if you treat it yourself, with dessicated thyroid each month? $20!
I have the light olive skin, btw, unless I choose to obtain a suntan. After seeing girls in their 20s turn into wrinkled old ladies within a few years, I chose to stop tanning, and pleased with that simple life change, along with using sunblock.
I also have dark brown hair, 5'6" tall, with slim build, but busty. Many of my friends from Hungary and Poland seem to be naturally top heavy, so mostly separates when purchasing clothes. Brooches are a girl's best friend, too!
Actually, there is a bit of bogus information floating around here.
Generally speaking, Slavic peoples tend to be fairer complexioned than Germanic peoples. Records dating from the 6th century onwards, written by Arab merchants traveling throughout Europe, that make particular note of the prevalence of blondism, fair skin and blue (and green) eyes among the Slavs. This was probably one reason why Slavs were captured and used as servants in places such as Moorish Spain. This isn't, of course, Slavs don't have a natural tan skin tone (where natural tan is a step above fair). However, Germanic peoples have a higher prevalence of dark features (hair, eyes, skin, sometimes described as swarthy). In fact, this was one reason why Benjamin Franklin wanted to restrict German immigration to the US. Almost all of Europe, though, save for the southernmost and northernmost parts where skin tone is darker, fall within 1-10 on the von Luschan scale.
DaveInCal, basing your conclusion on the fact that the last five Miss Polonias were brunettes is erroneous. Many things factor into who is selected: the current fashion (brown-eyed brunettes are in fashion now; take the Brazilians as an example), what is considered more exotic in a given country (I'm not Polish, but when I visit my wife's family, they are always fascinated with my very dark eyes, precisely because they are unusual. Oddly enough, my wife's big blue eyes are what caught my attention first, even though in Poland she received no particular compliments for them, since over there, they are a dime a dozen).
Liza, Swedes don't age very well. I offer my mother's side as an example.
queenlush, I am not sure why your friends were surprised. Those characteristics are quite common in Poland, where women tend to have high cheekbones (and men tend to have chiseled faces). Didn't you know the Brits travel to Krakow for the slender long legs and torsos? That and because you don't have to take out a mortgage to pig out on beer and vodka like you do in London.
Colour is not important.For example the Finns are far lighter than the Hungarians although they have common ancestry.This is because the Finns migrated to the North where the sun shines less.
What is important is the facial characteristics like nose shape and analogy to face,cheeks,frontal bones of splachnic cranium etc and the body characteristics like waist to hip ratio,length of legs etc.
All these folllow a common pattern in slavic folks while the colour differs,that is Serbs are for sure darker than Poles because the sun shines more in Serbia than in Poland,however all other features carry a great resemblance and you will see it in praxis when you try to differentiate the serbian from the polish girls.You will be surprised in many occasions except when you meet the typical polish face which is prevalent only in Poland and some areas of western Ukraine.
Clearly you are mentally retarded. Poland has fast food, but they wont become fat whales like U.S. women. That would only happen if they adopt full blown feminism or full blown islam which both promote fat acceptance and ugly women.
From my experience and my family...that I know my mom, my grandmothers, female cousins, friends most of them got puffy cheeks, their cheek bone, round or heart shape face, usually dimples (I know I have 'em), dark to light hair, almond eye shape, peachy to milky skin colour, roundish-squishy? type of nose...(most people think I look Polish because of my face shape, puffy cheeks, dimples, my almond eye shape, cheek bone...etc)
I can spot a Polish person easily on a street (I guess I just have a strong gut feeling, she must be Polish or he must be Polish, there just something about their face)
Men? my brother had white blonde hair when he was little now dark blonde hair. Men in my family are average height to tall (I have about 80% of my male cousins that are over 6' foot tall), they don't age, my dad is about 50; he look most at 40...men look younger (well in my family I guess).
I live in Poland temporarily now and with regards to the "dorky polish look" I would more or less blame the mismatched colors clothing and uneven bangs and baaad haircuts, and everyone dying their hair black and trying to make up for their goth-pale features by overtanning. The fashion is the ugliest its been in years. lol. Toomuch brown tones and puke greens. Talk about one with nature. With regards to figure, you'll find more women with an 8 year olds figure than you find in North America. A Child from the back(body), a museum in front (face). And way too much red or bright orange hair on older women. And when they gain weight, its all their upper figure that gains the weight and their waist and legs stay slim, unlike the pear shaped figure of north america with slim small shoulders and a huge waist and butt. And yes, hypothyroidism sucks and is ALSO very prominent in Poland, but it usually affects the older women, while in North America, even teenagers can find themselves in that trap. Generally i think that they have beautiful distinct features, but put in extra work to come out looking...well quite bland and indistinct and of course to blend in with nature.
And of course im GTFO here next month. I stick out too much for getting even haircuts and wearing colors like blue red and purple
I think there's a huge amount of misinformation going around, both about Americans as well as Europeans. That photo posted above is an example. It shows one woman who does not know how to buy clothes that fit, and displaying her underwear-and another who is obese, sitting at a picnic table. Nothing in the photo, other than someone's caption, tells one where these women are from. I have seen examples of both and not just in the US. Witek, have you ever been to the U.S.? I somehow doubt it. Or perhaps you went to the wrong part of the country. There are certain ethnicities which prize large women and it is no surprise that the women in those areas aim to please. Just my observation. Other than the signs, and larger less walking-friendly cities, you would likely not find the 2/3 overweight number you quoted. Someone once said 83.53% of all statistics are made up. Chances are in most major US cities, other than more ethnicities, you would be poorly disappointed looking for that imaginary overweight majority. There are some out there, but not like you seem to believe. Visit San Diego some day. Some of the hottest women anywhere in the world. Yes, I'm sure some of them are descended from Poland, as well as elsewhere-America *IS* a melting pot, after all....LA. Even near me, visit Virginia Beach.
While I am in the armed forces and there are height/weight/bodyfat% standards, seeing fit people elsewhere is not at all an exception. Honestly, I think Isthatu hit close to the mark. America's medical schools are too tied into the pharmaceutical companies, and they want DESPERATELY to sell you a prohibitively expensive drug which will treat (not cure) you from whatever condition they want you to think you have. The television is clogged with commercials claiming such "facts" as the 2/3 number you mention-when in fact they haven't really researched this. They just want you to buy their diet pills. So they keep dropping hints that you are "fat" or a "little overweight". Next thing you know, women (and men) watching these start thinking, well, I don't have ripped abs and 24" biceps, I must be a fat slob. So when they fill out surveys/online profiles, etc etc they say "a few extra pounds" or "a little overweight" because, even at 19, they *believe* that 5'5" and 100lb is "overweight".
As to some of the ones who really are, some do have hypothyroidism, but I agree with others especially wrt children, there is a lot of this culture of drugging the life out of them. Because, in most states in the U.S. they have made it a cultural faux pas to allow children to play outside. OMG someone might STEAL you. They make huge news stories about kidnapped children, and so Mom locks her kids inside with a video game, and wonders why they are getting fatter. They are antsy at school, because schools "punish" for poor academic performance by cancelling PE, and it's a vicious cycle.
Let them outside, and spend the time with them. Others who have true genetic and medical issues, should be easier to help once the system isn't burdened with kids who actually have nothing wrong with them...
Catherine, you are quite right about the fairness of Poles (and the darkness of the Germans/Scandinavians, who are noted for their dark, swarthy features, nevermind the sagging faces, wide hips, thick stumpy legs and horse face teeth). Slavs in general have the lowest pigmentation levels in Europe (that is, the highest incidence of blond hair, blue eyes ["pure" and "grey"] and fair skin). The build description is also quite accurate (long slender legs, high cheek bones/chiseled faces, narrow hips, and frequently a small dash of orangey-yellow freckles on the nose). Citing one or two exceptions doesn't change the general case. Don't pay any attention to Iskra, she's pulling things out of her butt like she does most of the time on these forums. She's got pigment envy and wants to be Italian (or, happens to be the rare case where she looks the part, but feels out of place and so tries to convince herself and others of a bullsheet generalization). I don't know why, I quite like love the Polish look. And apparently so does the modeling community because runways are packed with them! Of course, some like the darker look, which is why Brazilians are in vogue now.
Also, FYI, Poles are West Slavs like the Czechs and Slovaks.
Also, FYI, Poles are West Slavs like the Czechs and Slovaks.
Wait, I guess that was an irrelevant piece of information! :)
harrisonmcmanus, u couldnt be more wrong. u have the weirdest image or slavs, and all types of ppl. i know a small population of slavs who look that way ur a fuckin crack head and i would luv to see u and knock u in the head suko
Allow me to be frank: you're an idiot Wlad. You're nothing but a mouthpiece for the false stereotypes you've mindlessly accepted over the years, and then confirmed, in your mind, by ignoring conflicting data (you probably don't even realize you're doing it). A number of people mouthing off in this thread are blending their own wishful thinking with a warped perception of population phenotype distribution, like some folk pseudoscience. Not only do some of them take the exact opposite of the general case, but they add insult to injury by magically generalizing it. When I describe the characteristics above, I'm of course doing so in a relative sense as well. Just because YOU know a small population that fits the description doesn't mean you've got a good sample. Even if it were accurate (which it isn't), it would require the renormalization of the frequency of such features in other populations. In the end, the frequency among Poles or other (North) Slavs and even Balts would still remain just as proportionally high (you forget traits related to low pigmentation are often recessive -- you didn't seriously expect the description to apply to 100% of the population, did you?). It is an obvious observation to any untainted and unhandicapped mind, and quite well documented, that, for example, features related to low pigmentation are most frequent in the East/Southeast Baltic region and drainage basin (the others are probably not as frequent among the Balts, however). If you thought that my characterization implies that you'll see 100 million identical people walking around, then you're clearly an intellectual cretin, and should probably move to a spot in a forest somewhere that's well isolated from civilization. At the very least, you'd spare us from your apparent inability to form sentences that aren't offensive. At most, it would keep you from spawning.
Kasia84: In the general case, Poles have either chiseled (men) or high cheek bone (women) facial structure.
Articles written by people who have observation skills that aren't stifled by optic tumors: travel.nytimes.com/2007/05/27/travel/27next-1.html?8dpc gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977041266
Wład I believe was not saying you had to have 100% like you described Poles, but he did say that only a few fit the profile Harrisonmcmanus depicts as typical Pole.
What I wonder is, where does he get the idea that German/Scandanavians are so dark?
Somewhere on this board is a map of Europe showing the percentages of blonde/blue eye types and it is highest in Scandanavian countries and radiates out, possibly due to Vikings till you get to Spain and Italy with very few. There are dark Germans, of course. I've heard that some of the very dark descend from the Roman army times.
I do believe most Poles are fair, but more like dark blonde, medium brown and then there are those who are very blonde and very dark haired. All Poles.
All people of Polish descent are going to have varying looks based on which genes are dominant and which genes are recessive.
For example, I am 22 years old and my entire family is of Polish descent. My great grandparents immigrated from Poland and I do know that my great grandfather on my mother's father's side was 5'8" with blonde hair and blue eyes, his brother was 4'9" also with blonde hair and blue eyes. My mother's father is roughly 5'4" with very, very dark skin and black hair, and has a very slender build (I'm not sure about his eye color). His brother, my great uncle Steve, was probably 5'11" with very fair skin, blonde hair, and of thicker build. My mother's mother is 5'8" with fair skin and blonde fair, and slender build (I'm not too familiar with her side of the family). My mother and her four siblings are all varying in height, from 5'0" to 5'11" (my mom being 5'3") and all have brown hair. My father is 6'1" with brown hair and brown eyes, and a slender build, his mother is 5'1" and of stocky build, his father is 5'10" with a thicker build, both have brown hair. My mother is 5'3" with brown hair and brown eyes, and a slender build. My sister is 5'10" with brown hair, brown eyes, and a slender build. My brother is 6'2" with brown hair, brown eyes, and a slender but muscular build. I am 5'4" with brown hair, green eyes, slender build, high cheek bones, and narrow hips.
So as you can see, just because we are all of Polish descent, and a part of the same family, does not mean that we will all have the same "polish look." Genes are the deciding factor and mutations in the genes can cause certain family members to look very, very different from other family members.
Home / Genealogy / The typical Polish look, or all Eastern Europeans
