Have you come across any individuals with blonde hair and brown eyes? They are extremely rare to find. However, this genetic combination does exist.
Today, I will share a few facts regarding people with blonde hair and brown eyes. Once you go through these facts, you will know why they are rare and what results in this genetic combination.
Without any more delay, let us now look at the seven facts about people having these characteristics.
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Table of Contents
7 Facts About Blonde Hair With Brown Eyes
1. European ancestry:
One pretty clear thing is that people with blonde hair and brown eyes have European ancestry. Even though their immediate parents might not be from Europe, they will find European ancestry if they track their family tree.
This is also highlighted from the fact that when you look at the European population, you will find that at least 4% to 5% of the individuals in Europe have blonde hair and brown eyes.
You might be thinking, that is not too high!
The truth is that, when you look at the percentage of people with blonde hair and brown eyes in other parts of the world, you will realize that Europe has a much higher percentage of such individuals.
It is one of the main reasons researchers concluded that people with blonde hair and brown eyes are of European ancestry.
This was also corroborated from the research.
European ancestry is one of the primary facts about these individuals.
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2. Contradictory combination:
If you just go by theory, individuals cannot have blonde hair and brown eyes.
To understand this better, you have to look at what causes these both.
Brown eyes indicate that the amount of melanin of the coloring compound in your body is on the higher side. Only when that is the case, you can get brown eyes.
On the other hand, blonde hair occurs when melanin is on the lower side. That is why your hair is lighter than the usual brown or black color.
How can a person have high melanin as well as low melanin?
This is where the contradiction exists.
The melanin, which controls the color of the eyes, is present in the higher composition. At the same time, melanin, responsible for the hair color, is present in the lower amounts.
While this might be a contradictory composition on paper but it does exist.
3. Hair color might change with age:
Like other people with blonde hair, people with blonde hair and brown eyes can also experience color change.
Gradually, their hair might become brown.
Generally speaking, such individuals have the combination of blonde hair and brown eyes until 10. Around the age of 10 is when the hair color starts changing from blonde to brown.
By the age of 15, most of these individuals have brown hair. When that happens, they lose their characteristic eye and hair color combination.
4. Blonde Hair Brown Eyes Percentage:
The percentage of such individuals is higher when you look at just the population of Eastern Europe. However, when you consider the world population, you will realize that the percentage of such individuals is on the lower side. Your probability of having blonde hair and brown eyes is just 0.1%.
The percentage increases significantly if you have European ancestry or if you live in Eastern Europe.
In both these cases, the percentage can climb to as high as 5%.
In a way, this combination is one of the unique ones which you can find. That is why you do not come across many people having this eye and hair color combination.
However, the research conducted by ScienceDirect in Germany shows
The occurrence of this trait based on On the Basis of Hair Color Probability Conditional on Eye Color is 47.9%
Hair Color | |||||
Eye Color | Blonde | Brown | Red | Total | |
Blue | 80.4 | 19.2 | 0.24 | 99.84 | |
Intermediate | 70.7 | 29 | 0.22 | 99.92 | |
Brown | 47.9 | 51.8 | 0.21 | 99.91 |
5. Brown eyes alone are common:
You might think that the individual characteristics of such a person might be uncommon as well.
That’s not true!
When you take brown eyes, this is the most common eye color.
You have a chance of 20% of having brown eyes alone.
It is only when you create the combination of blonde hair and brown eyes, you realize that the percentage can fall to as low as 0.1%.
That is because when you have brown eyes, you generally have more melanin. When that is the case, you have dark hair and darker skin color as well.
A large portion of the world’s population, especially those who reside in areas that receive significant sunshine, have a higher melanin quantity. That is why the chances of having brown eyes alone are up to 20%.
6. Immune to certain diseases:
Did you know that individuals having brown eyes and blonde hair are immune to a few diseases?
People having this hair and eye color combination are less likely to suffer from macular degeneration with age. Macular degeneration can cause you to lose eyesight gradually once you are over the age of 60.
If you have brown eyes and blonde hair, you are likely not to suffer from this disease at all. Your eyesight will remain healthy with age.
The truth is that you might not be immune to the disease entirely, but the probability of you suffering from this disease is on the lower side.
Just by having this combination of eye and hair color, you are at an advantage over others.
7. Blonde Hair With Brown Eyes Race
Eastern Europe traditionally has had ties with India and with Western Europe. Western Europe ruled a significant portion of the world for more than a century.
These facts lead to the spread of people having this genetic combination all over the world. It also meant that people in other parts of the world had European ancestors as well. European ancestry is one of the leading causes of this genetic combination.
Over the centuries, both these factors led to people with brown eyes and blonde hair worldwide. However, the percentage of such individuals is still less outside of Europe.
The reason for the same is such people did not always marry among themselves. Many of them tied the knot with natives. That further decreases the possibility of having this eye and hair color combination. Nevertheless, the spread led to a 0.1% chance that you might have brown eyes and blonde-haired irrespective of the part of the world you are in.
So, do not be surprised the next time you come across a person with brown eyes and blonde hair. While the combination might be real but it is not unheard of.