Are you intrigued by people having white skin and black hair?
While it is an uncommon combination in Europe but there are quite a few things interesting about it. I often wonder whether there is any connection between the two. This is a pretty common query to have. I will today share with you some of the white skin black hair facts so that you can know more about people having these colour combinations.
Table of Contents
White Skin Black Hair Facts
1. Its Ethnicity:
People with white skin and black hair can be found anywhere in the world. When you look at their origin specifically, those are from Asia and Africa. You can also find some in Northwestern Europe. The European countries like:
• Ireland
• Croatia
• Italy – 31% Italians are black-haired
• Southern France
•Northern Spain
• Serbia
have the highest population with these traits.
Thus, if you’re searching about the origin of people with white skin and black hair, you know where they come from.
2. The spread of people with this genetic combination:
Today, people with black hair and pale skin are not just limited to Asia and some European countries. You can spot them all over the globe.
Asian and African people have more of this genetic combination due to the result of melatonin. The temperature is extremely high in this region. To absorb harmful UV rays, the body produces more melatonin. As a result, hair will be black.
In contrast, the countries like northern china and japan have a cooler temperature. Therefore, people over there have paler skin and less black hair.
Talking about Europe, when the Roman Empire fell in the 5th century A.D., the German tribes conquered it. The intermingling of the German genes with those of the people from the Roman countries spread those genes far and wide. That is how this genetic attribute spread all over the world.
Over the generations, this genetic attribute spread further, which is why, these days, people with this hair and skin colour are all over the world rather than just being native to Asia and Europe.
3. White Skin with Black Hair percentage
Are you wondering about the probability of having white skin black hair?
The percentage of black hair around the world is 90%. It is the most common hair colour. The percentage of white skin is also higher, 80% in the West are white skin. While only 3% in Northern Europe have black hair and white skin. It is possible to have this trait only if you inherit it.
White skin with Black Hair and Blue eyes are fairly common in Ireland, Scotland, Chile, Argentina and Uruguay.
4. High Melanin content
Hair colour is determined by what and how much amount of melanin pigment is present in hair.
Generally, there are two forms of melanin. i.e. Eumelanin and pheomelanin.
Hair Color | Type and amount of Melanin Secretion |
Black | A large amount of eumelanin |
Brown | Moderate eumelanin |
Blonde | Few Eumelanin |
Red | Pheomelanin |
People who produce more eumelanin have dark hair, while people who produce moderate eumelanin have brown hair. In contrast, people who produce pheomelanin have blonde or light hair.
People having black hair produce a high amount of melanin
5. Hair Color Can Change To Brown
You would be surprised to know that their hair colour can change to brown.
People who live in Europe due to climatic condition can produce less melanin. When the production of this pigment slows down, your hair turns brown.
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6. Lower Hair Density
Black hair has a thicker hair strand but a lower hair density. It is due to melanin present in your hair. Due to high melanin, it has thicker strand and a low volume of hair.
7. Black Hair With White Skin 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 black hair and white skin worldwide. However, the percentage of such individuals is still less outside of Asia and 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 skin and hair colour combination. Nevertheless, the spread led to a 3% chance that you might have white skin and black-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 white skin and black hair. While the combination might be real but it is not unheard of.
Some Awesome Photos