Interesting subject. I've always wondered why I'm the only one in my family with brown/green eyes and everyone else has blue eyes. Maybe I'm adopted and they haven't got around to telling me yet.

This is really interesting
One family has a knack of changing colors. Parents were both deep blue eyed, mother (german) father turned to greenish blue. His father brown eyes (sicilian), mother bright blue(irish). Two kids have regular blue, one blue to greenish and the last blue that changed to greenish and now very pale blue or green depending on light. one grandchild had bluish green eyes that went to brown as adult, parents bluegreen and hazel grey (no chance of a wrong parent). Same with hair, two blondes turned to light brown and the father was dirty blond as a child and later turned dark brown. Also his hair went from straight as a child to curly as adult. One of his children went from straight hair to curly after age five. The Mother was yellow blonde as a child and went to light brown, auburn then dirty blonde. The mother is all german with a chance of some french in the past, the father mainly irish and Sicilian with an outside chance of ethiopian from 1700's. From what I have read about genetics and such the genes only set a foundation, but many things within the body can influence how they express themselves (what kind of genes and how they interact or dominate, body chemistry, diet, disease, injury, medication and drug use) The more I find out about this the more fascinating it is to learn about people and watch the wonderful interplay of these things on their faces.

[edit on 10/15/2008 by deepvoid]

I have pure green eyes, though when I was younger, they always changed from green to hazel.

They still change with weather and mood, though not as severely.

Only a year ago, someone met me.

This year, when we were talking on the phone, the subject of colour came up, then colour of hair, then colour of eyes. He said he remembers my blue eyes.

I have green eyes don't I?

I do. They just change. And that is what is so special and rare about green eyes.

I think they're sexy too!

Originally posted by SciDoc
In the middle east, you find quite a few green-eyed people. My grandmother for example, is Iranian, has blonde hair and pale green eyes, all her 6 siblings are the same way too, as were both her parents.

She married a brown eyed/black haired man, and my father ended up with black hair and grass green eyes. My mother has brown hair and brown eyes, and my younger sister ended up with green/hazel eyes.

So, not to steer the topic...what is your take on amber eyes? Like a yellow-orange-gold color?

My eyes are that color, but I get lumped into the brown-eyed category...I believe amber eyes are as rare, if not rarer than green eyes, and probably violet eyes are the rarest (Albino's). I don't have a source for that, it is just something I heard. Anyone have any ideas about that?

Yay! I have a similar color, and my sisters are almost yellow. You are right- they are technically in the brown category but I dont see them that often. Yours are great!

Interesting about the yellow brown eyes. A friend has eyes of a similar colour; light brown somewhat like coffee with cream and a touch on the yellow side. He is a mix of mostly portuguese (mainland and cape verdian) with some englisha nd american indian. His skin is medium to dark, hair nearly black. Killer eyes! A rare and beautiful colour to cherish.

It's interesting when you think about it. Green eyes have three common locations, one is in the UK specifically Scotland, Ireland and Wales which is commonly coupled with red hair or brown hair (I believe these are the prevailing colours in the UK)

They also appear in Germanic countries especially Germany itself (here the green eyes are commonly coupled with blonde hair, which is again the prevailing hair colour)

And lastly it occurs quite often in the Pakistan area where it is again coupled with red hair.

All these locations are likely to have had a single common ancestor (as is the theory with blue eyes) a single mutation that occured along the lines. It was probably in the Germanic region if truth be told as the UK was later invaded by these people. it probably came from there.
Of course this is all theory.
I myself have black hair and green eyes which doesn't seem to occur to often. The only other person in the family to have them was my great grandfather who also had black hair and green eyes, his line could be traced back to dutch origins. So my theory is that green eyes occured in the germanic region which would have allowed them to spread in either direction.

Since everyone else is doing it I thought I would include my eye colour.

dark brown (almost black) hair and bright green (not hazel, definitely green) eyes.

They really do shift in color, im not saying that, people notice it. One day they are florescent green and the next they shade towards grey or hazel.

EDIT: I am germanic (14 letter last name, ends in schlager haha)

[edit on 8-12-2008 by retroviralsounds]

It's kind of funny, really; Once I came across the thread, I decided to finally join this site. Genetics has always been something of a passion for me.

Most of the green eyes featured in this thread have been more of the blue-green demographic, eh? Turquoise and whatnot. I figured I might as well post a couple of my own, considering I sit in the yellow-green area, and I thought you might find them interesting. They're a bit of a strange colour, I won't lie- not brown at all, not really a hazel, but not a really bright green. I'm not sure if they really qualify as 'true green'.




Both taken in natural lighting.

Whaaa?
It seems like it's the common opinion that green eyes go with red hair but I know a lot of redheads and none with green eyes... and I know a couple brunettes who have greenish eyes.

Genetics... how funny.

[edit on 7/1/09 by xhorrorgasmx]

I was adopted. No clue at all of my past. Three weeks ago I was watching a Lorenna McKennit concert (DVD, Celtic style music). She could have been my sister, same color skin tone, eyes and hair. I realized then that red hair and green eyes might be a link, so I headed for the web. That's how I got here. HELLO!

Of all of the research I've done, this one stuck out, it say's, fair skin, red hair and green eyes go's back to the Celtic British Isles. predominately Ireland. A further report said (something to the effect of...)a European DNA test was done on green eyed redheads and found that ALL of them had more than normal of the same red/green genes irregardless of current location, (of course, there are always exceptions) that directly date back the ancients. The genes can skip a generation or two.

[DNA info from some kind of "Official" Children's Research Org.](no, I didn't keep a link, I'm trying to find it again)

I'm kinda liking this... I hope there right, I may not know my family tree, but at least I have something to hang on to.

KISS ME, I'M IRISH!!!

neil