Seven men from South Pembrokeshire will find out the results of their ancestral DNA tests as part of an innovative S4C programme.

In the programme DNA Cymru - part of the project Cymru DNA Wales - on S4C on Sunday, December 6, 8 pm (English subtitles), seven residents of Llangwm will find out whether or not they are descendants of Flemish people who settled in the village in the 12th century.

The group asked DNA Cymru for help as part of a local history project - the Llangwm Project. The seven men believe they could be descendants of the Flemish settlers, who were very influential in the area, as a result of their connections with the Norman invaders who established the village and with William the Conqueror himself.

Are any of the seven descended from the De La Roche family who lie in the village’s Norman church? They’ll have to wait for the Chief Scientist of the CymruDNAWales project, Dr. Jim Wilson, to reveal their results at a special event in Pembroke Castle.

Another unexpected connection to Norman times comes to light during the filming of the series - and this one’s close to home for one of the presenters, Dr. Anwen Jones. Anwen is married to Welsh rugby player, Alun Wyn Jones. Alun Wyn, who comes originally from Mumbles, near Swansea has always considered his roots to be Welsh.

But as he gets his result, he comes to understand that he belongs to a genetic cluster - a group of men who share the same DNA markers. In his case, there’s a Norman flavour to the cluster.

It’s highly likely that Alun Wyn’s forefathers came to Wales as part of the Norman invasion of 1066. When he was told of the possible link with the Norman invasion, Alun Wyn said: “That explains a lot,” adding that his father was from Gower - one of the areas to come under Norman rule after the conquest.

“I wish I knew more than I do about my family history,” said Alun Wyn. “I always thought about doing my family tree but never had the energy to fulfil it. With these results today, it’s a step further towards reaching that goal.”

The programme also follows the renowned actor John Pierce Jones, from Anglesey, as he discovers whether or not he is a descendant of the Vikings, who invaded parts of Wales in the ninth century.

The exciting project CymruDNAWales is a partnership between S4C, CymruDNAWales, Trinity Mirror - publishers of the Western Mail and the Daily Post - and production company Green Bay Media.

The project’s aim is to conduct the biggest survey ever of ancestral DNA present in today’s Welsh population. This is done through samples of saliva. The series uses ancestral DNA to try to answer historical questions such as Who are the Welsh? and Where did we come from?

In the series, DNA Cymru, presenters Beti George, Dr. Anwen Jones and Jason Mohammad explain how the science of DNA can reveal genetic blueprints that stretch back beyond recorded history. Viewers are invited to follow the journey of the human race from their roots in Africa to the earliest residents of the country we now know as Wales through to the present age.

Series editor, John Geraint, of Green Bay Media, said: “This is an epic story of a people’s journey through history. We have revelations about the genetic heritage of some real Welsh icons as we trace the amazing story of who the Welsh are and where we have come from.”

For more information on the project CymruDNAWales, go to the series website, s4c.cymru/cymrudnawales