Do Italians Have Curly Hair?

Why do Italians have curly hair ？

Have you ever wondered why some Italians have curly hair? Well, this is a very interesting topic.

Hair curl is largely affected by the expression of a protein within hair follicles that we call trichome hyalin, as indicated by a recently conducted study. Nevertheless, one should take into account that the characteristic of hair texture depends on a set of genes and not on only one. 

Italians bear genes gathered from the Mediterranean coast all the way from North Africa, Greece, the Levant, Albania, and of course, ancient Rome. The mixture does not only contain these but also more Nordic genes, along with a mix of French and German too. 

Because Italy has a long history throughout the Mediterranean and much of Europe, the people of each region are very mixed, depending on who settled where and what genes were passed to whom.

Now, in modern times, people can easily move around the country; for example, a person from Sicily can move to Rome and marry a Venetian woman or man. The result is a child with a substantial genetic mixture.

What percentage of Italians have curly hair?

Italy, with its myriad of hair textures, presents a curious point of discussion: the proportion of its population with curls. Let's delve into the heart of this matter.

Delving into Sarah Medland's investigative work reveals that a fraction, amounting to 17% of the Italian populace, is graced with curly tresses. In contrast, the broader European portrait shows that a larger portion, at 45%, flaunts straight hair, while a comparable 40% have locks that fall in gentle waves, leaving a modest 15% with curls.

These numbers indicate that while curls do embellish the Italian demographic, they are a trait shared amongst various groups globally. The curly hair seen in some Italians is oftentimes considered a legacy from African ancestors, contributing to the diversity observed in hair textures amongst the population.

This, however, is merely a slice of a much larger genetic mosaic. When the perspective is widened to encompass Europeans at large, including those from Italy, one finds that the common hair types trend towards straight or wavy.

The occurrence of curls tends to be sparse, with a higher prevalence in the western parts and gradually tapering as you journey east.

Do any Italians have blond hair? 

Contrary to the common depiction of Italians having only dark hair, reality shows a panorama of Italian hair colors, including those with streaks of blonde. For hair connoisseurs, let’s take a look at the Italian blonde quotient.

As people moved north, the popularity of blondes increased, as evidenced by the increasing number of blondes as they approached the Italian Alpine border. When traveling around the Italian countryside, it's not uncommon to see a mix of different hair colors. Rather, it reflects the country's diversity.

On average, about 8.2% of Italians have blond hair. However, this proportion is not evenly distributed across the country. For example, the average in southern Italy ranges from 2.5% to 7.4%.

An exception to this region is the area around Benevento and Campania, where 10–15% of the population wears various shades of blonde hair. As you move up the map, you'll notice that the frequency of blond hair increases.

The further north you go, the more common blond hair is. So don’t be surprised if you visit Italy and notice a wide variety of hair colors!

Narratives of blond hair in Italian tapestries speak volumes about a storied, colorful past and reflect the idea that hair color rarely represents a person's national or cultural essence. This is a pleasant aspect of Italy's demography that enriches the vivid image of its citizens.

Why is blonde hair more common in Northern Italy?

Blonde hair is a common physical trait among Italians. As you can see in the blond hair map below, on average, around 10% of the Italian population has blond hair. The further north you go, the more often you encounter blond hair. The proportion in northern Italy is often as high as 30%, similar to that in Switzerland, which is not surprising given its close location. 

Blondes constitute approximately 8.2% of the Italian population, with an uneven distribution across the nation. The incidence of blonde hair is more sparse in the South, ranging from 2.5% to 7.4%, and increases as one travels north.

What type of hair do Italians have?

With a colorful and varied tapestry of culture, we also find a wide diversity in the hair types that can be found among Italians. Italy is considered to be a land of diverse people, so you are able to see an incredible variety of hair textures and colors.

The way Italians look is much more diverse than how they are depicted in movies with dark and thick hair. This is a reflection of their mixed heritage and genetic diversity in the region, as straight, wavy, or curly hair can be found.

The hair type of Italians has traditionally been considered dark and curly, but numbers are telling another story. According to experts like Sarah Medland, about 17% of Italians actually do have curly hair.

It should be noted that Europeans primarily have straight hair; around 45% of Europeans have it as their hair type, while another 40% possess a wavy texture. This means there is still a relatively smaller but remarkable number who can flaunt their natural curls.

Nor does the diversification cease with texture. In terms of color, many might imagine Italians to have coffee-colored locks, but the actual range of shades available in nature is far greater.

This multitude of hair types that can be seen among Italians owes its birth to an elaborate history of migrations, invasions, and trade in Italy.

Through the centuries, diverse waves of migration and interactions with various lineages and ancestries have blended together in the bloodline of its inhabitants to create a truly impressive assortment of hair types found in the nation nowadays.

Italian people’s hair is no different from their personalities—a story told through strands that represent a colorful genetic tapestry that is uniquely theirs.

Starting from their golden locks, which belong to those living in the Alpine region, then it progresses into darker wavy hair typical of Southern Italy as a result of their long historical journey full of amalgamation with Mediterranean people.

Finally Thougt

Research by scientists such as Sarah Medland shows that about 17% of Italians have curly hair. In a continent where straight hair dominates, almost half of Europeans prefer straight hair, while the second largest number prefer wavy hair, and people with spiral curls are clearly a significant minority.

Pigmentation offers more variety besides waves and curls. Contrary to the typical image of dark Italian curls, there is a wider range of colors. Since blondes make up about 8.2% of the population, you can see the prevalence gradient becoming thinner in the sunny south and more common in the cold north.

Throughout history, many ancestors have come together to enrich the country's genetic structure and give Italy a wide variety of hair silhouettes. Ultimately, Italian hair fashion reflects the country's kaleidoscope of history and ancestry—a mural of heredity and history reflected above the heads of its inhabitants.