This is an
article from JPOST.com (Dec 7, 2008)...
New evidence has been found of the mass conversions of Jews and Muslims to Catholicism during the Spanish Inquisition, according to a new report published last week.
The report, which was put together by a team of geneticists and cited by
The New York Times, used the genetic signatures of people in Spain and Portugal to prove that some 20 percent of the Iberian Peninsula's current population has Sephardic Jewish ancestry.
The results of the study also found that a high percentage of Jews during the 15th and 16th centuries converted to Islam, under the Arab Umayyad dynasty.
The research was based on an analysis of Y-chromosomes, which experts say remains the same as passed down from father to son.
Researchers examined the genetic codes of 1,140 males from the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands, focusing on the distinct differences between the Y-chromosomes of north African Muslims and Sephardic Jews.
The results could not determine whether people had been forced to convert or had converted voluntarily.
Interesting this article you showed me. I long knew about this by the way. Apparently, many Jews or Muslims during this era changed their names and either worshiped in secret or became Roman Catholics. So to this day you can see (few people know this, it's something I myself was surprised when I found it out) folks who's ancestors were either Jewish or Muslim by their last names. Here's how: when changing their names, people would would select a fake name for social purposes. For example "Figuera" (fig tree), Madeiros ("Wood"), "Pereira" (Pear tree), and so forth. Names based on profession or just things. The names tended to stay though. My Grandfather was from Spain, his last name was "Pinheiro" (Pine tree). Tragic actually, I was surprised when I found this out to be honest, so many people in Brazil have these last names and don't know their origins. I even read a long time ago that something like 40% of Brazil can be traced to Jewish origins just based on these names and that many Jews were involved in the maritime professions which the colonies depended on (traders, explorers,etc.) . Pretty amazing no?