Which ethnic tribe are most western Europeans descended from?

Answer 1

There is not an ethic tribe most western Europeans descend from. The ethnic composition of Europe has always been complex. The most widespread ethic group was the Celts who lived in central Europe, Britain, France, part of Spain, and in northern Italy. However, large scale migrations and invasions led to an ethic mixing of the peoples of these areas and the Celts were often taken over and absorbed by other peoples.

The peoples of northwestern Europe descend from a couple of dozens of Germanic peoples. Germanic is a term which refers to the speakers of Germanic languages. These languages have evolved into modern German, English, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish. In central Europe and Britain, the Germanic peoples took over and absorbed the original Celtic peoples, except for Scotland, Wales and Brittany.

The peoples of France and part of Spain descend from Celts. However, they became Latinised under Roman rule through Roman Immigration. Other Spaniards and the Portuguese descend from a mixture of Iberian peoples who also became Latinised under the Romans by the same process. In northern Italy people descend from Latinised Gauls. In other parts of Italy, they descend from a mix of Latinised Italic peoples, such as the Ligurians, the Umbo-Oscans, Etruscans and many others. Some people in these areas of Europe descend from Germanic invaders who become the ruling class of these areas for a number of centuries.

Over the centuries, there were further migrations and ethic mixing. In short, the peoples of Europe descend from an ethic mix of various peoples, or, if you want to look back very, very far you could say that western Europeans, and eastern Europeans and the natives of northern India, and others are all descended from the group we now call the Indo-Europeans.