Sophomore identical twins Byron and Zach Synstegaard have more than shamrocks and leprechauns to celebrate this St. Patrick’s Day.

The twins said they are going to take advantage of the opportunity to be proud of their redheaded chromosome.

“Every other day of the year, we get made fun of,” Byron Synstegaard said. “So, it’s our one day a year we get to have a special day.”

At least five sets of red-headed twins, including the Synstegaards and juniors Laura and Michelle Vanney, attend St. Thomas, but they aren’t 100 percent Irish.

“People have asked if we’re Scottish or Irish, but we’re neither,” Laura Vanney said. “We’re Norwegian and French Canadian.”

“It’s kind of like a surprise to everyone who meets us,” Michelle Vanney said.

Kerri Carlson, assistant biology professor, said approximately two percent of the world’s population is redheaded, with the highest concentration of redheads in Europe.

“The higher population percentages…for red-headedness is in England, Scotland, and Ireland.” Carlson said. “I’ve seen a lot of variation in estimates, but 14 percent, 10 percent, depending on where you’re looking.”

Carlson said the rumor about redheads going extinct in the future is false.

“Nowadays, people travel a lot more so there’s red-headed people leaving a community, there’s more redheaded people moving in, so it’s not as easy to find someone that has similar genetics to produce a red-headed child,” Carlson said. “But it’s not necessarily going away. It’s just we’re moving around more.”

Byron Synstegaard is especially unconcerned about going extinct.

“Given all the redheads at St. Thomas … I think we’re on the rise, actually,” Byron Synstegaard said.

Baihly Warfield can be reached at warf3860@stthomas.edu.