British scientists have launched a DNA survey to find out once and for all whether the famous 19th century Russian poet Mikhail Lermontov had Scottish roots. They're looking for anyone with the surname Lermontov and Learmonth for the study. They'll examin

Rex Learmonth got interested in his roots only when he retired but now, seven years on, he seems to know everything about his family history.

“My family line goes back to 1750 and in researching the various aspects of my family we discovered this curious relationship that we have with the Lermontov family in Russia. And I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would be invited to go to Russia on the occasion of the 950th anniversary of the family name in Scotland,” Rex Learmonth says.

According to a widely believed version of events, the Lermontovs in Russia descend from Georg Learmonth, a Scottish soldier who settled far from his homeland in 1634. And Rex believes that it’s a historical fact that the two families have the same progenitor.

“It is a matter of record there is no question and no doubt. And Lermontov's genealogy illustrates the fact.  Another proof is the coat of arms – the Russian coat of has the original Norman motif incorporated into this,” Rex Learmonth stresses.

One of Russia's most famous poets, often called the “Byron of Russia” – Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov – belonged to the clan. Fifteen years ago a descendant of the great poet with the same name founded The Lermontov Society. He says Russia has thousands of Lermontovs these days.

“Of course there were many prominent men in our line, but in Russia our family owes its glory in the first place to the great poet and we all admire him. And when people from abroad ask us how many Russians know Lermontov we say almost 100 per cent. They find it hard to believe. And I am proud to be a direct descendant from Mikhail Lermontov and earlier from Georg Lermonth,” Mikhail Lermontov notes.

A Professor of genetics at Oxford University, Bryan Sykes, believes up to 250,000 Russians may have Scottish blood in them. He’s determined to trace the legacy of the Scots who made new lives in Russia during the 17th and 18th century.

“We have a group of people in Russia – the Lermontovs, and a group of people in Scotland and Britain – the Lermonths, and if they are indeed related to the common ancestor in the 17th century, when we test their Y-Chormosomes they should match those of others within Russia and within Scotland,” explained Professor Bryan Sykes.

The scientist believes once you prove the genetic link, the theory becomes much stronger as it’s not only based on written records.  It’s actually physically there. But for both Rex Learmonth and Mikhail Lermontov it’s just a curious experiment.

If you ask people on the streets of London whether they’ve heard of the great Russian poet Lermontov – the name is unlikely to ring a bell.  It may become more familiar to the general public once this Scottish link is scientifically proven.

But for those within the clan who have already been to Russia, the connection goes beyond DNA. They say no matter what the outcome of the experiment is, for them Russia’s vast cultural heritage already feels like part of their roots.