Americans, do you know what your ancestry is?

[Anonymous]

Just to clarify, I’m not American. But I understand that many Americans—especially white Americans—have families that have been in the U. S. for several generations, though their ancestors originally came from other countries.

I have several questions.
What is your ancestry?
Do you feel connected to your roots or do you identify more strongly as an American?
Do you still speak the language your ancestors spoke?
Do people ask you where you’re from?
What do you say?

Hope this doesn’t cause any offence. I am genuinely curious and I’m really fascinated by the melting pot that is the USA.

Yes

No

[OneViewpoint]

• Father's Side: German. First relative immigrated 1749. Family followed the westward migration from Pennsylvania, to Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, and Texas.
• Mother's Side: Scottish. Both grandparents immigrated here circa 1920. Settled in Boston Massachusetts and had 9 kids. Everyone but me pretty much stayed there.

I don't speak German or Gaelic. My grandparents spoke Gaelic around the house and had thick Scottish accents. I'm sure there's more melting pot mixed in there, especially on the German side. But I'm not sure what. I've heard French on the German side and native American on the Scottish side. But I have zero evidence for that.

[BarryLiverstone]

I have several questions.
What is your ancestry?


I am mixed. My dad is from Oklahoma and mom from the Bahamas.




Do you feel connected to your roots or do you identify more strongly as an American?


I am an American. I do treasure parts of my heritage such as the food and culture.




Do you still speak the language your ancestors spoke?


I speak English.


Do people ask you where you’re from?
They ask
What do you say?
I say I’m from Florida

[Asker]

That’s a very interesting background. Thank you for your response.
I’m guessing your dad’s family have been in the states longer than your mum’s side.

[BarryLiverstone]

You are welcome. Yes his side came from Ohio

[BarryLiverstone]

On my dad’s side we have Irish and Scottish. My moms dad was born in the UK

[Asker]

Do you have any idea of when they came to the United States?

[BarryLiverstone]

My dad’s side was over 100 years ago. My grandpa came over from the UK as a Bahamian missionary in the 70s or 60s

[Asker]

Wow. Did he pass any languages down to the family?

[BarryLiverstone]

English. Also passed an English supper with Yorkshire pudding and roast beef..

[Asker]

Yorkshire pudding and roast beef- a classic!

[BarryLiverstone]

Agreed. In fact Thursday night we had 2 puddings with roast chicken.

[Asker]

In the uk where I live it’s traditional to have roast beef and Yorkshire puddings on Sundays. We call it a Sunday roast.

Make sure you have one this Sunday 😉

[Screenwriter]

African, French, Spanish, Puerto Rican native Indian, splash of German, Irish, Scots, English. Ridiculous, ain't it!

[Asker]

Very diverse! You must be stunning.

[Screenwriter]

Nah. Just average. Not scary ugly. Not beautiful. You never know how a mutt will turn out!!!

[AviatorTom]

Yes I do. I'm the family genealogist, have researched this and keep a database of all relatives and ancestors. My maternal ancestors all came from Germany, in the mid 1800s while my paternal ancestry is a mix of English, Irish and Dutch in the 1700s.

[Seangreen]

I actually just looked into this recently and everything I was told was by my family was inaccurate because nobody really knew and what I found was actually surprising

[Asker]

What did you find? 😮

[Seangreen]

you wouldn't belive me if i told you

[McLlovin]

My ancestral background is Liberian. English is the official language although they do have dialects that i dont speak.

[Asker]

I have read up on the history of Liberia. Very interesting. You ought to be proud. 😀

[McLlovin]

Thanks 😊

[MrEagle]

It varies, I have recently discovered about my great-grandfather’s birth place and parents names and due to knowing already of what makes me ME is 90% and the other 10 is amazing results and wonder “How did that get there…?”

[Asker]

Did you take the 23andme test? Or is knowledge passed down from family?

[MrEagle]

AncestryDNA and some family history that is slightly fuzzy from my grandma. My brother found report of our great great GREAT grandpa’s uncle was assaulted by a gang of Natives near a river of their home. Mind if break down it of who is who and etc?

[Asker]

Of course! I’d love to hear to hear about it

[BCRanger10]

Yes, mostly Italy and Poland with a few others mixed in.

[FunkyMonkee]

Yes, my cousin has been researching it for the past 40 years.

[beefcakebradybatson]

African Canadian/African American.

[Asker]

But do you know exactly where in Africa your ancestors came from?

[beefcakebradybatson]

I've been asked by Somalians if I were born there, and I tell them I've never heard of anyone called Brady, Cowboy, Golden Boy or Little Bear hailing from Somalia. Maybe I have Somalian features.

[Asker]

I mean Diddy isn’t Somali but he definitely looks it! It could be a common thing amongst African Americans.

You should definitely take a dna test!

[beefcakebradybatson]

Perhaps I will. (Diddy IS a perv !!!)

[Awesomesauce2005]

My mom is welsh and my dad is from arizona

[DrPepper12]

Back to gen 3 & 4