What's your heritage Joeusers?

I'm 100% American. My grandparents were all born in America but most of their parents came from Europe. My dad had a Dutch great grandfather who came over and married a Souix Indian. The others came mostly from Wales and Ireland.

My maternal grandmother made a lot of Irish foods and used Irish terms but I can't say my family has kept any heritage alive past English gap smiles, blonde hair and blue eyes.

I'm American by Naturalization, meaning I wasn't born here, however I'm a citizen. I was born in Jamaica, West Indies. I've never researched my heritage but we're a mixture of mostly English and Jamaican roots with a bit of Asian and Maroons thrown in! My kids were born here, they are mixture of Latin and Scottish from their dad's side!

I'm eighteen hundred percent American. My family came over from Wales in the mid 1800s . . . and we're just good old-fashioned whitebread Americanos.

All american. My ancestors came from mostly France and Germany, but you name it, one was probably from there.

Mostly Irish and etcetera here. My wife's heritage is Greek so that makes our kids....heh, that make's 'em, as SC says, good old-fashioned whitebread Americanos!

I'm American, however my heritage is primarily Italian with some other stuff thrown in.

~Zoo

I am 2nd generation AMERICAN, PROUD AMERICAN, American through and through..

Mom and dad were born in Turkey, go back to 1492 and we were from Spain, we were asked to leave with nothing but what we could carry by the most loving Christians during the inquisition, They much like the Nazis did not like Jews and blamed many of there social woes on the Jews. Yes I am comparing what the Catholics did to the Jews to what the Nazis did, without the killing, of 6 million.

My dad was Mexican-American. My mom is of German descent. My dad spoke Spanish but none of us kids do. As far as keeping traditions alive, we had pinatas at holidays and I got a big check from my Abuelo for my quincinera though I didn't get the party and fancy dress. As for the Germaness, we all drink beer and not just in October. lol

Oh and there's a big Czech population south of us in West, Texas. They have a big czech festival called West Fest and all I know is that the kolaches are yummy.

I have Mexican and Spanish roots.

My grandmother's and grandfather's families both came here during the Mexican Revolution (around 1916). My grandfather was born in Mexico and my grandmother was born in Denver (several years after her family settled here). There is a story that has been passed on in our family about one of my grandmother's uncles being wanted by Pancho Villa and his men. It's pretty interesting to us.

I am very proud of my heritage, and yes, I still cling to many Mexican traditions. But I guess that is pretty easy to do when you live on the border.

American.

Genetically, 25% Hungarian, 25% Slovak, 12.5% Irish, 37.5% something (English/Irish/whatever).

I'm German-Polish on my father's side (my grandparents were the first to marry outside of their ethnic group) and basic Scotch-Irish on my mother's. I identify most strongly with the German and the Irish, although probably mostly from unconscious cultural and familial bias.

I'm struck by terms like "white-bread" American...Shouldn't it really be down-home, forever and ever, red-bread American? And isn't it interesting how most of solely European (Western?) origin felt a need to proclaim their "Americanness" while others are still celebrating their heritages? I suppose its just evidence of the imperfection of our "melting-pot" metaphor. Does the pot taste like a little bit of everything? Or a whole lot of nothing?

I found it interesting as well. Glad someone else noticed it!

I personally identify most closely with my french dna descended through Canada through my grandfather's father. My grandmother's mother came over straight from Germany. My father's mother's family is through New England as far back as I've traced, which isn't all that far. There's a gap where my mother's father should be as she was adopted and we have no information for her paternal side.

However, genetics in this manner is very similar to astrology.

Interesting!


Oh and lest I forget, I'm denying my hubby is Jamaican heritage, which he proclaims quite proudly too!lol! And he tells me not just Latin, Cuban to be specific!
Although he speaks poquito Spanish, since his mom didn't teach it to them. Long story, she left Cuba at the time when Fidel Castro was rampant with killing and claiming lands and she lost a lot of her brothers and sisters, only six of thme made it out alive....when she came to Jamaica for refuge. She doesn't like to talk about it much so they didnt know all the gory details. Anyway, it's interesting to know about one's heritage!

Oh btw way Ad, do you guys have to say what race you are on documents over there in South Africa? Just curious, since we do on everything we do here in the US. In Jamaica, nope, and that's quite a melting pot with people from all over the world living there!   

Geez. Lawyers everywhere...

And isn't it interesting how most of solely European (Western?) origin felt a need to proclaim their "Americanness" while others are still celebrating their heritages?

I'm not really sure what you find interesting about this. Are you assuming that people who "proclaim their 'Americanness'" are incapable of celebrating the heritage that is their American upbringing?

I'm an American.

It doesn't matter where my ancestors "came from."  They don't write the pages of my life, I do.

Makes ya wonder if someday people will say..."I'm American....whateva."  heh

My father's side of the family has been traced back in England to about the 1500's, some of them marrying French,  some married German,  and one married a Native American Indian.

My mom's family is from Scotland, we've traced it back to about the early 1800's,  with others from Wales, Ireland, and England.

As a child we had some German food,  German traditions,  and also English, Irish, and Scottish food. 

One of our German ancestors was a ship builder and sailed ships back and forth,  dealing also in goods.  I love genealogy  

It's interesting, that. If you believe science or religion we're all descended from the same group anyway, so why should we prejudice cultures older than 300 years over younger ones?

I've got some Celtish blood, but I'm not about to announce that I'm part-Gaul. I'm Australian with some incredibly tenuous links to Ireland (4th + generation) and Scotland (the same).

I don't even know any Irish or Scottish people. Describing myself as Irish-Australian or Scottish-Australian would be more weird than saying I'm Australian.

I'm British. Was born there and spent 20 years there. In a couple of years, I'll have spent half my life in America, and whilst I'll eventually become an American citizen, my heritage will always be British.

Past that, I really don't know. I was adopted as an infant and although I've found my birth mother she's decided that she's too selfish to give me the time of day (or a genetic medical history. Nice, aint she?).

My parents - the people who adopted me and who will always be my 'real' mum and dad - on my dad's side are directly descended from the bastard son of William the Conquerer. One of our ancestors pissed off the monarch and got themselves locked up in the Tower of London, where they carved their name in the wall. It's really pretty cool to be able to go there and see your maiden name right there in the wall. My maiden name is, btw, is pretty unusual, which was a big help when we were researching it.

To Forever: Yes, we South Africans do but it is not as big a deal as before. The government has a thing about ethnic groups but it is usually for reference purposes. SA has changed a lot since '94 and we all fill in forms without "threat" anymore.

To LW: Eventually, you cheeky, loveable creature, you admitted to some heritage. I'm impressed.

Thanks for comments all. Your posts have been so interesting!

My family were among the earliest to settle in North America so American seems appropriate as my family has been here since the original colonies that later revolted. But my ancestry is primarily Irish, colored a bit by my paternal grandmother who was Apache. Our family name is of Irish origin and our geneology has been traced back to Ireland for many generations. But we're Americans for many generations now.

Hey! I'm directly descended from that same bastard child! Who knew, we're like almost long-lost relatives or something, Karen?

Oh my. That could make my crush on you illegal......

Almost like! Long-lost! Our secret, forbidden love is not illegal, dammit!