White people with Asian last names (eyes, find, search, world)

[Trimac20]

Obviously I'm not talking about those who marry Asians, or are adopted or anything. Nor those names which are coincidentally shared by both nationalities, e.g. Lee or Jung.

I know a couple of white male newsreaders (don't look mixed at all) with the last names 'Po' and 'Fong' but they could be European, perhaps Austrian or something, but I'm not sure.

But yeah, the main example is a classmate I had in school who had the last name 'Kim' but who looked European and had blue eyes. Actually looking at his facebook I can see the Korean in him, which I suppose is weird with the bright blue eyes. In his case it was because his paternal grandfather was Korean, so he was 1/4 but I suppose some people couldn't tell because of his blue eyes and curly brown hair, although Koreans can also have curly hair.

Just wondering if you've met anyone who appeared fully 'white' but had a Chinese last name? I think it's actually pretty common, I mean like Alexa Chung is 1/4 Chinese but she could pass for not having any Asian blood. Even someone like Brandon Lee could pass for being Latino or even Italian or something, since some people get more of one side than the other.

[Lucario]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

Obviously I'm not talking about those who marry Asians, or are adopted or anything. Nor those names which are coincidentally shared by both nationalities, e.g. Lee or Jung.

I know a couple of white male newsreaders (don't look mixed at all) with the last names 'Po' and 'Fong' but they could be European, perhaps Austrian or something, but I'm not sure.

But yeah, the main example is a classmate I had in school who had the last name 'Kim' but who looked European and had blue eyes. Actually looking at his facebook I can see the Korean in him, which I suppose is weird with the bright blue eyes. In his case it was because his paternal grandfather was Korean, so he was 1/4 but I suppose some people couldn't tell because of his blue eyes and curly brown hair, although Koreans can also have curly hair.

Just wondering if you've met anyone who appeared fully 'white' but had a Chinese last name? I think it's actually pretty common, I mean like Alexa Chung is 1/4 Chinese but she could pass for not having any Asian blood. Even someone like Brandon Lee could pass for being Latino or even Italian or something, since some people get more of one side than the other.

How about your infamous countryman Julian Assange? His great-grandfather, I believe it was, came from China. The surname was corrupted from "Ah Sang," I believe.

[EnricoV]

Can someone start a thread in the genealogy forum that DOESN'T have the word "white" in it's title? I find this focus extremely disturbing. Not to mention, not genealogy.

If you want this thread to be about surnames ... say that.

Many surnames are found through many nationalities. There are names that are more common in various nationalities, but that doesn't mean they've got world-wide exclusive use of them.

[Trimac20]

How is this racist? I'm specifically interested in this phenomenon. Why would I mention others if I'm talking about white people?

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by Lucario

How about your infamous countryman Julian Assange? His great-grandfather, I believe it was, came from China. The surname was corrupted from "Ah Sang," I believe.

Yeah that would be interesting, since I assumed Assange was French.

[Lucario]

Originally Posted by EnricoV

Can someone start a thread in the genealogy forum that DOESN'T have the word "white" in it's title? I find this focus extremely disturbing. Not to mention, not genealogy.

If you want this thread to be about surnames ... say that.

Many surnames are found through many nationalities. There are names that are more common in various nationalities, but that doesn't mean they've got world-wide exclusive use of them.

They more than make up for it in the Politics and Other Controversies forum, where there are few threads that don't have the word "black" in the title..........

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by EnricoV

Can someone start a thread in the genealogy forum that DOESN'T have the word "white" in it's title? I find this focus extremely disturbing. Not to mention, not genealogy.

If you want this thread to be about surnames ... say that.

Many surnames are found through many nationalities. There are names that are more common in various nationalities, but that doesn't mean they've got world-wide exclusive use of them.

This has everything to do with genealogy. 'Race' has to do with genealogy. Do you just get offended by any reference to race, no matter that it's not in the least racist?

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

This has everything to do with genealogy. 'Race' has to do with genealogy. Do you just get offended by any reference to race, no matter that it's not in the least racist?

You think it's not racist? Maybe that's why I'm concerned about it. Why don't you ask about non-Asians with Asian last names. Do you think that blacks aren't surnamed Lee or Jung or whatever you seem to class as an Asian name? Why do you limit all your queries on this board to something about "white people." That's racist. I've yet to see you ask a serious genealogical question.

As for having something to do with genealogy, it doesn't. Trying to do genealogy by looking at the supposed race of someone will lead you to dead ends. Trying to do genealogy by looking at the supposed ethnicity of a name will lead you to dead ends. It's better to not even try to guess what the ethnicity of a name is. And it's better to try and research our ancestors by looking at the people they were, not focusing what their skin looked like - whether it was white, black, or purple.

Look, you could take any subject on the face of the earth and claim it has something to do with genealogy, because they pretty much all relate to people. But really, you know it doesn't. And they just pull the focus of this Forum away from genealogy.

I don't think you even do genealogy.

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by EnricoV

You think it's not racist? Maybe that's why I'm concerned about it. Why don't you ask about non-Asians with Asian last names. Do you think that blacks aren't surnamed Lee or Jung or whatever you seem to class as an Asian name? Why do you limit all your queries on this board to something about "white people." That's racist. I've yet to see you ask a serious genealogical question.

As for having something to do with genealogy, it doesn't. Trying to do genealogy by looking at the supposed race of someone will lead you to dead ends. Trying to do genealogy by looking at the supposed ethnicity of a name will lead you to dead ends. It's better to not even try to guess what the ethnicity of a name is. And it's better to try and research our ancestors by looking at the people they were, not focusing what their skin looked like - whether it was white, black, or purple.

Look, you could take any subject on the face of the earth and claim it has something to do with genealogy, because they pretty much all relate to people. But really, you know it doesn't. And they just pull the focus of this Forum away from genealogy.

I don't think you even do genealogy.

I don't even understand what you're on about. Whatever.

[sulkiercupid]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

Just wondering if you've met anyone who appeared fully 'white' but had a Chinese last name? I think it's actually pretty common, I mean like Alexa Chung is 1/4 Chinese but she could pass for not having any Asian blood. Even someone like Brandon Lee could pass for being Latino or even Italian or something, since some people get more of one side than the other.

I think Brandon Lee was only 3/8 Chinese as Bruce was 1/4 German, which might explain his more European look.

Josh Quong Tart (actor in Australian soapie Home and Away) is the great-grandson of a well-known 19th century businessman Mei Quong Tart. Les and Neale Fong are another two locals who come to mind...