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I know TONS of people who claim to be related to English royalty. TONS. I don't get it. I really don't. You see, people who were English royalty didn't re-locate to the American colonies. They didn't have to, as they generally weren't in search of a better life. It was prisoners who were sent over here, and peasants. I think some people want to believe they are extraordinary somehow, better than others. If believing this myth makes them feel better about themselves, so be it.
This is going off topic a little...but it would seem that there would be more Indian ancestry than we hear reported. Maybe it is rare because it is not being tested/sampled as much? Maybe it will become reported more over time. On the other hand, claims to royalty are not likely to show up in DNA so it is a paper trail issue.
I don't give royalty claims much credence for recent ancestors but it stands to reason that many, if not most, Europeans have some "nobility" ancestors way back in the middle ages because they were the survivors and survivors had kids who also survived. They lived well and ate well and had some semblance of security. The core of noble families married other noble families so somebody was probably descended from Charlemagne or Alfred the Great or Lulach the Unfortunate. If the noble family fell out of favor or were dispossessed they melted into the population, joined the military became soldiers for hire, or maybe later came to America. I'm a very distant cousin to the future king of England through the Spencer family but never cared enough to figure it out.
I don't give royalty claims much credence for recent ancestors but it stands to reason that many, if not most, Europeans have some "nobility" ancestors way back in the middle ages because they were the survivors and survivors had kids who also survived. They lived well and ate well and had some semblance of security.
And also didn't immigrate to the colonies. There was no need to since they were living well in Europe.
That's why I feel most Americans who claim European royal ancestry are full of b.s.
Since the thread was revived, I'll share I found out that the people I was researching and who I spoke of in the previous post about "Carmel Indians" of Ohio, I found out, that even though they did live in that area, they were not "Indian." I traced them to Columbia, PA and Chester County, PA, both places that had some settlements of free black people. So they were just plain old black people lol. I also found a picture of one of my 4th great grandparents in a book and he was a darkskinned black man who reminded me of my maternal grandmother. I cherish the book and made a digital copy of the picture which was taken in the 1890s.
Ironically, on my mother's paternal side, I have found reference in various documents of them being "part Indian." But I am still not convinced that they are either. I have pictures of those relatives too and they are "light skinned" with "good hair" as black people call it. They are the family of the 3rd great grandmother I mentioned in the "most interesting ancestor" thread. Her second husband was supposedly a "Potawatomie" Indian. I have obituaries of her some of her children with her 2nd husband which mention this but not other records mention it. I am thinking he may have just been "part white." A 3rd cousin who does research on this line has found evidence that his father was Irish. I tried to get my grandfather to do a DNA test but he was hesitant. He is in his 80s and I may try to convince him again (get the kit and take it to his house) just to see if he is "part Indian" or not since this great great great grandfather had a pretty common name - George Burton and I don't believe that my 3rd cousin has done that great of a job with her research. I only found 2 census records that George Burton was on and both list him as "mullatto" as does his death certificate but it did not list his parents. Unfortunately, the two census records show him as being born in Missouri or Illinois. The area they lived in was in the state of Michigan and he died in Michigan and the area of which they lived actually does have a population to this day of Potawatomie Indians.
My paternal great grandmother, I did find out has some very distant native ancestry. Ironically, she never claimed to be "part Indian." She looked "white" and her maternal grandparents were from England so I think she never had a reason to deny her European ancestry based on her mother also looking "white" and having parents from England. Her father however, was "tri-racial" and I have a few 2nd cousins on this line who have taken a DNA test and they ranged between 1% and 5% NA ancestry. I found documentation that my 8th great grandmother on this line was a full blooded Indian but no tribe was referenced. Her children had to sue in VA to prove they were free and they won their suit due to providing witnesses and testimony to the effect that their father was "born of a white woman" (he was half black/half white) and their mother was an Indian. The case was in the early 1700s and was brought forth after one of their children sued for her own freedom and that of her own children.
I'm half Indian. My father is from India. Being Indian is not a myth I find it funny that many people assume that being Indian means a person is Native American.
I'm half Indian. My father is from India. Being Indian is not a myth I find it funny that many people assume that being Indian means a person is Native American.
American Indian is now considered a correct term by many people since it's been in common usage for hundreds of years. Also, many American Indians now, are starting to say that is what they prefer to be called, instead of "Native American" which was considered to be more politically correct.
Of course, it was an incorrect term hundreds of years ago when Columbus thought he reached India.
I think a lot of people are also shocked and/or disappointed to find out they aren't really Irish on these DNA ancestry tests. I don't know why, but many Americans seem obsessed with what they believe is their "Irish ancestry" and when pressed for details they have no idea, it's just family lore. Like the Indian stories.
Almost every Caucasian person I know claims to be Irish just like almost everyone I know claims American Indian ancestry.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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There were a lot of mixed race people in the Appalachian frontier who wanted to escape the problems of living in 'civilization'. They took on a variety of names when later White settlers discovered them like Melungeons. The most interesting case I've heard is Henry Louis Gates' ancestor Thomas Mayle, who was born in England and fell in love with a Black slave woman. He bought her freedom and they relocated to present day West Virginia and had lots of children. Their ancestors have a variety of complexions from very dark to very European.
Another interesting case is the Black ancestor of Ty Burrell. A mulatto woman from Tennessee applied and won a homestead in Oregon, her descendants all married Whites and thus TB had no idea he had Black ancestry until he was a teenager.
There were a lot of mixed race people in the Appalachian frontier who wanted to escape the problems of living in 'civilization'. They took on a variety of names when later White settlers discovered them like Melungeons. The most interesting case I've heard is Henry Louis Gates' ancestor Thomas Mayle, who was born in England and fell in love with a Black slave woman. He bought her freedom and they relocated to present day West Virginia and had lots of children. Their ancestors have a variety of complexions from very dark to very European.
Another interesting case is the Black ancestor of Ty Burrell. A mulatto woman from Tennessee applied and won a homestead in Oregon, her descendants all married Whites and thus TB had no idea he had Black ancestry until he was a teenager.
I saw that program about Thomas Mayle!!
I know someone who is actually from that town whose last name is Mayle and I told them they are related to HLG lol. They look like a white person but identify as black. Their father moved away from WV during the Great Migration period and jobs were scarce in that portion of WV.
I started out researching the possibility of "Cherokee blood" in my husbands family somewhat casually (& doubtful) & found some interesting occurences that MAY actually support this.
The "suspicion" had surfaced regarding his father; a man with thick black hair & tan skin with a host of blonde/red haired siblings. The surname seemed to be a slam-dunk against this being a possibility ... I traced his lineage back as one of the "missing" (we haven't contacted the organization yet) descendants of a royal Scottish Clan, having immigrated to the US in the 1600's.
Mothers side is "very" Nordic although multi-generational US born but mother was nonetheless fluent Swedish.
I will admit to being intrigued by the appearance of some "typical" & frequently over used as "Indian" physical traits he presents with: His forehead, nose, cheekbones & lips (straight out of an old black & white historical photo) ... lack of chest hair/inability to grow facial hair.
... A combination of very vague "talents": Years working "Hanging Iron", good working with livestock, talented in Rodeo ...all vague but still "of interest" (to me; at least).
Although able to trace each male ancestor back to the literal "King David" from Scotland, I DID notice some questionable occurences.
One was the timing of the family's migration from Virginia to Oklahoma that coincided with the "Trail of Tears" in 1839.
But more interesting was the reports of two Indian raids on settlers that occured in the 1700's who's locations matched the locations of land owned in the family name (verified as documented). Archived documents stated the abduction of women during these raids who were later returned by the Indians several years later. One of the womans husbands had been killed & he was one of my husbands Great-Grandfathers (times 4 generations).
The next item of curiosity was that particular GG's wife & children had not been included on their Grandfathers will. These were prominent land owners at the time & the Wills are actually published. They are very specific; even individual slaves were named as "bequeathed to ..." so the absence of a daughter-in-law & the grandchildren really stuck out.
Then; two years prior to this Grandfathers death, the will was published again & rewritten to include that DIL & her children.
Left to speculate; I have to wonder if this DIL bore children that were fathered by an Indian during her time of capture, retaining her surname as theirs but disowned temporarily by the Grandfather?
And could they then; labeled as "Half-Breeds" been more than slightly "encouraged" to join the mass migration along the "Trail of Tears"?
Of course, this would invalidate any claim my husband might have of being the "missing" decendants of the royal "Clan of K******" from Scotland. This Clan is very active & holds annual "reunions" in Scotland to this day & they advertise online for these missing heirs but now I'm not sure if my husband is actually one of them!
Of course, this would invalidate any claim my husband might have of being the "missing" decendants of the royal "Clan of K******" from Scotland. This Clan is very active & holds annual "reunions" in Scotland to this day & they advertise online for these missing heirs but now I'm not sure if my husband is actually one of them!
I think for most, surnames are not always a good indicator of their heritage anyway. Many immigrants changed their surname when they came to Ellis Island. Many people legally changed their names for various reasons. And lastly, many peoples fathers were not who they thought they were.
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I find it funny that many people assume that being Indian means a person is Native American.
