Is there more English or German ancestry in America? (university, vs)
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I believe "British" is the most common ancestry in America. Nobody of colonial descent is ONLY English, Scotch-Irish, or Welsh. They're a mix of all three and most likely have some French heritage in that as well because I know I do and probably some Dutch, to a lesser extent some Italian as well because hundreds of them came in the 1600s to the mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
There's probably some in New England with only English ancestry.
There's probably some in New England with only English ancestry.
Yes, there are some, at least if you define ancestry as the country of origin before coming to America. For example, my maternal grandmother's family settled near Hampton, NH about 1639, having come over from southern England about 10 years prior. Her mother's also came from southern England to NH around 1650 or so.
But of course if you were able to go back far enough (like 800 years) you'd see ancestors coming from various places on the Continent, etc but few families can trace theirs that far back reliably. (Mine can only about 2 more generations into England, which seems to be common). In England records start to become pretty scarce before c.1600 from what I understand. In Ireland all the wars with England and such caused a great amount of church records (esp. Catholic ones) to be destroyed from before 1700 or so, if not later.
Most of the people who came during the American colonial period to the southern and mid-Atlantic states were of Scot-Irish origin, with some pockets of Dutch, French, English, etc
The English were the largest people in colonial south ahead of Scotch-Irish, French or Germans. Scotch-Irish were only the majority in the Appalachia and that doesn't represent all the south.
I found a new theory to show how much the English ancestry is huge and underestimated in America. I compared their demographic evolution with African Americans.
In 1790: They were 750 000 African Americans
In 2011: They were 42 020 743 African Americans
About 200 years later their number is around 50 times bigger. In 1790, they were 1 900 000 English people in America and if we assume they have the same demographic evolution as Black Americans, their number should be around 100 million but I think they are rather around 80 million like the demographers say. The difference is that is more difficult to identify English ancestry compare to African ancestry because they mixed with other Europeans and even in colonial times, Anglo Americans no longer identified as English but as Americans. Nowadays it's an invisible ancestry.
I kinda feel that people think because there were about 5 million German immigrants during the 19th and early 20th century, they ate up the number of English Americans and their number decrease as if they had been touched by an epidemic. If it was the case we wouldn't speak English since a long time.
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Originally Posted by nei
There's probably some in New England with only English ancestry.
I think you can also find people with full English ancestry in Utah because the state received many English and others British immigrants during the 19th century and it's the only state where they still form the largest ancestry
The English were the largest people in colonial south ahead of Scotch-Irish, French or Germans. Scotch-Irish were only the majority in the Appalachia and that doesn't represent all the south.
I found a new theory to show how much the English ancestry is huge and underestimated in America. I compared their demographic evolution with African Americans.
In 1790: They were 750 000 African Americans
In 2011: They were 42 020 743 African Americans
About 200 years later their number is around 50 times bigger. In 1790, they were 1 900 000 English people in America and if we assume they have the same demographic evolution as Black Americans, their number should be around 100 million but I think they are rather around 80 million like the demographers say. The difference is that is more difficult to identify English ancestry compare to African ancestry because they mixed with other Europeans and even in colonial times, Anglo Americans no longer identified as English but as Americans. Nowadays it's an invisible ancestry.
The birthrate of the English was quite a bit lower than that of Black Americans. The death rate was also quite lower, but I don't think that cancels it out.
Quote:
I kinda feel that people think because there were about 5 million German immigrants during the 19th and early 20th century, they ate up the number of English Americans and their number decrease as if they had been touched by an epidemic. If it was the case we wouldn't speak English since a long time.
Nah. You're doubting the power of assimilation. Even in Pennsylvania, where English hasn't been the majority since long before the Revolution, or New York City, where it's never been the majority, English is still the language of choice.
I might be biased since I'm from Bos-Wash, but I know very few people who have any English blood (and even fewer who have English ancestry they can trace from long ago).
The birthrate of the English was quite a bit lower than that of Black Americans. The death rate was also quite lower, but I don't think that cancels it out.
I understand but their number should be quite similar. In 1980 U.S Census, they were around 49 million of American with English ancestry and 26,5 million African Americans. It's only in 2000 that they surpass English ancestry in the census.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pgm123
Nah. You're doubting the power of assimilation. Even in Pennsylvania, where English hasn't been the majority since long before the Revolution, or New York City, where it's never been the majority, English is still the language of choice.
I might be biased since I'm from Bos-Wash, but I know very few people who have any English blood (and even fewer who have English ancestry they can trace from long ago).
In the Mid-Atlantic, English people were overtaken by others immigrants since a long time ago so I get that. I'm not doubting the power of assimilation. I believe when 50 millions Americans said they have German ancestry but we shouldn't overestimated that either. I've met people who know that some immigrants anglicized their names so they assume that all American names of British origins aren't real. Personnaly I think there is still more people of colonial background rather that post-Revolutionnary immigrants.
In the Mid-Atlantic, English people were overtaken by others immigrants since a long time ago so I get that. I'm not doubting the power of assimilation. I believe when 50 millions Americans said they have German ancestry but we shouldn't overestimated that either. I've met people who know that some immigrants anglicized their names so they assume that all American names of British origins aren't real. Personnaly I think there is still more people of colonial background rather that post-Revolutionnary immigrants.
There were still English immigrants after the Revolution, though I don't know in what numbers.
I guess the reason I'm skeptical in the pre-Revolution origin of so many Americans because of how glorified that kind of thing is. If anything, I would think the number would be exaggerated.
I guess the reason I'm skeptical in the pre-Revolution origin of so many Americans because of how glorified that kind of thing is. If anything, I would think the number would be exaggerated.
I've met people in New England who are 100% per-colonial, or close to it. Anyone who is in New England would almost certainly be of British descent, likely English arriving from 1620-1660.
I've met people in New England who are 100% per-colonial, or close to it. Anyone who is in New England would almost certainly be of British descent, likely English arriving from 1620-1660.
Well, that's definitely true. And I should stay that I'm not really talking about New England or the South. I'm mostly talking about the Boston-DC region (and really Boston-Baltimore), the Midwest, and the West.
Well, that's definitely true. And I should stay that I'm not really talking about New England or the South. I'm mostly talking about the Boston-DC region (and really Boston-Baltimore), the Midwest, and the West.
Well a portion of the Boston-Baltimore region is in New England. Some of them are in the Boston metro.
I might be biased since I'm from Bos-Wash, but I know very few people who have any English blood (and even fewer who have English ancestry they can trace from long ago).
I take it you don't hang out in Georgetown or Old Town Alexandria.
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