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By "European" I mean the common European ancestry groups like Irish, Italian, Polish, etc. This seems to be a normal part of many Northeast cities like Boston, Philly, New York, and Pittsburgh but no where near as common in the West, Mid-West, and the South, where people are more likely to identify as American rather than as "Blank-American."
Everyone I've ever met in the Midwest knows which ancestry they are, in Iowa it was big with Germans and Irish, my family was Swedish from the southwest part of the state. Chicago is big with Polish, Greek, Italians and Germans. My husband is from Detroit and his family is Polish. My friends from the west side of Michigan were Dutch.
This is common to the Midwest just as it is in the Northeast, I don't know why the west wouldn't. In the south it is by far the largest region where people identify with "American" more than their actual makeup, (German, British). I'm not entirely sure why this is a factor in the south and not the Northeast or Midwest.
That tier through the south that's lighter in color is only so because it's the heart of the black belt, where people would put black as opposed to American, but for white-majority counties they're all down south or in the very southern areas of the Midwest.
Like others said, European ancestry is usually third or fourth generation in the northern states (midwest and northeast) while European ancestry in the south is mostly dating back to 17th or 18th century.
It's too far remove to feel a connection and probably more mixed (mostly English and Scotch-Irish ancestry with a blend of diverse European roots). By the eve of the Revolutionary war, people from the interior country were already considered themselves American rather than English or Scottish.
Everyone I've ever met in the Midwest knows which ancestry they are, in Iowa it was big with Germans and Irish, my family was Swedish from the southwest part of the state. Chicago is big with Polish, Greek, Italians and Germans. My husband is from Detroit and his family is Polish. My friends from the west side of Michigan were Dutch.
This is common to the Midwest just as it is in the Northeast, I don't know why the west wouldn't. In the south it is by far the largest region where people identify with "American" more than their actual makeup, (German, British). I'm not entirely sure why this is a factor in the south and not the Northeast or Midwest.
That tier through the south that's lighter in color is only so because it's the heart of the black belt, where people would put black as opposed to American, but for white-majority counties they're all down south or in the very southern areas of the Midwest.
Yes I think I slightly discounted the Midwest, but especially Chicago, in the original post.
In New Orleans plenty of people are aware and talk about their Sicilian heritage and some people, their French heritage. They will still identify as "American" as opposed to a minority label.
By "European" I mean the common European ancestry groups like Irish, Italian, Polish, etc. This seems to be a normal part of many Northeast cities like Boston, Philly, New York, and Pittsburgh but no where near as common in the West, Mid-West, and the South, where people are more likely to identify as American rather than as "Blank-American."
It doesn't matter what people identify as, they are what they are. If I say I'm a "Blank-American", what does that mean I am? I have German, English, Irish, and my husband's ancestors come from Belgium and Germany. I have several friends who are Scandinavian Americans, but it's not often discussed. We live in the Midwest, and no one I know really ever talks about their ancestry. Maybe when you first get to know someone, and you're curious....but otherwise, no.
In New Orleans plenty of people are aware and talk about their Sicilian heritage and some people, their French heritage. They will still identify as "American" as opposed to a minority label.
True that New Orleans is one of the few cities in the South that has seen the waves of Irish, Italian, and German immigration that the Northeast and Midwest saw. People in Cajun country tend to specifically identify as Cajun rather than "French" or "French Canadian" even though many do have that Acadian background. Most of the South didn't see large amounts of immigration until the second half of the 20th century and most of these came from Hispanic countries or Asia.
I know many people in West Virginia who just identify as "American" or "white" because they don't know their specific ancestry. However a surprising amount of people in WV are part Native American though they don't check that box.
In New Orleans and Baltimore it seems most white people are a heavy mix of the various ethnicities, often 3 or 4, while further up in the Northeast like NJ and NY you have large amounts of people with a single European ancestry. Its been pointed out that the Northeast is segregated not just on the racial level but on the ethnic level and in many parts of Boston and Rhode Island you are not welcomed unless you are specifically Irish, Italian, Jewish, etc. The Italians on Jersey Shore specifically wanted to hang out/date other Italians for example.
True that New Orleans is one of the few cities in the South that has seen the waves of Irish, Italian, and German immigration that the Northeast and Midwest saw. People in Cajun country tend to specifically identify as Cajun rather than "French" or "French Canadian" even though many do have that Acadian background. Most of the South didn't see large amounts of immigration until the second half of the 20th century and most of these came from Hispanic countries or Asia.
I know many people in West Virginia who just identify as "American" or "white" because they don't know their specific ancestry. However a surprising amount of people in WV are part Native American though they don't check that box.
In New Orleans and Baltimore it seems most white people are a heavy mix of the various ethnicities, often 3 or 4, while further up in the Northeast like NJ and NY you have large amounts of people with a single European ancestry. Its been pointed out that the Northeast is segregated not just on the racial level but on the ethnic level and in many parts of Boston and Rhode Island you are not welcomed unless you are specifically Irish, Italian, Jewish, etc. The Italians on Jersey Shore specifically wanted to hang out/date other Italians for example.
I think there are remnants of that behavior in New Orleans as well, a good friend of mine calls himself a Italian and a good bit of good friends do the same. Nothing like up north though.
Yea but I see it more as a Northern thing because I notice it in the Midwest, too.
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