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I don't know what the OP means by mutts but my people came here from the UK and Ireland in the 16 and early 1700s. One line was in the second Jamestown settlement, so we have been in the US a long time.
Last fall I took a tour in England and the first thing one of the historians said "You must be Irish" based upon my looks. So that doesn't sound like a mutt to me.
I am from the South and we natives are pretty homogeneous. Changing though.
In Australia a good majority of people (well around 60% is my own guess) are 100% English, Scottish, Irish or a mix of the three. That's probably the most common situation, although mixes with other groups such as Italians are certainly pretty common.
But when look at demographic statistics, and the ancestries of say celebrities, it seems the majority of Americans have at least 4-5, often 6-7+ European ethnic groups in their ancestries. Of course in 1900 neither Germany or Italy existed as independent nations, but their ancestors came from those regions.
Do you think this gives Americans a more continental European look than say Australians? A lot of Australians basically look just like the British because they are. Not all are even tanned. I think that's why I personally notice that Americans often have a certain physical look that is different from a lot of white Australians.
How rare is it to have 'pure' or predominant British ancestry? I assume that's confined mostly to certain regions, like New England and say Utah? If your last name is say Smith, I suppose it's pretty likely you're not even 50% English?
It should be normal since America received ten times more people than Australia and they came from from all over Europe. Therefore Americans will look different in comparison to Australians, however the British Isles still plays a role an important role in the basis of White American ancestry. People that are half English are even less common than before. It's in the south, where segregation and religious atmosphere stayed the longest is where people of British Isles are commonest, but also in Utah. There are more people of German and Irish ancestry today. I am half English and half Dutch and Flemish. However they are people who have English ancestry, but identify themselves as other/American.
I am American from NC of Scottish genetic background. when I travel abroad most people think me Irish, I think it is the roundish face, petite, red/blond hair and blue eyes. But when we lived in Germany and traveled to Northern Europe area, I was often mistaken for local although being so much smaller should have been a give away.
most people in united states consider themselves "american" so when two people get married, they are marring an "american" the past history of german, poland, spanish, french etc. doesn't apply any more. so when you calling american mutts you are really calling american pure breed, because american marry american.
Funny, I asked the same question of an Australian guest we hosted last year, wondering what the racial background was of the average Australian.
But yes, we're more "mutts". I'm white, but a mixture of Danish, French, Irish, and English. I lived in Germany for three years and to me, Europeans looked different from me and white Americans. (Same thing with black Americans... they look different from actual Africans). Germans could just look at me and know I was American.
I think at some point, Americans just really won't know (or care) what their "countries of origin" are. My own children are a mixture of at least 8 different countries, ranging from Europe/Africa/Caribbean.
I also agree europeans look different from white americans, however the places I've seen where most white americans could pass as locals have been Ireland and the UK. Specially the people from Northern Ireland stroke me as quite American looking.
All the people from continental europe and scandinavia look quite foreign as a group next to white americans.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Westerntraveler
I am most definitely an American mutt but I choose to identify as German
Youd be surprised how many of those german americans who dont know furthern back than 3 generations ago end up being mainly of British Isles ancestry.
Quote:
Originally Posted by theoldnorthstate
I am American from NC of Scottish genetic background. when I travel abroad most people think me Irish, I think it is the roundish face, petite, red/blond hair and blue eyes. But when we lived in Germany and traveled to Northern Europe area, I was often mistaken for local although being so much smaller should have been a give away.
So maybe the muttness of Americans is a rumor.
Its because most people wont analize much whether you look like 100% a local or not, as long as you dont look too different you wont get commented about your looks.
I am of Finnish, Finn-Swede, German, Polish, Bohemian, and Irish extraction. My ancestors arrived in this country about 120 to 200 years ago.
I would say that most people have a similar number of backgrounds to me, although there are still the rare almost 100% Finns and 100% Norwegians / Swedes who are my age around here.
As for differentiating Germans or Irish or whomever and Americans of descent from those countries, looking at yearbooks with their pictures of our school exchanges, I would wager anybody to tell the difference between those from Germany and those from the local high school. They look exactly the same.
I've noticed a lot from the South say that when asked about their heritage. In fact, that self-identification serves as a delineating marker between the region commonly called "the South" and the rest of the country:
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