Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
For example, I am more English percentage wise than I am Norwegian, but my English ancestors came over mostly during the colonial era vs my Norwegian ancestors who came over when my Great-Grandfather was a tween (about 1917). I have been able to trace his cousin's children and Grandchildren still living in Norway so that helps me feel like I have more of a connection to the country compared to others.
My German ancestry is also roughly equal in percentage to my Norwegian (both about 1/8 more or less), however most of my German ancestors came over in the 1840s and 1850s when my Great-Great-Great Grandparents on that side were children, so I feel less of a connection even though my last name is also German.
So do you feel more connected to the ancestry of your most recent immigrants or is it what you have the highest percentage of? Or do you not feel more connected to one over the other?
For example, I am more English percentage wise than I am Norwegian, but my English ancestors came over mostly during the colonial era vs my Norwegian ancestors who came over when my Great-Grandfather was a tween (about 1917). I have been able to trace his cousin's children and Grandchildren still living in Norway so that helps me feel like I have more of a connection to the country compared to others.
My German ancestry is also roughly equal in percentage to my Norwegian (both about 1/8 more or less), however most of my German ancestors came over in the 1840s and 1850s when my Great-Great-Great Grandparents on that side were children, so I feel less of a connection even though my last name is also German.
So do you feel more connected to the ancestry of your most recent immigrants or is it what you have the highest percentage of? Or do you not feel more connected to one over the other?
I'm not a mutt, I'm Hungarian with a little Italian.
I'm curious if you uploaded to My Heritage for free to connect with relatives in other countries. Their database is world wide.
As a black American with more recent West Indian/African roots (my paternal family has recent ties to West Africa and some other relatives on this side came over from the British West Indies about 100 years ago, while my maternal family is African American with all that is entailed there), I identify more so with the African American ancestry as that is the culture that I was raised in. But I have gotten a lot closer to my African relatives as of late, some of whom live in Africa and others who are in the US and the UK.
My dad's grandparents (my paternal great-grandparents) all immigrated from Poland (NE and SE of the country) in the early 1900s. Half of my mom's grandparents immigrated from what is now Eastern Ukraine in the early 1900s.
So basically 75% of my ancestors are from Eastern Europe, having immigrated fairly recently (early 1900s).
The remaining 25% are from my mom's father's side (my maternal grandfather) who has ancestors who came to America in the 1600s and 1700s. That 25% of my ancestry came from Ireland, England, Scotland, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium, basically a good chunk of NW Europe and some of central Europe.
I would say I probably feel more connected to the Eastern European part of my ancestry, considering I was born and raised in a Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church here in the US, eventually converting to Roman Catholic and with all of the eastern European ethnic foods I can cook.
I think I do.
I found my earliest person coming in 1608 and a bunch of Mayflower passengers and original Dutch settlers and Huguenot refugees but they are mostly a novelty in my ancestry research. I had no immigrants in the 1700s at all so it picks up again in the 1840s and this 2nd wave is more interesting to me. I can't identify with the Pilgrims and Puritans and religious zealots as much, although that separatist and religious non-conformist thread runs all through my family tree. I have been to Ireland and the ancestral village and could do the same in Poland (Pomerania) but have less interest in traipsing around England or Netherlands looking for villages or castles.
I have a Mayflower passenger and loads of Puritan ancestors on one side as well as people coming in the 1700s from the UK and even Holland. But I identify with the more recent 1911 side that came here from Yorkshire, England. I was raised with that kind of food, those verbal sayings and expressions, and remember hearing relatives talking about family back in England.
Interestingly for me none of the Norwegian customs really stayed in my family- other than the fact that I grew up in the Lutheran church- Moms side was catholic and dads was lutheran, so my mom ended up joining the Lutheran church. But as soon as my Great-Great Grandparents and their kids came over (one being my Great Grandfather), they no longer spoke Norwegian- and they refused to teach the kids Norwegian.
Interestingly for me none of the Norwegian customs really stayed in my family- other than the fact that I grew up in the Lutheran church- Moms side was catholic and dads was lutheran, so my mom ended up joining the Lutheran church. But as soon as my Great-Great Grandparents and their kids came over (one being my Great Grandfather), they no longer spoke Norwegian- and they refused to teach the kids Norwegian.
Funny you should say that! My maternal Grandmother was Methodist (Danish/German) and my maternal grandfather was Lutheran (Swedish), both born in the U.S. to immigrant parents. They couldn't agree on how to raise the kids so they split the difference and sent my mother and my uncle to Presbyterian Sunday School. My Mom had to get baptized as an adult (she chose Methodist) and my uncle was never baptized as far as I know.
My Mom picked up some Swedish by visiting relatives over there in the 50's but no languages were ever "handed down" in my family.
My father's side is Irish Catholic and we were raised Catholic. My Mom, though officially a Methodist attended whatever church was convenient and that most often mean the Catholic church. As the grandson of Irish immigrants I qualify for an Irish passport (my sister has one, which I consider a luxury item).
I personally feel a connection to the Irish side and the Swedish side, but not so much the Danish and German fractions.
My kids have added fractions of Italian and Ukrainian to the mix (25% each). All their grandparents were born here and their grandfathers both served in World War II, and no ancestor of theirs was born on foreign soil since the 19th century. At some point you have to just say you're American and celebrate the history and heritage of your family on this continent.
I basically took 23andme to see what is on Dad's side (mom is Polish) to see if anything "exotic" at all (no Native American, only .2% Scandinavian) and what the English/German breakdown was. Turns out I'm 51% Polish, 21% English, 17% German, and the rest basically "general assorted Euro" although it does say 2% Italian (maybe not background noise?), 1.2% Spain/Portugal (legit or not?), and .1% Sub-Saharan African which is pretty cool although probably just background noise on the last one. Have no idea how to trace those small percentages down and if even possible? Really identify with the highest percentage anyways in my case (Polish)....and if somebody asks my ethnicity background just say "Polish/English/German" since that makes up about 90% of my ethnic breakdown.
I have a Mayflower passenger and loads of Puritan ancestors on one side as well as people coming in the 1700s from the UK and even Holland. But I identify with the more recent 1911 side that came here from Yorkshire, England. I was raised with that kind of food, those verbal sayings and expressions, and remember hearing relatives talking about family back in England.
How many passengers were on the Mayflower?
Curious since so many people claim this.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
