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I'll have to get a copy of "Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America" -- it looks interesting. Have you ever read "Albion's Seed" by David Hackett Fischer?
Chuck Norris is a perfect example. I may be wrong but I'd suggest he is Scots-Irish rather than Irish. He comes from a small town in Oklahoma while most Irish folks settled in the industrial cities of the Northeast and Midwest. There are plenty of stars who say they are Irish/Native American while Irish Catholics had very little contact with Native Americans compared with Scots-Irish. The thing is that apart from a DNA test, we have to believe what people say.
About Obama, I knew he was more English than Irish but I understand that for the media is much more interesting to say that he has Irish background rather than English.
I didn't read the book of David Hackett Fischer but I saw the article on Wikipedia. It really shows the influence of British culture on American culture. I would read it if I have time.
There's no reason to believe people of English ancestry are more likely to report their ancestry as "ordinary American" than any other group of caucasions.
A lot of areas clearly settled by Scots-Irish (Appalachian areas) are dominated by "American" reported ethnicity. The South was dominated by protestant Brits, although you would probably need to look at earlier census data to figure out if that's been consistent throughout time.
My friend claims British ancestry, but that's because his maternal grandmother was born in England. He also claims Italian ancestry because his dad's family is Italian-American.
A lot of areas clearly settled by Scots-Irish (Appalachian areas) are dominated by "American" reported ethnicity. The South was dominated by protestant Brits, although you would probably need to look at earlier census data to figure out if that's been consistent throughout time.
There is no doubt that the "Scotch-Irish" are a part of the "American" ethnicity, but I'm sure an even greater number of "Scotch-Irish" mistakenly call themselves "Irish".
The only big movement of immigrants into the South came from Britain/Denmark, in the form of Mormon converts.
My friend claims British ancestry, but that's because his maternal grandmother was born in England. He also claims Italian ancestry because his dad's family is Italian-American.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Smash XY
Chuck Norris is a perfect example. I may be wrong but I'd suggest he is Scots-Irish rather than Irish. He comes from a small town in Oklahoma while most Irish folks settled in the industrial cities of the Northeast and Midwest. There are plenty of stars who say they are Irish/Native American while Irish Catholics had very little contact with Native Americans compared with Scots-Irish. The thing is that apart from a DNA test, we have to believe what people say.
He's probably a typical English/Scotch-Irish mix. All of his immediate family names, "Norris", "Scarberry", "Hargrove", "Tinker", are English. Obviously, a large number of Scotch-Irish have English ancestry (something you may not realise by the name "Scotch-Irish" ), but there is no reason to believe that anybody with these names came from Ireland, rather than England.
About Obama, I knew he was more English than Irish but I understand that for the media is much more interesting to say that he has Irish background rather than English.
America wants to forget it's English/British past. It's the very reason the "Ellis Island lot" are made out to be the immigrants that made America.
I don't feel that German is over reported, but I do feel that Scotch-Irish/English is under reported, due to the Census allowing the choice of "American" for ancestry. Also, the majority of the people claiming "Irish" in the south are probably actually Scotch-Irish.
I am currently reading John Barleycorn, the fascinating memours of Jack London. On the first chapters, he recalls how his mother was proud of their American stock, "unilke their Jew and Italian neighbors".
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..Irish American
), but there is no reason to believe that anybody with these names came from Ireland, rather than England.
