general What's Your Ancestry?

[CT-1138 3,182]

On my father's mother's side, our family records track our ancestry back to their first arrival in America to be 1690's. There's not many records from 1700's (well, there wouldn't be), but we do have record of 1800's. I can't remember all the details, but in Kentucky, one of my relatives married into Danial Boone's family, we picked up some Native American blood somewhere, and I have 3 definitive family members that fought in the Civil War as members of the Illinois Legion. After that, can't remember much, but I do know that my great grandparents, who eventually would have 17 children- one of which my Grandmother, moved to Chicago, and worked in the stockyards, slaughtering meat, while much of the family wealth was gained in the 20's while my great grandparents owned several establishments (some of lesser reputes than others- aka: speakeasies). However, after the depression, much of the wealth gained, was spent on keeping their homes. Let's fast forward a little more: my father grew up in the last house my great grandparents were able to keep after the depression, and this was when the stock yards were still in operation. He tells me the stench was often unbearable. On my father's father's side, I am apparently descended from a Polish aristocrat who had fled Poland around the time the Russians invaded. Taking all the family wealth which slowly trickled down to me and my two cousins after the passing of my Grandfather. 

Now, my mother's side is very new to the country. My great Grandmother, whom I remember as "Nana" (she died when I was very young) an incredibly tiny old lady (if she seems small to a 5yo, she's small), came over here from Sicily. Being so, my Mother's mother was a full blooded Sicilian. This would allow my mother to apply to dual citizenship if she ever wanted. My mother's father's side, however, is more of a mystery. All I know is that they came over sometime between WWI and WWII. I know this because there are German records stating that one of my relatives fought in the German army during WWI. 

[ping111 124]

@Shoboni, @Frith is Magik, @ElectronDaydream

Hmm...Metis, Blackfoot, and Newfie.  I've never heard of those--what are they?

 

I'm also seeing a lot of Italians, Scotts, and Norwegians!  Go Scotts-Scandinavians!  Also, Romance languages are just cool, so...molto benne, ragazze e ragazzi.

And descendants of Daniel Boone, Jean-Olivier Chénier, and some World War vets!  Neat!

Viking, eh?  That's an cool way to denominate oneself.

Here, I can answer that question for you.  Métis, or old French for "Mixed", are second-generation-and-up people who are half French, half First Nations (Aboriginals/"Indians").  This comes from the original settlements in North America in 1608, when French fur traders who moved inland actually escaped their business and started a life with the First Nations.  They have an interesting skin tone and appearance, taking the robust figure of Aboriginals, but the smooth white skin of a Frenchman.  Blackfoot is a very large First Nations tribe in the Canada area.  Finally, Newfie are just people from Newfoundland, a maritime province of Canada with a very interesting and separate culture, mainly based on Irish and Scottish culture instead of French and British.  Very funny (comedy-wise) people, and excellent curlers XD

[Slice0Pie 815]

Well, my great great -idk how many greats XD - created the Ferris Wheel

I am mostly German, Half American, and a little of Swedish and Italian

[MrPandaa 204]

On my father's mother's side, our family records track our ancestry back to their first arrival in America to be 1690's. There's not many records from 1700's (well, there wouldn't be), but we do have record of 1800's. I can't remember all the details, but in Kentucky, one of my relatives married into Danial Boone's family, we picked up some Native American blood somewhere, and I have 3 definitive family members that fought in the Civil War as members of the Illinois Legion. After that, can't remember much, but I do know that my great grandparents, who eventually would have 17 children- one of which my Grandmother, moved to Chicago, and worked in the stockyards, slaughtering meat, while much of the family wealth was gained in the 20's while my great grandparents owned several establishments (some of lesser reputes than others- aka: speakeasies). However, after the depression, much of the wealth gained, was spent on keeping their homes. Let's fast forward a little more: my father grew up in the last house my great grandparents were able to keep after the depression, and this was when the stock yards were still in operation. He tells me the stench was often unbearable. On my father's father's side, I am apparently descended from a Polish aristocrat who had fled Poland around the time the Russians invaded. Taking all the family wealth which slowly trickled down to me and my two cousins after the passing of my Grandfather. 

 

Now, my mother's side is very new to the country. My great Grandmother, whom I remember as "Nana" (she died when I was very young) an incredibly tiny old lady (if she seems small to a 5yo, she's small), came over here from Sicily. Being so, my Mother's mother was a full blooded Sicilian. This would allow my mother to apply to dual citizenship if she ever wanted. My mother's father's side, however, is more of a mystery. All I know is that they came over sometime between WWI and WWII. I know this because there are German records stating that one of my relatives fought in the German army during WWI. 

Wow!  Quite the history you have there, !  Hmm...your ancestors married into Daniel Boone's family, eh?  I'm pretty sure his name has popped up here once before...*looks back at first page* Yep,  said she's related to him, too!

 

 

Here, I can answer that question for you.  Métis, or old French for "Mixed", are second-generation-and-up people who are half French, half First Nations (Aboriginals/"Indians").  This comes from the original settlements in North America in 1608, when French fur traders who moved inland actually escaped their business and started a life with the First Nations.  They have an interesting skin tone and appearance, taking the robust figure of Aboriginals, but the smooth white skin of a Frenchman.  Blackfoot is a very large First Nations tribe in the Canada area.  Finally, Newfie are just people from Newfoundland, a maritime province of Canada with a very interesting and separate culture, mainly based on Irish and Scottish culture instead of French and British.  Very funny (comedy-wise) people, and excellent curlers XD

Ah, I see.  Thanks, @ping111, that was quite informative!

 

 

Well, my great great -idk how many greats XD - created the Ferris Wheel

I am mostly German, Half American, and a little of Swedish and Italian

Created the Ferris Wheel?!  Woah!!! O_O

[Yamato 1,348]

And you can bet your ass I'm proud of it! 

[MrPandaa 204]

And you can bet your ass I'm proud of it! 

I must admit, this is the most interesting nationality I've seen yet.  What am I?  I'm a viking from France and Spain.  Oh, what am I?  Uhh...idk! What am I? FREAKING CHEESE!

This is the part where I busted out laughing.  

[Anneal 2,197]

My ancestry doesn't really go far, to the early 19th century at most.

 

Nearly my entire family tree is Han Chinese, Taiwanese, or Taiwanese Aborigines (which I am apparently 1/16 of).

 

On my father's side (Huang), I have a merchant (great-great-great-great-grandfather) from Quanzhou who was born around the 1820s. Honestly, nothing really big happened in my family back then. He was pretty anti-immigrant, however, and supported isolation because some of the Europeans that arrived in Taiwan were on not very good terms with the Chinese. 

 

They moved to Taiwan around the 1870s; my ancestry becomes a bit clearer at this time. My great-great grandfather was born in 1888, and because of the Sino-Japanese War, lived under Japanese rule. He had to change his name to a Japanese one; when he grew up, he worked as a journalist in Taipei, at first for some newspaper press I don't know about, then for the Central Daily News after the Second Sino-Japanese War, when Taiwan was free from Japanese rule. He died in 1973.

 

My great-grandfather (1920-2006, father-father-father) was a grade school teacher for Zhong Yuan Elementary School – it'll later be renamed Zhong Zheng Elementary School in October 1946 to celebrate Chiang Kai-Shek's/Zhong Zheng's birthday. It was really bad back then in Taiwan; up until 1945 Taiwan was occupied by the Japanese; after that, the Communists and Nationalists start another war against each other; and finally, after 1949, it was on martial law. That's pretty much why we hate the the modern Nationalists now (Kai-Shek literally ruled Taiwan like a dictator).

 

Funny thing: my grandmother on my father's side (1946~, father-mother) is also a teacher, but for Huai Shen Junior High (created in the late 60's to memorialize Chen Huai Shen, a soldier who died in 1962 after being blasted by an anti-aircraft missile when he flew to China to spy on them). 

 

My grandfather (1945~, father-father) at first stayed in the army until he gained the rank of first lieutenant – he was conscripted. After that, he started working for Matsushita (now Panasonic), which actually sold rice cookers, motor, radios, and all that stuff, though it eventually began to sell TVs. He divorced with my (father-mother) grandmother in 1984.

 

My great-grandmother (1920~) is still alive, though she honestly did not have an occupation back then. My father's actually to first one to leave Asia, in 1991.

 

My mom's side is vague, going as far back as to the 1920s. Really, almost all of them were farmers, some of them in Pingtung, some of them in Tainan, and some of them in Taitung and Hualien. My grandmother worked in a Daoist temple; my mother arrived in California in 1994. 

 

One of my great-grandfathers (father-mother-father) was a Taiya Aborigine, who lived in Central Taiwan before moving into the city of Taipei. And let's be honest...one or two of my relatives were Communist supporters, only they didn't want to fight.

Edited November 21, 2013 by Cartophile

[Twila Starshimmer 172]

I'm primarily German/Irish with sprinklings of Scottish, English, and Welsh thrown in!

[MrPandaa 204]

@

Wow, that's some interesting history you got going on there!  Someone's (or, more appropriately, several someones) has kept some pretty good records!

 

 

I'm primarily German/Irish with sprinklings of Scottish, English, and Welsh thrown in!

Hey, frien'!  You're Irish, German, and Scottish all thrown into one?  Co-ol!  Those are some of my most-fascinated-by cultures (I want to learn all three of those languages so badly).

[Twila Starshimmer 172]

@@MrPandaa, Yep! I know, I love to especially learn about Irish culture.   

[Anneal 2,197]

@

Wow, that's some interesting history you got going on there!  Someone's (or, more appropriately, several someones) has kept some pretty good records!

Well, not really. I'm not related to any famous person in the modern times, and my ancestors before 1991 have never stepped out of Asia. 

[MrPandaa 204]

Well, not really. I'm not related to any famous person in the modern times, and my ancestors before 1991 have never stepped out of Asia. 

Well, just 'cause not much happened doesn't make it uninteresting.  I think what I found interesting in it wasn't so much the events that occurred, or the people you are descended from, but the different setting that their history took place in, and the detail that you gave about their lives.  Most people give a few-sentence response, which is shorter, granted, but doesn't give anywhere near the same sense of depth as your longer history.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I like reading a detailed response in an interesting setting (I am fascinated by other cultures, and both China and Taiwan are certainly included on my list of interesting cultures.)

[Golurk 468]

Mostly French, German, and misc. I say misc. since my dad's side's got a bit of everything in it, from Irish and English to Native American and Greek. No African or Asian, though. At least, not that we've discovered. 

 

Mom's side is more interesting. It's debated whether they're technically German or not, but my great grandparents came to America from France some time in the early 1900's. They were raised French, but being in Alsace-Lorraine at the time meant beaucoup de confusion as to who was actually what. We just assume French, since that was the culture they continued to practice when they got here.

[LED Dasher 228]

I would like to add a few things. I can trace my ancestors' origins back to the Indus Valley Civilization, which was located in the area which is now known as modern day Pakistan and the state of Gujarat. It was located near the Indus river. It was at some point in time that a community of 1000 Audichya Sahastra Brahmins migrated to Gujarat. I know that my parents descended from that community.

 

The Indus Valley Civilization, or the Harappan Civilization, is believed to have existed from around 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE. It was a tecnologically advanced civilization with metropolitan cities like Mohenjo-Daro, its own system of mathematics, its own writing system, knowledge of engineering, and its own religion. It's really amazing to be able to trace your ancestry back to an ancient civilization.

Edited November 21, 2013 by LED Dasher

[GhostPony750 959]

I'm Irish, and probably english too. My family name is Synnett... Anyone know about this?

 

I know it comes from Senneth, which mean brave and victorious, But that is the only thing I could find. If you can find any info, it would be epic

[CornBreadGang 514]

I did a lot of research, and good Lord, I found a lot of places I'm from. Here goes. Please note these are not in order from least to greatest.

 

Irish,

German,

Native American,

Russian,

Chinese,

African,

Mexican,

Spanish,

French,

Swedish,

British,

And finally, the one I'm really proud of, I'm the last of the ancestors of the people who lived in Antarctica many years ago.

 

Yeah, I'm from everywhere. I'd tell you why, but that takes a lot of explaining.

[crazitaco 596]

Mostly mexican and spaniard blood in me. Also a bit of Scottish, but not much. I consider myself Hispanic since about 75% of me is mex/spaniard (it comes from both sides of my family) but I seriously look white. On my mom's side my grandpa is white (Scottish descent ) and my grandma is mexican (she looks it too) Dad's side, my grandma is mexican (but the pale spaniard kind) and I don't know what my other grandpa looked like but I think he was dark like my other grandma. Both my parents ended up being light skinned, and the of course I hate the sun and never get tans so yeahhh white mexican here, lol.

Edited November 21, 2013 by crazitaco

[MrPandaa 204]

 

 

Mostly French, German, and misc. I say misc. since my dad's side's got a bit of everything in it, from Irish and English to Native American and Greek. No African or Asian, though. At least, not that we've discovered. 

Woah, we've got an everybody person!  I believe you're the first one with nearly everything in him.

 

 

I would like to add a few things. I can trace my ancestors origins back to the Indus Valley Civilization, which was located in the area which is now known as modern day Pakistan and the state of Gujarat. It was located near the Indus river. It was at some point in time that a community of 1000 Audichya Sahastra Brahmins migrated to Gujarat. I know that my parents descended from that community.

 

The Indus Valley Civilization, or the Harappan Civilization, is believed to have existed from around 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE. It was a tecnologically advanced civilization with metropolitan cities like Mohenjo-Daro, its own system of mathematics, its own writing system, knowledge of engineering, and its own religion. It's really amazing to be able to trace your ancestry back to an ancient civilization.

Wow, that's some impressive genealogy there!  I think that my family has only been able to trace back to Charlemagne.  Indus Valley, eh?  That's cool.

 

 

I'm Irish, and probably english too. My family name is Synnett... Anyone know about this?

I know it comes from Senneth, which mean brave and victorious, But that is the only thing I could find. If you can find any info, it would be epic

Another Irishman!  I love the culture and myths of Ireland, and I really want to go there someday.  Unfortunately, I don't have any specialty in name genealogy.

 

 

I did a lot of research, and good Lord, I found a lot of places I'm from. Here goes. Please note these are not in order from least to greatest.

Irish,
German,
Native American,
Russian,
Chinese,
African,
Mexican,
Spanish,
French,
Swedish,
British,
And finally, the one I'm really proud of, I'm the last of the ancestors of the people who lived in Antarctica many years ago.

Yeah, I'm from everywhere. I'd tell you why, but that takes a lot of explaining.

Woah, another everybody!  I think you're from just about every one of the countries that I have become fascinated with over the years.  And last ancestor of the Antarctic Natives?  That's pretty awesome, not to mention a weight on your shoulders to, y'know, continue the line.

P.S. Pretty cool sig, bro.

 

Mostly mexican and spaniard blood in me. Also a bit of Scottish, but not much. I consider myself Hispanic since about 75% of me is mex/spaniard (it comes from both sides of my family) but I seriously look white. On my mom's side my grandpa is white (Scottish descent ) and my grandma is mexican (she looks it too) Dad's side, my grandma is mexican (but the pale spaniard kind) and I don't know what my other grandpa looked like but I think he was dark like my other grandma. Both my parents ended up being light skinned, and the of course I hate the sun and never get tans so yeahhh white mexican here, lol.

Un Mexicano blanco, eh?  Nunca me digo esto antes de ahora.  I hope that's right. I can theoretically speak Spanish at conversational fluency, but it's never really been tested yet.

[HoopHoof 137]

• Filipino
• French
• Spanish
• Possibly Japanese or Chinese (I won't be surprised if I was)

 

Though you can't see a lick of French in me xD

[MrPandaa 204]

 

• Filipino
• French
• Spanish
• Possibly Japanese or Chinese (I won't be surprised if I was)

 

Though you can't see a lick of French in me xD

 

That's cool.  You're our first Filipino, and one of few Frenchies.  I've wanted to learn Tagalog for a while now--do you know any?

[HoopHoof 137]

That's cool.  You're our first Filipino, and one of few Frenchies.  I've wanted to learn Tagalog for a while now--do you know any?

I am terrible at Taglog or any other Filipino language xD I understand it but I can only speak English.

 

I didn't particualrly grow up in Philippines and I have what Filipino's would call an "international school student" accent which is a mess of some kind of weird american accent with some other junk xD

Edited November 21, 2013 by HoopHoof

[MrPandaa 204]

I am terrible at Taglog or any other Filipino language xD I understand it but I can only speak English.

 

I didn't particualrly grew up in Philippines and I have what Filipino's would call an "international school student" accent which is a mess of some kind of weird american accent with some other junk xD

I gotcha.  It's difficult to learn a language you don't group up around.

[Nulln 755]

Don't know much, because my dad was adopted, but he's like Mexican.  

 

But on my other side I'm Cherokee, another tribe from Oklahoma that is 3 letters long that I forgot the name XD, Scottish, Irish, French, some other things I forget, and the farthest we've been traced is back to German nobility.  But the family named got changed when they moved to America.

Mostly mexican and spaniard blood in me. Also a bit of Scottish, but not much. I consider myself Hispanic since about 75% of me is mex/spaniard (it comes from both sides of my family) but I seriously look white. On my mom's side my grandpa is white (Scottish descent ) and my grandma is mexican (she looks it too) Dad's side, my grandma is mexican (but the pale spaniard kind) and I don't know what my other grandpa looked like but I think he was dark like my other grandma. Both my parents ended up being light skinned, and the of course I hate the sun and never get tans so yeahhh white mexican here, lol.

HAHAHA, no one ever believes I'm Mexican, because I'm so pale and have blue eyes XD

[MrPandaa 204]

 

 

But on my other side I'm Cherokee, another tribe from Oklahoma that is 3 letters long that I forgot the name XD, Scottish, Irish, French, some other things I forget, and the farthest we've been traced is back to German nobility.  But the family named got changed when they moved to America.

Is the name of the tribe, perchance, Kaw?  German nobility, eh?  I think you're the first to be from that descent.

[Nulln 755]

Is the name of the tribe, perchance, Kaw?  German nobility, eh?  I think you're the first to be from that descent.

No idea at all what the tribe's name is.  My great-great- grandma lived in a time where it was bad to be native american, so she always claimed to be white (she was full indian, and you could tell, lol), so anything from that heritage was lost through the generations.  Really sad, actually.

 

And yup, German nobility.   That is pretty cool.  I wish I was still nobility, now I'm living below the poverty line.  XD