What's your ethnic backgrounds? Italian, african, spanish, czech, and etc?
This may not be the typical everyday thread but it interests me. My grandmother is very heavily into genealogy and although she considers herself Irish, she was very surprised at what she found! Her grandmother was from Ireland and so was was her forefathers, but before that we had a Cuban ancestor who married in with our Swedish ancestors! And I'm not sure if it's that they immigrated to Ireland and started marrying the Irish or what. I can't remember. Plus, unfortunately my grandmother is not pleased about the Cuban part and tries to downplay it. Personally, I feel it's great! And O' what a combination!
So on my mom's side I am Irish, Swedish, Cuban, and German and Irish. (I state Irish twice because the German Irish part is from my grandfather.)
On my dad's side, I'm Italian-Czech-Scottish. Our scottish ancestors had a castle in Scotland, as the story goes, and some immigrated to Italy (I'm not sure why, exactly) and we started producing plenty of Italians. Thus, my dad's grandfather and his wife were straight from the boat (Ellis Island, anyone? I'm from New York!) and had my dad's father, Salvatore. He married a Czechslovakian, who was my grandmother (I never met her.) It's not Czechslovakia now but it's where she was from and I won't call it anything else. Plus Dad told me awhile ago we have a Blackfoot indian princess ancestor, who married one of the italians?
It seems on both sides we're said to have all of this royalty. I'll bet this is similar for everyone.
So it's an interesting mix. I am very fascinated by stuff like this. Where are your ancestors from?
Last edited by Fat Melanie; 09-30-2008 at 12:01 PM.
I have done some research... I am Polish/Czech back about 7 generations then before that my ancestors were in Russia or a neighboring area controlled by Russia.
- Elliott
Last edited by BldBlue1966; 09-30-2008 at 12:07 PM.
Reason: Spelling..lol
Wowsers - who would have thought? Nice to find out that we partly share our backgrounds. I am 100% Czech, I moved to Canada after the Velvet Revolution but before Czechoslovakia split and the Czechs and Slovaks went their separate ways.
I always wonder if people who have similar ethnic backgrounds are in any way distantly related to me. It's possible! You two may be my very distant cousins on your Czech and Italian sides. You never know.
From my mom's side: German, English, Scottish
From my dad's side: Mostly Scottish
Off the record, though, we know that SOMEONE did some fooling around. I have a carrier gene that is pretty much only found in Mediterranean populations. I also look somewhat Mediterranean...so much so that, when I was born, the doctors kept testing me for jaundice because they didn't expect my warmer skin tones from my cool-toned parents. I DO look just like my parents, though, so I know I wasn't switched at birth! So it's a little mystery.
Where in Italy are your Italian relatives from? On my mother's side, we're Sicilian and on my father's, we're Neopolitan.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fat Melanie
Cool, guys!
I always wonder if people who have similar ethnic backgrounds are in any way distantly related to me. It's possible! You two may be my very distant cousins on your Czech and Italian sides. You never know.
I research this stuff. But I'm a big mix. Mostly Swedish, English and German. But also some Scottish and Irish, Dutch, wee bit of French. Maybe some Spanish, haven't tracked that possibility down yet, might be nothing.
Mandalinn, that's an interesting story! Might be worth doing a little investigation on. Although it takes a lot of work. My grandma has been doing genealogy for years. I attempted to do it to find out about my father's side and it was a very long process.
KLK- my grandfather was Sicilian Italian. Dark skinned, dark haired, as is my dad.
Although I read something about Italians were fair skinned, fair haired until they were conquered by some group who obviously started mating with them. (I sound like I'm talking about animals on the discovery channel!) And thus they became the dark haired dark skinned people that people usually associate with Italians. And a lot of people forget about the northern italians who are fair and light skinned!
I find all stuff like that pretty interesting. A lot of people are really mutts. *proud Mutt*
Mom's side: 100% Irish
Dad's side: German, English, and Cherokee
I'm actually a registered member of the Cherokee nation in Oklahoma - I'm 1/8th Cherokee and the last generation in my family eligible to be registered as a Native American.
I have genealogies on both sides of my family going back to the 1400s which is really kind of cool, considering I'm a history geek.
When I went to Ellis Island this past winter, I found my mother's great-great grandfather's name on the wall of immigrants on the Island.
Mandalinn - That is funny! When I met Cottagebythesea (SBD moderator), first thing I thought was that her coloring is exactly like my mothers. Cottage is Italian. My mom is Mexican. When I looked up my Mom's last name though, it comes out as an Italian name, not a Mexican one! Its so weird so maybe some Italians migrated to Mexico. My mom also has some Native American, Chilean and Spanish (beyond the Mexican). My dad is French, Native American, Irish and English.Mom's mom grew up on Native American land (not quite a reservation though). Dad's Grandma lived on an Indian Reservation her entire life.
I've had quite a few people ask me if I'm Italian/Greek or otherwise Mediterranean.
What's your ethnic backgrounds? Italian, african, spanish, czech, and etc?
