Americans - a bunch of Germans?

[Gangerolf]

Guten Tag

Yes yes, I know it says "largest population", not "majority".

Anyway me finds it interesting. It's the largest ancestry in 26 states. Lots of Germans. That might explain all the French bashing.and all the invasions of other countries.


Also interesting that Utah is "English" (where did the Mormons come from?). And it seems like many whites in the south are simply of "American" decent. I suppose that's because many there have less recent immigrant roots than elsewhere.

Bitte diskutieren.

[Ecthy]

Now you owe us an explanation for your behaviour in 1917

[JohnT]

And it seems like many whites in the south are simply of "American" decent. I suppose that's because many there have less recent immigrant roots than elsewhere.

Original descendants of the South are usually English in ancestry. The "American" designation shows the profound migration to the South that has occurred since 1950 - what the chart is essentially saying is that there are more people from other parts of the US living there than there are descendants of the original settlers.

The NE retains much of it's "ethnicity" for the same reason, just reversed - other than major population centers (NYC, Boston) people just don't choose to live there permanently.

I'm not too sure how it would work if a Finnish family, living in Connecticut for 250 years, would move to Atlanta. I'm thinking that for the purposes of the map they would be considered "Finnish" in CT but "American" in GA.

[BeBMan]

Didn't the Kaiserreich try to get Texas or something?

[TheStinger]

very few americans would say they had english ancestory if they managed to have a more "interesting" ancestor. E.G. someone could have 7 great grandparents who were english and 1 who was I Irish, I bet they would say they were Irish

[Japher]

I'm your typical European American mutt. Yet, my surname uses "Van" so I just tell people I'm dutch and no I don't trade and tulip bulbs or slaves... anymore

[Patroklos]

heh, I like how African is the only one that gets an "American" behind it.

I can't really take it seriously though with the South being devoid of Irish, which make up probobly the majority of the white population.

[lord of the mark]

Sorry john T. look at Florida - lots of Germans - those are mainly midwesterners whove moved south.

I think the OP had it right - those "americans" are people who have roots going back to the 18th c or earlier, and they were a pretty mixed group back then - scots-irish - IE scots who had settled in Northern Ireland and then moved to America - except some were actually English borderers who moved from N Ireland to America. No wonder they just put down "americans" esp when they often also have english, scots, irish, welsh, german, American Indian, and black ancestry.

English, cause theyre spread out, so mixed with others, been around so long dont show up much - except in Utah, where lots of Brit mormons went in the 19th century, and where lots of the americans came from parts of New England and New York that were heavily English.

Note that several counties in upper new england, that received few celtic fringe immigrants in the 18th c, and that had little new migration in the 19th (unlike southern new england) still show as english.

[MarkG]

the map is not telling the whole truth. "germans" might be the biggest ancestry by a very small margin
what about overall numbers? percentage/ancestry on the whole county?

[BeBMan]

So the US was made by Eurocoms, who'd have thought that *hides*

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by MarkG
the map is not telling the whole truth. "germans" might be the biggest ancestry by a very small margin
what about overall numbers? percentage/ancestry on the whole county?

Yup. Look at Minnesota. Not a single Swedish county.

Suppose a county in Minnesota was 40% German, 25% Norwegian, 35% Swedish. It would show up as a German county.

Similarly, a county that was 40% German, 30% English, 15% Scotch, 15% Welsh. Despite having a "WASP" majority, it would show up as German.

Or a county that was 35% English, and 20% "American" but 45% German. Despite most of those who put down American being WASP for most purposes, it would show up as German.

OTOH suppose the Census made Bavarian, Prussian, Rhenish etc available as choices, and German was chosen only be those who didnt know their specific origin - the number of German counties would shrink.

[DanS]

I can't really take it seriously though with the South being devoid of Irish, which make up probobly the majority of the white population.

Scotch Irish, if you please.

[Grandpa Troll]

My family is from Maine and on my Grandfathers side (Dad's), Deutche and Grandmother (Dad's side) Prince Edward Island-(Canada)

Mom's side was Irish

Thats explains me both being a bit hot headed (Irish), Love Great Food and have some admirable Qualities (Deutche) aand as for the Canadian side..Love Hockey ,Bachman Turner Overdrive, Rush and Mackenzie Borthers & of course Tukes

[Dinner]

Most this is based upon last names. The problem is this doesn't equal ethnicity. Most of the German immigrants were men who came looking for work who then married local girls whose sons also married local girls whose sons... You get the picture. The problem with saying these people are German based on their last names is that these people are really only 1/8 or 1/4 German. Yet they still get classified as German.

[Lul Thyme]

Also, always be wary when maps are used to show things like that.
You are representing population with area, but each piece of area does not represent the same population.
This can be very misleading.
All the mid western states look impressive on a map but they are not much on the US population scale...