Is there a difference between nationality and heritage?

Question

I've always thought that nationality is what country you are a part of and heritage is where you came from. (Like I'm an American but my ancestors were European.) But everytime someone asks me my nationality and I say American, they actually wanted to know my heritage. I'm just curious to know if there really is a difference.

Answer 1

I agree with you. Nationality just means what nation you are a member of. Heritage refers to the past, so it would be where your ancestors came from.

If someone asks you your nationality and you say American, then that makes sense.


Quote:

"Yes there is a diferance. And you have it right.
Do not feel bad that others are illerate"

Ouch.

Another quote:

"Most people are confused on this issue. Your nationality is the country in which your birth certificate was issued."

That's not correct. If I was born in Kenya, and was issued a birth certificate there, and I moved to the U.S. when I was a baby and became a U.S. citizen, then my nationality would be American. Why would my nationality be Kenyan? I don't know that place. I grew up since before I can remember in the U.S., I am a citizen of the country, I have an American passport, etc. My nationality is American. Why? Because I live in the U.S. and I am legally a citizen of the U.S. Maybe my parents were American and just happened to be living in Kenya a couple of years.

Answer 2

Most people are confused on this issue. Your nationality is the country in which your birth certificate was issued. So if you were born in Seattle, you are American. But your ancestors might have been come from Korea, that would be your heritage. In some countries (Canada), they hyphenate, so born in Seattle of Korean ancestry would make you a Korean-American. But this creates divisions within the population and since America proclaims itself to be the world's melting pot divisions are unacceptable. So you're an American.

Answer 3

It depends on where you are. In the United States, when someone asks our nationality, we give them a laundry list of where our ancestors came from, i.e. "I'm half Irish, one-eighth French Canadian, one-eighth Indian, and a quarter Polish."
In other words, we treat nationality and heritage as the same thing, but everywhere else, they make a distinction.

Overseas, we would be expected to say that our nationality is "American."

Answer 4

There is, its a subtle one but, ones that's disappearing now.
Nationality should be what nation you come from (if you're born in America, you're an American).
Heritage should be where your ancestors came from (any generation before your own counts).
Today there's a blurring of the terms but, that's generally the breakdown. If people keep confusing the two, maybe ask which it is when they ask.

Answer 5

Nationality is a relationship between a person and their state of origin, culture, association, affiliation and/or loyalty. Heritage refers to something which is inherited from one's ancestors

Answer 6

You're right.
I was born and i live in the USA, so my nationality is American.
My heritage is Irish, Italian, Palestinian and Syrian, because my family is from Ireland, Italy, Palestine and Syria.
However, most of the time people ask "whats your nationality?" and they mean "where's your family from?"
You should just clarify with the people who ask you what they mean. -- that's what i always do.

Answer 7

I always thought the same thing, nationality for where you are, heritage for where you're from

Answer 8

your nationality is the country you are from, like in american, your heritage is where you "come from" your ethinicity (sorry im sure i misspelled that ) yes there is a difference, you can basically have one nationality, unless you claim two countries,,, your heritage could be like mine, native american/welsh/dutch/spanish/korean/french

Answer 9

Nationality - the country of your delivery or the place you carry citizenship. In some international locations resident extraterrestrial beings can won a passport, yet their nationality would not exchange. history according to the dictionary her·it·age ? ?[her-i-tij] instruct IPA noun a million. something that comes or belongs to a minimum of one by utilising reason of delivery; an inherited lot or element: a history of poverty and suffering; a countrywide history of honor, satisfaction, and braveness. 2. something reserved for one: the history of the righteous. 3. regulation a. something that has been or could be inherited by utilising criminal descent or succession. b. any belongings, fantastically land, that devolves by utilising desirable of inheritance.

Answer 10

I think of it the same way. I am from the USA but my ANCESTORS are from Ireland and England...
Other people might take it differently. Everyone always thinks different things.
I guess it just depends... :)
I don't think I really helped... :) Sorry!