Do all Americans know their origin?

Answer 1

I don't know about all of Americans, but I am third generation American. My family is from Sweden. ( just so you know; not all blacks came from Africa)

Answer 2

NO. Especially not in the South, or in the West, unless they come from the North/North East....

People in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York most likely can trace their origin.

Many in the NY/NJ area are from relatively recent immigrants, and have tried very hard to maintain and remember their roots.

I've always known that I am Irish, German and Italian in origin.
My grandmothers are only second generation from Germany and Italy, my Irish goes back a bit further stemming from the mass emigration from the potato famine.
I retain my Irish name, and I'd love to go visit Ireland and meet others with my last name, I would love to go to Germany and Italy one day as well and look up all my families names.

It's true what the guy above me said, in most places in America, they have no clue at all what their nationality is because it goes back so far.
But many in the South have Scottish, Dutch, Swedish, Irish, English roots. You can even see their English heritage by their physical characteristics (vanilla) -- As well as the more telling sir names.

You look in a Phone directory in the NY/NJ or Boston area, You see a majority of Irish and Italian last names.
You do the same, say in Alabama or Georgia, you get English names.
You go to the West and it's a mixed bag and most don't bother to trace origin anymore. All they have are their sir names to wonder about....

Answer 3

No I don't think so. Just like the majority of the earth's population. I have a grandson who is a heinz 57.he is a first generation American. He has lots of European blood. Being part English, Irish, Welsh,Slavish, Hungarian,Russian,Polish but I am proud of the fact he has chippawa blood too.

Answer 4

No I seriously doubt they know their TRUE origin.
Most claim one that they romantically want to be true.
The amount of Americans who claim Scottish ancestry AND descent from Macbeth never cease to amaze me.
They`re so ashamed of being JUST Americans they ALWAYS have to be something else :- German-Irish ,Scotch-American (it`s SCOTS - scotch is a drink) ,Pennsylvania-Dutch (typical ignorance - the Amish are of German NOT Dutch descent) ,Italian-American ,African-American etc.
You`re so proud of your country but so ashamed to just BE Americans .....

Answer 5

I'm white , Cherokee, Blackfoot, Shawnee,and other of native American blood. on both grandmothers and grandfathers side of the family. we do not have one certain skin color ,some of us are lite skin,some dark skin ,nearly all of us has high cheekbones or wide faces. and yes i have proof of what i wrote , just in case someone has something foolish to say or to write about it,.ever body out there just do research on your families history, don't put people down because of ''skin color'' p.s most of my white ancestors came to America in 1660 some sooner and some later . and yes i do know where they came from.

Answer 6

People in New York all know their origins. When I was a kid, people would always ask "what nationality are you?" and other people would always answer. but if you go to places like Missouri or Kentucky and asked people that, many of them would have no idea what you were talking about. They think they have been there forever.

Answer 7

I think some know the majority of their origin- for example, I'm mostly german. But I also have scottish, irish, native american, and several others. But if someone asks, I'm 'mostly german'. I think most of us know that much.

Answer 8

Yes...I'm a mutt. Dutch, Swedish, Irish, English and Cherokee.

Answer 9

No african americans dont becuase they were enslaved by whites. All they know is that their from some part of Africa. Thats a strong loss of their culture

Answer 10

I was watching a TV program called "how English are you" which they was testing peoples blood and seeing where there blood stemmed from there was English people with west Asian blood etc....Sorry can't find many links "Very interesting question"