Is john hanncock irish?

Question

please answer its a project
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Answer 1

Some assume he was Irish because his family immigrated FROM Ireland. And you may see him listed as "Irish" OR "Scottish", which can be extremely confusing.

The truth is, he is of SCOTTISH origin, but this group is often called "Scotch-Irish" and "Ulster Irish" because of where they lived just before coming to America.

More accurate and helpful is the term -- "Ulster Scot".

This group of Border Scots (Presbyterians) emigrated to the American colonies, mostly in the first part of the 18th century ("the Great Emigration") for both religious and economic reasons. Prior to this they had mostly been planted in Ulster by the British (though some were native to Ireland).

Note then the "Scotch Irish" or "Ulster Irish" --though they emigrated from Ireland-- are a VERY different group from the 19th century Irish Catholic immigrants. In fact, MOST of the "Irish" folks involved in the founding of the U.S. were Ulster Scots.

Hancock's family, more specifically, was from County Down (in Ulster).