Question about heritage/ethnicity

[BlackPuppy]

This is confusing! I am an American citizen, and my mother's side goes back to the Dutch and New Amsterdam/New Netherlands in the 1600's. My father's side is more recently from Germany in the 1800's. I consider my heritage German and Dutch. I think the term used most often is "ancestry". "I am from German and Dutch ancestry." C'est vrai?

[Lyzelle]

I was born in America. But that's about it. Although sometimes I feel like there was a mixup and I should have been Canadian.

But my mom's side is all mixed up, but pretty typical. I think we traced it back to the war, but from there most records are lost. Mostly River Rats and poor business folk(school teachers, tax collectors, side farmers, etc). On her dad's side, it's unknown. Her adoptive dad's side is very obviously Norwegian/Swedish, and really close up too.

My dad's side is Native American, not sure on the tribe. My grandmother was NA/French, though, so I think that makes me an 1/8th or something?

My adoptive dad is where things really get interesting. He was born to a more prestigious(?) family in England, but the woman wasn't married at the time. Paul was adopted out to an American military family from Mississippi. He tried doing some digging when he got older into his mother, contacting his mother, the family, etc, but every time he'd open that door, we'd start getting threatening phone calls at 3am and such.

Fun fact: English royalty don't like their illegitimate children snooping.

He was definitely Southern, though, no matter where he was born.

But that's it for me. I don't say I'm NA, French, English, or anything. Mostly I'm from a bunch of poor River Rats who made their living on the Wabash River. (Ewww).

I'm a mutt!

[sillysally]

So how does it work if you are mixed race? Do you (general) put down the race you look most like physically or the one you most identify with?

[Fran101]

Originally Posted by sillysally

So how does it work if you are mixed race? Do you (general) put down the race you look most like physically or the one you most identify with?

I usually put "other" if there is an "other" option.
Sometimes there is a mixed option even

For my college applications I always put "other". Didn't stop them from putting me on all the diversity pamphlets though lol

[Lyzelle]

DH is black on his mother's side, Italian/Jamaican on his dad's side. It's kinda neat.

He generally always goes with just "mixed", though. If anyone asks, he elaborates. But only because everyone seems to think he's Mexican. (??)

[Fran101]

Originally Posted by Lyzelle

DH is black on his mother's side, Italian/Jamaican on his dad's side. It's kinda neat.

He generally always goes with just "mixed", though. If anyone asks, he elaborates. But only because everyone seems to think he's Mexican. (??)

Everyone always thinks I'm Mexican too maybe that's like the go to random race you're assigned if people don't know.

I always get mexican or morrocan.
Copper skin, dark hair, brown eyes. People tend to just guess.

[Renee750il]

I have friends here who are from Chuuk, an island in Micronesia. Their kids keep getting told they're "Mexican" in school -- like they don't know where their father and uncles are all from, and haven't been back to visit several times during their lifetimes

[Pops2]

Originally Posted by milos_mommy

If your grandmother was 100% native American, Native American IS the appropriate box. The appropriate box isn't what your skin color most closely resembles, it's who your ancestors are.

that is only 1/4 First Nation, most nations won't allow you to enroll as a full member at that low of a percentage and the fed will not recognize you as native american if you can't enroll w/ one of the nations.

[Renee750il]

I've got several friends and acquaintances who are in the Book at 25%, Pops, but that's all Cherokee around here.

[Romy]

What % is accepted depends on the tribe. Pasqua Yaqui will accept you at 25%. Some tribes want to be in contact anyway because they like to keep track of where the people of their lineage end up even when they're low percentage.