# What nationality(s) are you?



## Cadillac J (Jan 8, 2012)

I've always curious about people's backgrounds (not on the forums specifically, but in life in general), especially those who celebrate their nationality/heritage in some way.

Polish(50%), Ukrainian(25%) and Scottish(25%)

Our family only really celebrates the Polish side, as I grew up with homemade dishes from my grandmother/ma/aunts.

What about you guys?


----------



## Pabloz (Jan 8, 2012)

Moravian 50%, now Czech Republic, BRNO area, and Lebanese 50% making me the only Polish-Camel Jockey anywhere. Family reunions only on the Moravian side and food traditions, handed down recipes, only on the Lebanese side.....bipolar family...you know. All that then mixed into the US Southwest cultural traditions.


----------



## apicius9 (Jan 8, 2012)

100% German. On my father's side there seems to be a longer line of rural farmers around the area where my parents still live - atcually, my family still lives in the house that my grandma was born in. On my mother's side it's more colorful with some French hugenottes, some Slowenian, some Austrian, some Bohemian.

Stefan


----------



## HHH Knives (Jan 8, 2012)

German, Syrian and a few other things thrown into the mix.. like spices. A touch of American Indian, and a splash of Irish.. with just a pinch of Michigan red neck! 

AS far as food, I grew up eating Syrian and middle eastern stuff like Kiba nehe and stuffed grape leaves, shadobe, and lamb and rice. etc, etc. (im sure my spelling is wrong on a few of these) This side of the family gathers often and enjoys the traditional foods.. Recipes past down from generation to generation. I cook a few of these dishes throughout the year to hold us over till we get to really chow down on the good stuff at the family get together's!


----------



## Eamon Burke (Jan 8, 2012)

Irish. Back to the 12th century. From Galway.

My family has been in America about 80-90 years, but has only found other Irish family. My mother's mother's mother's side is part Cajun somehow. Basically not related.


----------



## jm2hill (Jan 8, 2012)

50% South African 50% English. With some roots in Lithuania. 

Feel 100% South African. It will always be my home.


----------



## markk (Jan 8, 2012)

polish/italian 50/50


----------



## 99Limited (Jan 8, 2012)

50% German from my mother's side, Welsh, Scot/Irish on my father's side.


----------



## EdipisReks (Jan 8, 2012)

i'm unsure of my mother's side, but on my father's side it's German by way of England.


----------



## PierreRodrigue (Jan 8, 2012)

50% english on moms side. Dads side is French Canadian back to 1647 before that Portuguese, when great-great... Granddaddy, left as the roman catholic council to the king of Portugal, married some French noble lady, and caught the next boat to the new world! Gotta love drama!


----------



## Johnny.B.Good (Jan 8, 2012)

I'm not as interesting as many of you. English roots on both sides (fifth generation Californian on my mother's side).


----------



## WildBoar (Jan 8, 2012)

75% Italian, 25% Hungarian. Grew up w/ a lot of Italian-American food. Hungarian was largely limited to boiled cabbage, which I hated as a kid and still will not go near :cool2:

Been spending the last few years learning as much as I can about 'real' italian food.


----------



## EdipisReks (Jan 8, 2012)

Johnny.B.Good said:


> I'm not as interesting as many of you. English roots on both sides (fifth generation Californian on my mother's side).



if we're counting here on the US, both sides of my family were 4th or 5th (i can't keep them straight) Floridian. i was born in Tennessee, on my parent's way back to Florida from New England, so i broke the pattern.


----------



## Johnny.B.Good (Jan 8, 2012)

EdipisReks said:


> if we're counting here on the US, both sides of my family were 4th or 5th (i can't keep them straight) Floridian.



Wow. That's pretty interesting that both sides would have such deep roots in Florida. Not as interesting is the fact that my grandparents (father's side) retired to Florida from Michigan. As a result, I have been visiting Vero Beach every so often since I was a small boy. Fun place to visit (the state, not necessarily Vero Beach), but not sure I could take it year round.


----------



## ecchef (Jan 8, 2012)

100% New Jersey!


----------



## EdipisReks (Jan 8, 2012)

Johnny.B.Good said:


> Wow. That's pretty interesting that both sides would have such deep roots in Florida. Not as interesting is the fact that my grandparents (father's side) retired to Florida from Michigan. As a result, I have been visiting Vero Beach every so often since I was a small boy. Fun place to visit (the state, not necessarily Vero Beach), but not sure I could take it year round.



you only wouldn't want to live there year round because of all the Yankees who visit.


----------



## sachem allison (Jan 8, 2012)

Menominee father and Vietnamese mother.


----------



## lowercasebill (Jan 8, 2012)

Pennsylvania Dutch,[ which is actually German] back to the 1770's on my fathers side. 3 Maternal grandparents were German immigrants , late 1800's one was english . . they did not speak english at my maternal grandfathers house until he went to kindegarten . i was about 50 when Mom went to the retirement community and gave me her recipe box and cookie cutters ,, first christmas i made the cookies i noticed the cutter for the cinnamon stars were stars of David! Mom? care to explain ?.. she said they were her great grandmothers and her maiden name was German yiddish for theif . And ... yes scrapple is really made from the scraps no mater what the websites say..


----------



## Eamon Burke (Jan 8, 2012)

lowercasebill said:


> Pennsylvania Dutch,[ which is actually German] back to the 1770's on my fathers side.



Pennsylvania Dutch! Clever cookers, those folks.


----------



## jmforge (Jan 8, 2012)

German, Irish on my dads side. Scotch-Irish, English on my moms. Originally from eastern Kentucky. No big surprise with that ethnic mix.


----------



## ejd53 (Jan 8, 2012)

Fun topic. I do my family's genealogy as my hobby. Mother's side is all Scottish (both her parents were born there and came over in the early 1900's), from around the Dundee and Glasgow areas (and back to Scottish royalty, through about 6 different name changes). Father's side is Belgian, Irish and Scottish on his father's side and English, German and ultimately Scottish (through New England and Nova Scotia) on his mother's side. So yup, I'm basically Heinz 57, with a large dash of Scotch.


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy (Jan 8, 2012)

Born and raised in Lancaster PA, but 100% American white boy. I know, not interesting.


----------



## bikehunter (Jan 8, 2012)

Father's side, Irish to the core (but I don't like cabbage either). Mother's side English/Kiowa. Basically...Californian. <g>


----------



## apicius9 (Jan 8, 2012)

AFKitchenknivesguy said:


> Born and raised in Lancaster PA, but 100% American white boy. I know, not interesting.



I like it out there. The Amish actually do some of the meat cuts I grew up with in Germany, and their produce isvery good quality. Mhh, there is actually a university in West Chester PA that is looking for someone like me, I could move in with Dave 

Stefan


----------



## Marko Tsourkan (Jan 8, 2012)

100% Ukrainian, thought I have lived outside Ukraine for over 20 years now, first in Germany and then in the US.

Consider myself a New Yorker (I lived in the city for over 15 years before moving to Westchester county, but would move back to NYC in a heartbeat) - Giants fan and married to a Chinese-American. 

Now, how about them Giants! 

M


----------



## stevenStefano (Jan 8, 2012)

I guess I'm 100% Northern Irish. Sorta funny that it's the other way round with me, I have quite a lot of distant relatives in Canada whom I've always been thinking of visiting but never have


----------



## RRLOVER (Jan 8, 2012)

I am 100% Midwest American........My four grand parents are all Italian immigrants.


----------



## SpikeC (Jan 8, 2012)

I'm mostly German with a dash of Irish. My family has been in Oregon for 3 or 4 generations. Grampa Cornelius drove stage coach from the valley to the coast for a living, his pop fit the injuns at battle rock near Bandon.


----------



## welshstar (Jan 8, 2012)

Ive always found it interesting that Americans never say they are actually American !!

They are always Polish/Irish/Itaian/Norwegian or whatever.

Why dont Americans say they are American ?


----------



## bikehunter (Jan 8, 2012)

welshstar said:


> Ive always found it interesting that Americans never say they are actually American !!
> 
> They are always Polish/Irish/Itaian/Norwegian or whatever.
> 
> Why dont Americans say they are American ?



That was the first thing that came to my mind, but I thought the first posts were not in that spirit. I think we all know we are Americans first. Shrug


----------



## Lucretia (Jan 8, 2012)

I'm a crabby little old fat woman. You can find us in every country. We all look alike.


----------



## bikehunter (Jan 8, 2012)

Bwahaha...love it! ;-)


----------



## SpikeC (Jan 8, 2012)

We love you, Lucretia!


----------



## PierreRodrigue (Jan 8, 2012)

Even more if you can cook like any of the little old fat ladys, whose food I have had the pleasure of sampling!


----------



## Andrew H (Jan 8, 2012)

50% Irish, 12.5% Spanish, 12.5% English, then basically every other European country. 

Marko: How 'bout them Giants indeed. Nicks lighting it up!


----------



## Eamon Burke (Jan 8, 2012)

welshstar said:


> Ive always found it interesting that Americans never say they are actually American !!
> 
> They are always Polish/Irish/Itaian/Norwegian or whatever.
> 
> Why dont Americans say they are American ?




Because I'm not. SachemAllison, however, is. 

My family came over here not long ago, and didn't associate with people outside of a small part of South Boston until my generation.

If I wasn't Irish, I'd wish to be. If I couldn't be, I'd want to be an American Native.


----------



## shankster (Jan 8, 2012)

Born and raised in Canada.My parents,sisters and other relatives emigrated from(what is now known as Macedonia) in the late 50's..


----------



## sachem allison (Jan 8, 2012)

johndoughy said:


> Because I'm not. SachemAllison, however, is.
> 
> My family came over here not long ago, and didn't associate with people outside of a small part of South Boston until my generation.
> 
> If I wasn't Irish, I'd wish to be. If I couldn't be, I'd want to be an American Native.


I don't need to say I'm American, we were here first and we didn't call it America.lol We called it "ahki.heh" which just meant Land.


----------



## Eamon Burke (Jan 8, 2012)

Word. More accurately, I'd wanna be tonkawa.


----------



## sachem allison (Jan 8, 2012)

johndoughy said:


> Word. More accurately, I'd wanna be tonkawa.



Yeah, I have known a few of those badasses back on fort Oakland.


----------



## jmforge (Jan 8, 2012)

welshstar said:


> Ive always found it interesting that Americans never say they are actually American !!
> 
> They are always Polish/Irish/Itaian/Norwegian or whatever.
> 
> Why dont Americans say they are American ?


. Because American is not yet nor arguably has it ever been a true ethnicity. It is more like belonging to a political club with pretty open membership standards.


----------



## kalaeb (Jan 9, 2012)

German, Scottish, English, Norweigan....I could probably go on for a while, lets just call it eclectic.


----------



## mr drinky (Jan 9, 2012)

About 75% Norwegian...and the rest is from those infidel countries like Denmark, Sweden, and Germany. 

Btw, my Grandfather was a good chunk Norwegian Sami (Eskimo). I don't know how I declare that. 

k.


----------



## sachem allison (Jan 9, 2012)

mr drinky said:


> About 75% Norwegian...and the rest is from those infidel countries like Denmark, Sweden, and Germany.
> 
> Btw, my Grandfather was a good chunk Norwegian Sami (Eskimo). I don't know how I declare that.
> 
> k.


the best part.:thumbsup:


----------



## mr drinky (Jan 9, 2012)

sachem allison said:


> the best part.:thumbsup:



Good one. 

The strange thing is that when my Grandfather's family was 'relocated' and taught how to be civilized, the Norwegians taught them music. And too this day that side of the family is exceptionally musical (not a bad thing IMO). I'm a handful of violins, several decades, and a ocean removed from those cold-livin' ancestors. 

k.


----------



## JBroida (Jan 9, 2012)

russian and lithuanian (and i guess a little polish)... 3rd generation Californian on both sides of the family. 4th or 5th generation american depending on what side of the family. Funny thing is my parents both met in CA, but both families are from ohio.


----------



## maxim (Jan 9, 2012)

100 % russian but lived most of my life in Denmark


----------



## Mike Davis (Jan 9, 2012)

100% Michigan smartass. When i am not that, i am 50% Irish and 50% Cherokee indian.


----------



## mano (Jan 9, 2012)

Depending on who succeeded in invading who during the past three centuries, in no particular order I'm part Russian, Czech, Hungarian, Mongolian, Slovak, Ukrainian, Belarus and Polish.


----------



## Eaglewood (Jan 9, 2012)

Irish (family name was Riley) French and Indian ( Apache)
Ate good ole southwestern food but now its all open game!!!


----------



## ejd53 (Jan 9, 2012)

johndoughy said:


> Because I'm not. SachemAllison, however, is.
> 
> My family came over here not long ago, and didn't associate with people outside of a small part of South Boston until my generation.
> 
> If I wasn't Irish, I'd wish to be. If I couldn't be, I'd want to be an American Native.



Where in Southy did your family live? My great grandfather first "settled" in South Boston when he came over from Belgium. I grew up in that area and was a member of the South Boston Boys Club as a kid.


----------



## Lucretia (Jan 9, 2012)

EdipisReks said:


> if we're counting here on the US, both sides of my family were 4th or 5th (i can't keep them straight) Floridian. i was born in Tennessee, on my parent's way back to Florida from New England, so i broke the pattern.



Do you have any "hurrican of '26" stories? It blew the entire roof off my great-grandmother's house except for over the kitchen. The story is that poor old great granny got pretty hacked off when everyone was packed in the kitchen and all the kids started whinging about being hungry and wanting her to cook something in the midst of a hurricane.


----------



## 9mmbhp (Jan 9, 2012)

As my parents drilled into me and my siblings: we are Americans by nationality and Korean by ancestry/racial extraction.

Great-grandparents were part of the "Ilse" Korean emigration to Hawaii in 1902 and 1903. Sadly, I have very little connection to Korea or Korean culture. As the joke went in high school, I'm a banana: yellow on the outside, white on the inside.

PS: How 'bout those Tebows, err... Broncos! :groucho:


----------



## joec (Jan 9, 2012)

Mother's side is English & Cherokee, Father's side is Italian, Hungarian. Last name is Italian.


----------



## echerub (Jan 9, 2012)

100% Chinese, though as I'm learning these days that's still pretty broad. There's some definite regionalism going on there. Cantonese/Hongkongese parents, to be exact ... though I'm occasionally reminded that my dad's side comes from a particular county/region in Canton - even more sub-regionalism.

Born and raised as a Canadian. Like Americans, we generally don't state we're Canadian but respond about where our ancestral roots were from. (Possible exception: at international hockey tournaments)


----------



## WildBoar (Jan 9, 2012)

echerub said:


> (Possible exception: at international hockey tournaments)


Good point -- when the World Cup is underway, I am 100% Italian. Although I kinda wanted to deny that in 2010...


----------



## Eamon Burke (Jan 9, 2012)

WildBoar said:


> Good point -- when the World Cup is underway, I am 100% Italian. Although I kinda wanted to deny that in 2010...



Yeah you did. At least you aren't French.




ejd53 said:


> Where in Southy did your family live? My great grandfather first "settled" in South Boston when he came over from Belgium. I grew up in that area and was a member of the South Boston Boys Club as a kid.


I don't know the area well, I was the first generation to not be raised there, because my dad hated it so bad--he was there from '46 to the late '50s. He dropped his accent and will happily talk about anything and everything except his time in South Boston and Vietnam. 

Although after we watched Mystic River he got really pissed off and started complaining about the people and culture there and a few strange accent shifts slipped through. It was weird.


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy (Jan 9, 2012)

welshstar said:


> Ive always found it interesting that Americans never say they are actually American !!
> 
> They are always Polish/Irish/Itaian/Norwegian or whatever.
> 
> Why dont Americans say they are American ?



I always wonder the same thing, which is why I said I was 100% American. The question was what nationality are you, right? As usual, I am overthinking things


----------



## Cadillac J (Jan 10, 2012)

AFKitchenknivesguy said:


> I always wonder the same thing, which is why I said I was 100% American. The question was what nationality are you, right? As usual, I am overthinking things



If I was in another country and someone asked, I would say that I am American or from the U.S.

However, when talking about people's heritage/backgrounds, 'American' doesn't really mean much as far as who you are or where you came from...maybe nationality was the wrong word to use, but it is the way I've been describing my whole life.


----------



## JohnnyChance (Jan 10, 2012)

Cadillac J said:


> I've always curious about people's backgrounds (not on the forums specifically, but in life in general), especially those who celebrate their nationality/heritage in some way.
> 
> Polish(50%), Ukrainian(25%) and Scottish(25%)
> 
> ...



Same, except sub English for the Ukrainian.


----------



## Andrew H (Jan 10, 2012)

Cadillac J said:


> If I was in another country and someone asked, I would say that I am American or from the U.S.
> 
> However, when talking about people's heritage/backgrounds, 'American' doesn't really mean much as far as who you are or where you came from...maybe nationality was the wrong word to use, but it is the way I've been describing my whole life.



+1


----------



## Johnny.B.Good (Jan 10, 2012)

Cadillac J said:


> If I was in another country and someone asked, I would say that I am American or from the U.S.
> 
> However, when talking about people's heritage/backgrounds, 'American' doesn't really mean much as far as who you are or where you came from...maybe nationality was the wrong word to use, but it is the way I've been describing my whole life.



+2


----------



## mano (Jan 10, 2012)

AFKitchenknivesguy said:


> I always wonder the same thing, which is why I said I was 100% American. The question was what nationality are you, right? As usual, I am overthinking things



Not at all!

You're just not joining in the fun of everyone else answering the question in a way that's more interesting.:razz:


----------



## Delbert Ealy (Jan 11, 2012)

My heritage is mostly german, a touch of irish, and polish; great grandparents from my mother and fathers side came from germany before WWI. 
I am one of the few in my family that is interested in geneology.
I have been a northern michigan resident for all my life, and I like it here and I am proudly 100% american. 
I do have a big family, my parents were the first generation to buck the trend with only 3 kids, I have 4, but one of my great grandmothers had 17 and her daughter(my grandmother) had 9. 
Del


----------



## Still-edo (Feb 1, 2012)

I'm a born American. My parents are from Laos (small patch of dirt between Vietnam and Thailand). We're pretty much culturally identical to Thai people. 

With that said, I grew up around moms arsenal of Kiwi knives made in Thailand.


----------



## Bulldogbacchus (Feb 1, 2012)

American since 1680. Prior to that, at Hole house, Exeter, England since 1075.


----------



## Lucretia (Feb 1, 2012)

Bulldogbacchus said:


> American since 1680. Prior to that, at Hole house, Exeter, England since 1075.



Man! You're older than ME! :biggrin:


----------



## Salty dog (Feb 2, 2012)

1/2 Northern Italian (Formerly "Sebastiani") then mostly Austrian with a little Lichtenstein. They pretty much are all in the same neighborhood. 3rd generation American. The old world family roots were in steel.


----------



## Bulldogbacchus (Feb 2, 2012)

Lucretia said:


> Man! You're older than ME! :biggrin:



Cool. I like younger women!


----------



## cnochef (Feb 2, 2012)

5th Generation Albertan (very rare) now living in Ontario. I'm 25% each of British, Scottish (Stewart), American (Oklahoma) and Native Canadian.


----------



## Candlejack (Feb 2, 2012)

I'm a blend between Swedish and Norweigan.


----------



## Seth (Feb 2, 2012)

Bessarabian, dembravin....somewhere over there. Hard to know but part of the 1890s Ellis Island crew.


----------



## slowtyper (Feb 5, 2012)

Born in Canada. Parents are from Malaysia but ethnic Chinese.


----------

