Your Ancestry

[Tee Googly Coffee Me]

Primarily I'm Italian, Native American, Austrian, and German. I know a few things about my ancestors but not too much. A few ancestors of mine fought in the American Civil War and specifically the battle of Gettysburg which is pretty cool.

Cool, what side? I have family that fought for both the North and the South... and my great great uncles shot at each other during Gettysburg

North for my mom's side, south for my dads. That's pretty wild how your ancestors shot at each other

[Jankau-Helmutsberg]

I'm a homogenous Pole, effective at least three generations back. No coat of arms or other ennoblement to brag about.

[Heloin]

Cajun, Russian, Irish, and English.

[The Rom Jay]

100% Russian, descended from peasantry, yay!

What about the Tsars?

the highest title any of my ancestors, that I know of, was the title of priest, so probably not.

[The Burke Islands]

Coming from a Cajun background, I mostly have French Canadian, but I also have a sizable bit of Irish genes, as well as a single Prussian ancestor.

No great ancestral titles really, mostly soldiers, farmers, and teachers.

[Spartan Hellas]

What about the Tsars?

the highest title any of my ancestors, that I know of, was the title of priest, so probably not.

Ah.

[Nerodanus]

I am not perfect on my Family history but I will share what I know.

My family hails from the Cossacks of Russia. Around 30 or so years before the American Revolution part of that family converted to Judaism, and married women from Jerusalem then under the Ottoman Empire (I think). During the Revolution the next generation came over and fought for the Americans as mercenaries, and some stayed. This is my Maternal Line.

My paternal line doesnt come in until later. The paternal line of that line is Boyars while for my grandmothers it is peasants. Both colonized Alaska and when the US purchased it they moved to what would become Colorado. They later converted to Judaism about 40 years later at the turn of the century.

TL;DR Russo-Jew with ties to Cossack and Boyar Russian Nobility.

[Neu Leonstein]

All these people with these narrative stories about how their ancestors did this and did that... you do realise that you have literally thousands of ancestors within the sort of time frames we're looking at, right? They didn’t all do X or Y, and they weren’t all X or Y.

You're picking and choosing particular people because that's what happens to have been remembered, and that only because it happened to be semi-interesting. But not only do you share your interesting story with like a thousand other descendants of those same people, the vast majority of which you've never met or heard of, but they form a tiny share of a bulk of people who aren't remembered... probably because they did nothing special. Just farmed some plot of land until they died age 35 of a head cold.

Humans have a natural tendency to turn things into narratives, especially anything to do with ourselves. But ancestry is a particularly bad thing to try that on, because there is no one tale that one can follow. None of us is the special snowflake end point of some story that finds its resolution in your life. Sorry I'm such a downer on this... normally this sort of narrative is harmless fun. But with a lot of people's political thought starting to gravitate towards ethnic identities these days, maybe it's time to take a rational look at these stories we tell ourselves.

[Chinese Peoples]

All these people with these narrative stories about how their ancestors did this and did that... you do realise that you have literally thousands of ancestors within the sort of time frames we're looking at, right? They didn’t all do X or Y, and they weren’t all X or Y.

You're picking and choosing particular people because that's what happens to have been remembered, and that only because it happened to be semi-interesting. But not only do you share your interesting story with like a thousand other descendants of those same people, the vast majority of which you've never met or heard of, but they form a tiny share of a bulk of people who aren't remembered... probably because they did nothing special. Just farmed some plot of land until they died age 35 of a head cold.

Humans have a natural tendency to turn things into narratives, especially anything to do with ourselves. But ancestry is a particularly bad thing to try that on, because there is no one tale that one can follow. None of us is the special snowflake end point of some story that finds its resolution in your life. Sorry I'm such a downer on this... normally this sort of narrative is harmless fun. But with a lot of people's political thought starting to gravitate towards ethnic identities these days, maybe it's time to take a rational look at these stories we tell ourselves.

Nobody here is defining themselves by their ancestors, and there's nothing ethnic about my narrative. Ethnicity is only relevant after the rise of the nation-state, in the late 19th Century. It is so deplorable to feel something when an archaeological find discovers something like this:

that your ancestors may have used to hold their food? It isn't so much that one of my ancestor was famous, but the posterity of famous people tends to be better recorded better. There are thousands of unremarkable people in my ancestry, but if this bowl belonged to any one of them, I'd be equally happy to see them. It is the relation that is special, to find something from such remote reaches of history that has some firm connection with one. Now as we type, archaeological authorities are opening up the tombs of those remote ancestors, and if time and finances permit, I would like to go see them be exhumed, because history is a matter of interest to me.

[Neu Leonstein]

It is the relation that is special, to find something from such remote reaches of history that has some firm connection with one.

But it doesn't. That's the point. You are turning the fact that some farmer (well, in this case, some rich land owner) had a cup into a story about you, a story that you are a part of. Except that you are maybe a 10,000th part of it, and that there are 10,000 other people who are equally a part of that story. It's intellectually dishonest, and it's ripe for abuse. Because the moment that this story about the farmer who lived in China once turns into a story that therefore you have some special privileges regarding what happens in that same place... that's when the whole thing turns ugly. Not saying that's the case for you, but it certainly is for a lot of people.

I'm into history and archaeology too. Most of my trips I end up spending half my time in history museums. And there is something great about imagining the life of people back then. But it's just unnecessary to conjure up some sort of meaningful connection to yourself. Those people don't have some special relationship with you, nor you with them. Not unless you're willing to maintain that the this specialness can extend to tens of thousands of people.

[Chinese Peoples]

It is the relation that is special, to find something from such remote reaches of history that has some firm connection with one.

But it doesn't. That's the point. You are turning the fact that some farmer (well, in this case, some rich land owner) had a cup into a story about you, a story that you are a part of. Except that you are maybe a 10,000th part of it, and that there are 10,000 other people who are equally a part of that story. It's intellectually dishonest, and it's ripe for abuse. Because the moment that this story about the farmer who lived in China once turns into a story that therefore you have some special privileges regarding what happens in that same place... that's when the whole thing turns ugly. Not saying that's the case for you, but it certainly is for a lot of people.

You're reading into something I haven't written. That cup is not about me, since the owner of that cup couldn't have possibly known about me. I am merely stating that I feel a connection with it, and by no means do I or can I prevent others from having the same attachment to that cup. It is not intellectually dishonest; I have not stated that I'm the modern guardian of that cup or something to that effect. I don't claim ownership of that cup, which is now safely in the custody of a museum under trained curators and conservationists. I'm not here to claim the March of Qi, which was annexed by the Qin Dynasty in 221 B.C.E. back for myself. People feel connections with each other and history in many ways; the inscription on that cup bears an important historical event, and it is of value to the entire historical and archaeological community; they may feel a connection to that cup in the same way that I have.

I'm into history and archaeology too. Most of my trips I end up spending half my time in history museums. And there is something great about imagining the life of people back then. But it's just unnecessary to conjure up some sort of meaningful connection to yourself. Those people don't have some special relationship with you, nor you with them. Not unless you're willing to maintain that the this specialness can extend to tens of thousands of people.

I am fully willing to maintain that. There's a difference between feeling a connection and making an exclusive claim. Something that is special to me does not have to be special to others. Some people feel connected to a particular public park, while others just pass it by without thinking about it.

[The Sauganash Union]

All these people with these narrative stories about how their ancestors did this and did that... you do realise that you have literally thousands of ancestors within the sort of time frames we're looking at, right? They didn’t all do X or Y, and they weren’t all X or Y.

Once you go back about 600 years, the number of ancestors relatives you have is in the millions.

However, people feel connections to their ancestors because it's where they came from in a literal sense. In certain American cities, there are public parks and monuments named after my great-great-great grandfathers. We have old marriage certificates, business licenses, and ship passengers lists detailing who was whom and what they did. Obviously, I've never met these people, but it just adds a deep sense of connection to the place you live in when there are artifacts of people with your bloodline everywhere.

[Chinese Peoples]

I'm into history and archaeology too. Most of my trips I end up spending half my time in history museums. And there is something great about imagining the life of people back then. But it's just unnecessary to conjure up some sort of meaningful connection to yourself. Those people don't have some special relationship with you, nor you with them. Not unless you're willing to maintain that the this specialness can extend to tens of thousands of people.

I am fully willing to maintain that. There's a difference between feeling a connection and making an exclusive claim. Something that is special to me does not have to be special to others. Some people feel connected to a particular public park, while others just pass it by without thinking about it.

It's special in the same way why some people want to find out where did homo sapiens first evolved. Not that we can claim some special privilege where it is, but it is of interest to some humans because they are humans. Of a mental, intellectual curiosity type of interest, not a financial or political interest.

In China, there is a proverb, "五世親盡。" Chinese law recognized family relations only within 5 generations; beyond that, two people are legally unrelated. This is pretty sensible because if I can speak with my grandfather, and he speaks of his grandfather, that's up to 5 generations ago. I won't have any attachment of a familial character to my ancestors beyond that, because I haven't seen them or heard of them through the mouth of a living family member. I should therefore not be able to claim any privilege on the basis of family.

[Gages Icelandic Army]

No idea. Something Europey...

[The Sauganash Union]

But it doesn't. That's the point. You are turning the fact that some farmer (well, in this case, some rich land owner) had a cup into a story about you, a story that you are a part of. Except that you are maybe a 10,000th part of it, and that there are 10,000 other people who are equally a part of that story. It's intellectually dishonest, and it's ripe for abuse. Because the moment that this story about the farmer who lived in China once turns into a story that therefore you have some special privileges regarding what happens in that same place... that's when the whole thing turns ugly. Not saying that's the case for you, but it certainly is for a lot of people.

You're reading into something I haven't written. That cup is not about me, since the owner of that cup couldn't have possibly known about me. I am merely stating that I feel a connection with it, and by no means do I or can I prevent others from having the same attachment to that cup. It is not intellectually dishonest; I have not stated that I'm the modern guardian of that cup or something to that effect. I don't claim ownership of that cup, which is now safely in the custody of a museum under trained curators and conservationists. I'm not here to claim the March of Qi, which was annexed by the Qin Dynasty in 221 B.C.E. back for myself. People feel connections with each other and history in many ways; the inscription on that cup bears an important historical event, and it is of value to the entire historical and archaeological community; they may feel a connection to that cup in the same way that I have.

It's like the feeling of going into an old cemetery where people in your family have been buried for centuries. Obviously, you don't own the cemetery, but you feel a connection to the people in it, a connection that is perhaps unique, and thus valuable.

[Dylar]

Tons of Polish from my mom's side. Then, from my dad...mostly Irish, however, he's also said Welsh, Dutch, French, Spanish, German, and Swedish. I doubt all of the latter stuff, but I could always take a DNA test from Ancestry...but it costs money. Oh well...

[Neu Leonstein]

In certain American cities, there are public parks and monuments named after my great-great-great grandfathers.

Your great-great-great grandfather, and that of probably hundreds, maybe thousands, of other people. And yet you feel a deep sense of connection because it is your bloodline. Never mind the 31 other great-great-great grandparents, who might be from all over the world and who don't have their names on stuff, right?

That's my whole point. We pick and choose. And it's dishonest, because we derive some sense of "specialness" from identifying with whoever we end up picking. That can be harmless, but the moment that you are connecting the specialness to a place, you start moving into the sort of logic where "because my ancestors lived here, I should have an extra-special say about what happens here".

It's special in the same way why some people want to find out where did homo sapiens first evolved. Not that we can claim some special privilege where it is, but it is of interest to some humans because they are humans. Of a mental, intellectual curiosity type of interest, not a financial or political interest.

I'm happy to believe that you don't have any ulterior motives. But the rise of nativism all over the world suggests that many people do.

[Chinese Peoples]

You're reading into something I haven't written. That cup is not about me, since the owner of that cup couldn't have possibly known about me. I am merely stating that I feel a connection with it, and by no means do I or can I prevent others from having the same attachment to that cup. It is not intellectually dishonest; I have not stated that I'm the modern guardian of that cup or something to that effect. I don't claim ownership of that cup, which is now safely in the custody of a museum under trained curators and conservationists. I'm not here to claim the March of Qi, which was annexed by the Qin Dynasty in 221 B.C.E. back for myself. People feel connections with each other and history in many ways; the inscription on that cup bears an important historical event, and it is of value to the entire historical and archaeological community; they may feel a connection to that cup in the same way that I have.

It's like the feeling of going into an old cemetery where people in your family have been buried for centuries. Obviously, you don't own the cemetery, but you feel a connection to the people in it, a connection that is perhaps unique, and thus valuable.

Valuable? Not in a legal way. I have no enforceable interest in it.

[Ejutla]

Mexican Mestizo. So, Spanish and likely either Huichol or Purépecha. I honestly don't know much of my family's ancestry

[Chinese Peoples]

It's special in the same way why some people want to find out where did homo sapiens first evolved. Not that we can claim some special privilege where it is, but it is of interest to some humans because they are humans. Of a mental, intellectual curiosity type of interest, not a financial or political interest.

I'm happy to believe that you don't have any ulterior motives. But the rise of nativism all over the world suggests that many people do.

Right, I'm glad to have escaped ordeal by water for trying to recover that cup and keep it under my mattress.

And there's no dishonesty involved. I don't feel any entitlement to that cup, just attachment. It's in a museum for all and sundry to admire and study for good reason.

[The Sauganash Union]

In certain American cities, there are public parks and monuments named after my great-great-great grandfathers.

Your great-great-great grandfather, and that of probably hundreds, maybe thousands, of other people. And yet you feel a deep sense of connection because it is your bloodline.

My connection doesn't preclude their other descendants from feeling the same way.

You know, it's actually a very common thing for people who share common a descent to form groups or organizations to better celebrate and understand these connections, like the Mayflower Society, for example, the membership of which is in the hundreds if not the thousands. People bond over shared experiences, and when it comes to ancestry, people bond over shared experiences especially if their ancestor's story is significant or interesting.

Never mind the 31 other great-great-great grandparents, who might be from all over the world and who don't have their names on stuff, right?

Never mind them indeed. The vast majority didn't leave any sort of legacy or artifact behind to make understanding who they were possible. On that note, however, I feel a stronger connection to my more immediate grandparents, even if they don't have monuments or parks with their names on them, because they are within living memory for many of my family members, and thus closer to my own life. People most strongly relate to that familiar, but the significant stands out.

That's my whole point. We pick and choose. And it's dishonest, because we derive some sense of "specialness" from identifying with whoever we end up picking.

It is special, because we don't choose our families. Thus, when you come across something unique and noteworthy, you hang on to it.

That can be harmless, but the moment that you are connecting the specialness to a place, you start moving into the sort of logic where "because my ancestors lived here, I should have an extra-special say about what happens here".

I take it then that you are entirely opposed to the concept of a nation-state or even tribal land/self-government, then.

Yes, that is exactly where the logic leads. And it is a good thing.

It's special in the same way why some people want to find out where did homo sapiens first evolved. Not that we can claim some special privilege where it is, but it is of interest to some humans because they are humans. Of a mental, intellectual curiosity type of interest, not a financial or political interest.

I'm happy to believe that you don't have any ulterior motives. But the rise of nativism all over the world suggests that many people do.

Are you scared of nativists?

[The Sauganash Union]

It's like the feeling of going into an old cemetery where people in your family have been buried for centuries. Obviously, you don't own the cemetery, but you feel a connection to the people in it, a connection that is perhaps unique, and thus valuable.

Valuable? Not in a legal way. I have no enforceable interest in it.

Obviously, you don't own the cemetery

[Bearstin]

I'm related to William Penn (founder of Pennsylvania) on my mothers side. Besides that, I have strong Irish roots and possibly some German

[Spartan Hellas]

I'm related to William Penn (founder of Pennsylvania) on my mothers side. Besides that, I have strong Irish roots and possibly some German

William Penn? Woah, that's neat.

[Area-569 AKA Human Mistake]

I know for certain that I have polish ancestry, from my mother's family. As for my father, I'm not sure if I have scottish or english ancestry.