Can I say I'm an American of partial Jamacian ancestry?

Question

I found out that in the 1600s my family came from Jamaica to the USA, the parents were born in England and the children were born and raised in Jamaica (one was to become my

distant grandfather) and came to the USA when they were much older, again I know that they lived a long time ago, and they were white people too, but can I say I am an American of partial Jamaican ancestry?

I know I asked a similar question, but I want to know if I can claim it as part of me.

Someone said I should say I'm Carib-American, what is the differance?

Answer 1

You can call yourself anything you want. If your ancestors were from England, the fact that your 'distant grandfather' (whatever that may be) was born in Jamaica, doesn't make you Jamaican. Jamaican has racial and cultural implications and it appears your distant grandfather may have been born in Jamaica, but to English parents, and he came to the US when he was an adult, so that really doesn't leave much room for Jamaican roots or culture in his background. But, if it makes you happy, you can call yourself part Jamaican if you wish. Carib-American means your ancestors came from some part of the Caribbean. It isn't as specific a claim as Jamaican.

Answer 2

It seems to me that we don't usually talk of being of this or that descent in regard to a New World country, unless that descent is Native American.  My husband and a friend of ours both had grandparents who moved to the US from Canada, but it sounds a little odd to me to say either of them is of Canadian descent.  They're of whatever Old World descent they are, partly by way of Canada.  I think your situation is analogous in regard to Jamaica.

Answer 3

Carib-American???  Nope.  You're an American of English ancestry.

Answer 4

sounds to me like you're american with english ancestry

Answer 5

How about I'm American with some Jamaican flavor?

That has a sort of s**y sound.  You can describe yourself however you want.  That someone would tell you to say Carib-American sounds like you are saying Arab American.

Not that is matters, but you choose. It's about you after all.

Answer 6

If someone just casually asks you then you should just respond with American. If your parents are origanlly from Jamaica then you could say that your Carib-American but not if it's just the history of it.

It's like someone saying they're from France just because they have French history, even though they were born in Florida.

Basically all Jamaicans have English blood in them though because it was once a British colony.

Overall though, you have more English history than Jamaican since that's where it originated.

Answer 7

David, to explain where Adair is coming from.  Some boards have 100 questions in an hour.  Therefore your question gets lost and if you reask it it will be seen by another group of people altogether.

However, on this board for instance we have had 45 questions in a 24 hour period. Therefore you are asking the same question over and over from pretty much the same people.

Answer 8

Yes!  You can say it, claim it, take out a billboard advertising it.......anything you want except for maybe spray painting it on an over-pass.

In the last 2 weeks, you have asked this and similar questions 7 times (see below).  The answer is the same no matter how many times you ask.  2+2 will ALWAYS be 4.  You can ask the question 100 times and it will still be 4.  It will not change.  

1.  Can I say I'm an American of partial Jamacian ancestry?

In Jamaica - Asked by David K - 1 answer - 20 minutes ago - Open

2.  Can I say I'm an American of partial Jamacian ancestry?

In Genealogy - Asked by David K - 4 answers - 21 minutes ago - Open

3. Can I say I'm an American of partial Jamacian ancestry?

In Genealogy - Asked by David K - 4 answers - 3 days ago - In Voting

4. Can I say I'm an American of partial Jamacian ancestry?

In Jamaica - Asked by David K - 4 answers - 3 days ago - In Voting

5.  Can I be proud of my Jamacian Ancestry?

In Jamaica - Asked by David K - 4 answers - 4 days ago - In Voting

6.  Can I be proud of my Jamacian Ancestry?

In Genealogy - Asked by David K - 4 answers - 4 days ago - In Voting

7.   Is it true that I can claim any ethnicity I have in my background regardless of percentage?

In Genealogy - Asked by David K - 3 answers - 2 weeks ago - Resolved