Is my background more Irish or English?

Question

When people ask me where my ancestors are from, I say Ireland, England, and Germany. The next question is usually something like, "Which are you more of?" or "How English are you?" I don't know how to determine that, or even if that can be determined.

This is kind of confusing:

All of my great grandparents on my father's side of the family came from Ireland. Thus I would be fourth generation Irish on his side.

My mother was born in England to an English mother and a German-English-American father and moved to America at the age of two. So basically, though she was born in England, on her mother's side she has an entirely English family. On her father's side she has a half-English, half-German family.

Would I be more English because I'd technically be a second generation English, or would I be more Irish because even though I'd be fourth generation, my father's side is entirely Irish with no other known nationality?

Answer 1

You´re British. That´s all

Answer 2

None of which matters for the following reasons.

1. All three are members of the same sub-race.

2. A lot of Irish are basically English (this is even more true of the Welsh).

3. If you are going to choose between culture over genetics then be aware of the fact that English is by far the most dominant.

4. If you are going to choose genetics then you can tell by your facial features which minor variation of the same sub-race you are. Stick a picture on youtube or whatever and I could tell within a second your N. European ancestry.

5. If you are going to choose on the basis of getting a favourable reaction from your listener then the odds are that you'd be better off choosing English.

All up to you though!!

Answer 3

If all your father's grandparents came from Ireland, then he was/is of pure Irish descent, and you're one half Irish.  If your mother's father was an American of half English, half German parentage and her mother was English, then she is or was three fourths English and one fourth German, and you're three eighths English and one eighth German.  So if you say your ancestry is Irish, English, and German, you're listing the nationalities in the order of predominance.

Answer 4

There are four things at work here:

Family name's origin (from what country/region did it begin)

Blood origin (what is the makeup of your ancestral origins)

Nationality origin (what "last" country are you from)

Predominant culture (regardless of where you make your home, what culture predominates in your family/your family home)

With all the information you've provided, it's still only information. You'll have to decide on the above, and what makes them important to you, or interesting/in common with a listener when it comes up.  

10 generations ago you had over 1000 grandparents - so roughly 300 years ago you "sprang" from a lot of places.

20 generations ago it was over 1 million separate grandparents (yep - that's true - do the math)

30 generations ago - only about 900 years - and nowhere near the "dawn of time" - you had over 100 Million separate grandparents...  

We are all related.  We are all our brother's keepers.

Answer 5

if all of your great grandparents on your fathers side are irish, then that means he is 100% irish.

if you mom is half 75% english and 25% german that means you are....

50% Irish

37.5% english

12.5% german

so yeah, your mostly irish, if you want to get technical.

but wherever you are born is what your nationality is.

Answer 6

I would say that your heritage is slightly more Irish, than English, with a portion of German. Your nationality is of course American.

It is pointless to get into percentages because it is not known what percentage of other 'nationalities' is in the lineages of all the people concerned.

Note :

Though your mother was born in England, her nationality is now American, of English birth. Your nationality is that of the country that issues your passport, it is possible for some people to have a passport for two countries, those people have dual-nationality,( I know because I am one of them ) but they can only have one country of birth !