Would you consider your nationality your birthplace or genetic origin?

Question

I'd say birthplace. I've just about had it up to here with these morons that believe themselves to be the ultimate Irishmen just because they are 1/8 Irish. You know, the kind of people who wear green shirts and give money to the IRA because they've no sense of identity, and think that guiness and green is all they need to know about Ireland.

I have an Irish friend on Xbox LIVE. Both his parents were born in Japan. He speaks with that magnificent accent and knows all about the issues with N.I.

This person, with no "Irish blood" is more Irish than these "plastic paddies" will ever be in my opinion.

Oh well, thoughts?

Answer 1

i'm american, but if you ask me where i'm from, i'd say texas. *lol* as far as genetics go, i'm such a mutt (english, irish, french, italian, and american indian; just on my mom's side) that to claim a dominate "heritage" is silly.

Answer 2

Totally agree, both my parents are of Irish descent but I consider myself totally English as I was born and brought up in London but some of the people who I grew up with are of Jamaican heritage consider themselves totally Caribbean and talk in a Jamaican accent, I have probably been to the Caribbean more times than they have

Answer 3

nationality is defined as where you are a citizen (place of birth or naturalized).  Nothing to dispute about it.

Persons who do genealogy are fully aware of the majority of their ancestors, since that is what they look up and research. 1/8th means one of 8 gr grandparents came from Ireland.

Your friend's parents would be Japanese citizens, but if THEIR parents were born in Ireland, I would not consider them to be Japanese by heritage.

Heritage and citizenship are completely different topics, neither one is more valuable than the other. If a person takes a lot of pride in their background..  I don't think they need to be called a moron. That would make most genealogists morons.. and you have a lot of us here in this section.

You are welcome to your concept of what matters to you.

Answer 4

I was born in Louisville, Kentucky,USA and I was 9 days old when we moved to New York-so would my nationality be a Kentucky woman (like the Neil Diamond song)? I think not. I was only 9 days old. My mom's side is German and I'm an 1/8 Iroquois Indian on my dad's side. Here's another example. I am a widow and my last name is Filipino. My husband was born in Honolulu; as was his mother; and his father was born in Guam; and is half hispanic; half filipino. His father had this really long name. I've been a widow for 8 yrs but I have kept his filipino name. Now, what would my husband's nationality have been? A lot of different things-right? How about me? My mom's last name is Haus so that is DEFINITELY German (It means house in English) and my father had some Iroquois and we have no idea WHAT else in him but he is very dark and my mom is very light. Now my dad is 88 but he is still in good health -and he's still very dark. so now that I've explained it all to you I hope you understand it all better. In otherwords, I am NOT a Kentucky woman. Nor am I a New York one. I have lived in the western United States for 30 yrs now. I came out here when I was in my twenties. Does that make me a westerner? 'fraid not.anyhow, my dad was 1/4 Iroquois. But when someone says the word "nationality" ; they are not saying "ethnicticity"; they are saying "nationality". So, despite my husband being born in Hawaii (and you can't call my deceased husband an American because Hawaii wasn't even declared a territory until he was about 10 and then when he was older it became a state) so, I would say HIS nationality would be hispanic/filipino (even though he's dead now) and MINE would STILL BE American. You see? Despite the fact that my mom's grandparents came over here from Germany; despite the Indian blood in my dad (because THEN we would be talking about RACE); I am an American so therefore my nationality is American. But I am STILL not a Kentucky woman. How can one be when they were 9 days old when they left? I sure have a complicated explanation; don't I?

Answer 5

Genetic origin. I was born in Canada to British parents who emigrated for 10 years then returned to the UK. There is no way I am Canadian even though technically I have dual nationality..

Answer 6

It sounds as if the people you go on to criticize don't really have much to do with the original question.  Evidently they simply choose to espouse one part of their ancestral ethnicity.

In any case, I would say that one's nationality is that of the place where he was born, IF his parents had come there to stay.  If they simply came there, had a baby, and took him back where they came from, his nationality is that of his parents' home country.

Answer 7

Bit of both.  I was born in England to English Parents, so therefore consider myself English.  Had my parents been from another country, I would probably consider myself part English and part something else. (Mind you, I have an Irish surname and my paternal Grandfather was Irish!)

Answer 8

hahaha, i have some brittish in me.

My moms from Trinidad :]

Answer 9

I also think it's your birthplace. But then again....

actually I think its where you were brought up..I know a few people who were born in countries than moved before they were like 1. you know....holiday preganacies(sp?)?

Answer 10

It can be both.

Origin is important as well.

As for your friend in Ireland, he could have a sense of pride knowing that his parents are from Japan and many of his ancestors for centuries have lived there.

Answer 11

Definitely birthplace, it's where you are born that counts the most.

Answer 12

Birthplace but if you were born in another country and became a naturalized American citizen, your nationality would become just as American as mine and I have had ancestors in this country before the Mayflower.  

Nationality and racial  or ethnic heritage is not the same thing.  It is not where your ancestors originated.