What's Your Family Heritage?

[Disney845]

Interesting topic, one that I sadly do not know much about. My maternal grandmother's family moved to the US from England not long before she was born. My maternel grandfather was born in Scotland and moved with his family to the US when he was still a young child. He had quite a few brothers and sisters, but all but one brother died during childhood. We still have much contact with family members in both England and Scotland. I remember my grandfather telling me that his grandfather had helped to construct the London Bridge (the one that opened in 1831). My grandmother before passing away a few years ago was eager to track down our family heritage, but sadly never got around to it.

 

[nancy679]

Both my parents were born in France.

My mother's side were diplomats and very wealthy, but my great-great grandfather had remarried and his new wife would not accept his daughter (my grandmother), so she was sent to live with distant relatives, who were very poor.

I have some heirlooms from that time that have the family crest on them. I'm sure they are very expensive but they are priceless to me.

 

[nativetxn]

I can trace one branch of my family to Jamestown and another back to France (before Jamestown, VA) I don't know what other countries I may have mixed in yet.

 

[cinlee3]

Annie&HalliesMom - we may be related. My father's side of the family has been traced directly to Miles Standish. There has been a Miles in every generation since. There has been a lot of research on that side and I was able to to further research and take the lineage all the way back to England to the year 900.

My paternal grandmother's parents came from Sweden and I don't have much information on that side except that they were all from Sweden or Norway.

My mother's side is Irish, French and English with some Cherokee Indian as well.

DH's grandparents all came from Monterrey Mexico and I have no further information on them except that they have some French.

 

[fireplug]

Irish, German, and a tiny little French

Steve

 

[Lanshark]

75% Greek
25% Italian

Dh who is 100% German said he didn't need to see Big Fat Greek Wedding because he has lived it since he met me 27 years ago.

 

[Blue Skies]

Both sides of my parents go back German from Russia. On my Dad's side the family left the black forest area of Germany and settled near Odessa Russia in the early 1800's. When the Bulshevik's (sp?) were coming into power, the family escaped in the middle of the night and left for America (in 1906). One of my great great grandmother's brothers was sent to Siberia during this time (he and his brother had been in the Russian army for 4 years which was mandatory) and was never heard from again.

Once they arrived in America the family settled in North Dakota. There are many German's from Russia in North Dakota. They even have a German from Russia heritage center at North Dakota State University. You never seem to hear much about this "ethnic" group (at least I don't).

It is fun to research family trees. I am enjoying everyone's stories. Keep 'em coming!

Melissa

 

[Goofyposter]

Well....on my Dad's side...it's 100% Irish....my great great grand dad and some brothers moved from Ireland to the US in 1881....my dad was a Capt. in the USMC during WWII...pacific theatre...seeing major battles....on my Mom's side....which is English....I have sum seriously hertiage....a great great uncle who was an honor guard on Lincolns' funeral train....a great great great relative who was at Valley Forge..and who's rifle was held by Gen. Washington while he warmed his feet by a fire...A great great relative who was a Capt in the Spanish American war....my great grand dad was a Capt in the 20th Maine on Little Round Top during Gettysburg in the Civil War....a Grand father who fought in France during WWI.....

I feel an incredible connection with my American hertiage...as well as Ireland and England....

 

[pokiemomo181]

1/2 Cherokee Indian, and 1/2 French for me. My husband is English, French and Irish. I guess that makes our kids mutts, LOL.


Pokie

 

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by Big Disney Fan
DH & I went to see Gangs of New York last night (for those of you who don't know, it's about the Irish in New York in the 19th Century). Anyway, it got me thinking about (to quote U2's GG winning song) 'the hands that built America' and I was wondering about the 'heritage' of the people on the boards. I'm just curious because I lived in the US for a short while and eventually had to make the decision whether to settle down over there or return to Ireland - obviously I chose the latter, but I loved my time over there and still get nostalgic about it!

So, have any of you any interesting family history stories to tell? If so, please share...

Well, I just met my biological father this past Sunday so now I have all of my family heritage.

I am 3/4 Italian, 1/8 Cherokee, 1/16 English & 1/16 Irish.

The Cherokee thing I just found out on Sunday so I need to do some research.

 

[Angelrose]

my mom's family came from a small village in Sicily called Nasu (sp?) Messina. They came over in the early 1900. My dad's grandmother came from Paris and the other grandmother came from Ireland. The Irish came over in the time of the potato famine. DH family is Swedish. His grandmother was a companion to the princess of Sweden. They were playmates until they came over to America.

 

[sha_lyn]

My mothers side is Scotish and Cherokee. The story goes that my Great great great? grandfather came out of the "Indian Woods"
( the cherokee Indian Reservation in NC) in the late 1700's .He was 1/2 Cherokee and his wife was full blooded cherokee. His faimly move to North GA a few yrs before the revolutionary way. There isn't any real info on his faimly before then but it looks like he decended from a Ship captain that came over with his son. There was a man with his same name that was the grandson of the captain. He dissapeared and the decendents of his siblings can not find any info on him. The timing would be right for the missing man to be the father of my ancestor.The grandfather left his son in the colonies and was returning to Scotland to get the rest of the family. He was lost at sea. I'm not certain if it was on the return trip to the colonies with the rest of the family or on the way to get them.

On my fathers side I know there is a lot of Cherokee blood and that the family name is english. That is about all we know except it looks like they likely came to GA in the early 1800.

 

[ASFCurly]

1/2 German
1/4 Irish
1/8 English
1/8 Swedish

no stories or anything though

 

[lisajl]

DID SOMEONE SAY IRISH???

WE ARE!!

okay...it's pretty far back, but my Grandma was a Cunningham, originally from Scotland (not her, but her ancestors), then they moved to Ireland.

Another part of my mom's family is from France. My 6th (?) G. Grandfather was a Hugenot. His entire family was killed because they were practicing a religion that the government did not want them to practice. He was the only one to live, because he was not at home at the time.
He fled to Germany with family friends, then they came to America.
They stopped in N.Y. (the LeFevers of Paltz, N.Y.), then moved on to PA. The matriarch of the family he came over with helped found Stasburg PA. She had the land put in her dead husbands name, since women were not allowed to own property at the time. (he married that matriarchs daughter)

So, let's see...Irish, German, Welsh (I'm a Jones), Native American, as you see..100% American...I am a big mix of everything....

Love my genealogy!!!

Lisajl

 

[Serena]

I'm full blooded mutt. Russian, French, German, American Indian, and a few assorted others.

 

[minnieandmickey]

My Grandmother was born and raised in Belfast, Ireland. Her Uncle was one of the workers that helped build the Titanic. When the ship was done they were offered a ticket in steerage. He sailed to England and decided that he didn't want to go to America and got off the ship. Lucky son of a gun wasn't he.

 

[Big Disney Fan]

Originally posted by luvmydogs
My father's side is 100% Irish--we still have relatives in Counties Galway and Cork!

I'm from Cork too Kim! Where do your relatives live?

 

[Big Disney Fan]

Originally posted by minnieandmickey
My Grandmother was born and raised in Belfast, Ireland. Her Uncle was one of the workers that helped build the Titanic. When the ship was done they were offered a ticket in steerage. He sailed to England and decided that he didn't want to go to America and got off the ship. Lucky son of a gun wasn't he.

How interesting! I was wondering if anyone would have Titanic connections.

Thanks for all the replies to my query - it's really interesting reading all your stories - those people who went through tough times (horrific in some cases!) so that their families could have a better life in the US should never be forgotten. Most of your stories are more interesting than some movies made!

Have any of you visited your 'place of origin'?

 

[figmentvi]

My Maternal grandparents came from Rondisonne, Italy (Piedmont region) and my Paternal grandparents came from Cigliano, Italy. The two towns are about 10 miles apart, but the two families did not know each other then. Both emmigrated to America in the early 1900's and were dirt poor.

During the voyage across, the weather turned very cold and my maternal grandmother didn't have a warm jacket for herself or her young son (my uncle). A kind ship attendent gave her a couple of thin blankets. My grandmother took the blankets and hand sewed jackets for her and Uncle Grady. She kept the jackets throughout the years as a reminder of the hardships they went through to come to America. After she died, my brother found her jacket (my uncle's was lost) amongst her belongings and donated it to the Ellis Island memorial. It hangs on display to this day.

After living in America for some time, both families moved to Sagamore, Mass., (pure coincidence) where they became good friends. My mother told us that as a young and beautiful girl, she vowed she would not marry an Italian and moved to New York City to become a governess. Well unfortunately , during a visit home, a very handsome and very Italian young man (my Dad) swept her off her feet. So much for that vow

The rest is History......I was born!!!!

 

[Jenzebelle]

I'm related to the Canadian Prime Minister on my Father's paternal side of the family. We used the be the Viscounts of Pomeria (in France)

The relatives on my Father's maternal side were successful whalers - my Great Great Grandfather is even in the New Bedford Whaling Museum

One of My Mother's Mother's ancestors was drowned as a witch in Europe.

It's been hard tracing my Mother's Father's side of the family because of a mixup in immigration when they came over here. Some relatives maintained their last name of Simone. Some became Seymour. Some became Simon, etc... Makes it very difficult to trace records.