Does anyone else get asked if they’re foreign?

[Areyouforeign]

I’m english/Irish for generations.

Even if one great great grandparents were ‘foreign’ they’d be enough other English/Irish for me not to always be asked ‘where are you from?’.

Especially when people are drunk I’m guaranteed to be asked and then people like to have a conversation ‘I think she looks greek...’ ‘must be some Spanish in you somewhere’ ‘are you sure you don’t have a black grandparent?’ ‘She’s definitely Maltese’

Other family members get this, including aunts and uncles therefore it can’t be because someone had an affair.

I’m white with very slightly olively skin, dark curly hair and I get bored sunbathing.

Does anyone else get this all the time? I’m getting really bored of it and people think I’m ashamed of my ‘real’ heritage

All the time but I'm half Spanish with a Spanish surname!
I was born in Africa though, that always confuses people

My sister does a lot.......she's quite flattered by it.

People usually assume she's Spanish although she goes very dark during the summer. She did once get berated by a group of women for not being 'covered' and has had racist abuse shouted by random weirdos.

I get this too all time (99.9% Irish according to Ancestry DNA) - sometimes I’ll get someone stopping me in the street for directions or something and they start “EXCUSE. ME. DO. YOU. SPEAK. ENGLISH?” While making exaggerated hand movements.

I have olive skin for some reason

I’m guessing for a few reasons English is your second language OP so maybe people are picking up on that and not what you look like?

@ Tippexy - the OP said she's "English/Irish" at the start of her post.

All the time. Am part Spanish. Get asked if I'm Jewish a lot.

I've always been asked if I'm Spanish, Italian, Greek, Indian as well as others. A Chinese lady was talking to me recently (in English) then at the end asked which part of China I was from.
I have very dark hair and eyes and an olive complexion.

I'm Irish descent on both sides. My ancestors were mainly from Cork and the West Coast. I get it all the time. Like you I have dark hair/eyes/curly hair and olive skin. My name is Hebrew so nearly everyone thinks I am lying when I say I'm completely Irish. Had it tested and I am only 2% Scandinavian but 98% European and only 1% Iberian (so no Spanish). I've even made a Pinterest board to show all the people who make the 'you don't look Irish' comments

pin.it/4t46bjsxmk4rut

The Hebrew name is a really common one in Ireland too because it sounds more like the Irish version of Mary

Often, yes. I have dark hair, very pale skin, green eyes and pronounced cheekbones/bone structure. I’ve always assumed that the pale skin and green eyes should point to me being from the U.K. but apparently not. I’ve been asked if I’m Spanish, Italian, Polish, Greek, even Pakistani (when I worked with a lot of children whose families originated from Pakistan - they were confused because facially I was like their mums but my skin colour was different). I tell myself that I must look exotic

Yup I come from all over the world apparently.

The truth is far more prosaic. Quite like being called Danish though.

I wouldn't ask it because I've seen here that people get offended. But I'm seriously interested in peoples' faces - if that makes sense. There are so many interesting features out there and certain faces are very typical of a region. I just find it fascinating.

Yep often, and I have even had people argue with my as if they know better where my parents were from.

I am white british, I have dark brown hair, slightly olive skin that tans well, and light green eyes. I am normally assumed to be Spanish, Italian or Greek. I have been complimented on my English when abroad, mistaken for the hotel owner's daughter, and when in England spoken to in Italian by Italians who expect me to be fluent too.

My father is olive skinned with dark eyes and black hair, and when I am with him it is worse.

Yes I do all the time.

I have had 'get back to your own country' shouted at me from passing cars as I was walking along the pavement.

My Ancestors are all British.

Actually I thought this would get worse post brexit vote but it's remained the same.

All the time. I’ve been spoken to in Greek (not while in Greece) and others have insisted I must have an Eastern European background. When I’m in Germany most people seem to assume I’m German.

My background is very boring, ancestors migrated to Australia from England and possibly Germany back in the 1800’s. Not even any convicts in my past

Sister did an Ancestry DNA test and it was England / Ireland / Scotland with a bit of Western Europe and Scandinavia.

I am half-French, half-English, and I get asked if I am Russian all the time.
I take it as a compliment .

My mum's family were Irish and she was dark skinned with blue eyes and black hair. I am similar but with brown eyes ( I never knew my biological father but have just found out he was Asian.) I have been mistaken for Spanish, Italian, Greek , Portugese and Asian. When on holiday locals often try to speak to me in their language .
I was travelling from Spain by bus and reading the Daily Mirror . The group of English guys next to me thought I was very clever being able to read an English paper! I love my "exotic " looks .

Yes all the time - am mixed1race though

I’m half North African and half Irish. Very pale, green eyes and curly brown hair. I’m constantly asked if I’m Russian!

I wish people wouldn’t ask, I know they’re just being polite but it’s so tedious to have to explain that, no, I’m not Russian (or Polish) and then have to explain my heritage. It’s really not that interesting.

I get this all time but I take it as a compliment!

Although, I was always a bit 😒 at boarding school at the “you’re too good looking to be British” comments because obviously that’s fairly rude.

You see I work in a job where I meet loads of people and if I hear an unfamiliar accent Etc I will ask where people were born or are from. I genuinely don’t mean offence but am interested. Now I think I will stop.

I get it the other way round. People assume I’m a true Scot from the isles somewhere - they are flabbergasted when I tell them I’m “foreign” and have been for the very most of my life.

Yes, but I'm American so have an accent. If I'm in the wrong mood it annoys me but I wouldn't let on. (Sometimes it is annoying always being foreign!)

I have been asked before. My grandmothers were German and Austrian.

I’m white British and have been asked a few times if I have Chinese heritage! My friend is also white british but has olive skin and curly dark hair - she always gets spoken to in the local language when we’re in Southern Europe as they think she’s Spanish/Italian/Greek