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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask your ethnic group?

165 replies

bojkaboom · 11/06/2020 22:58

...in your country of origin or parents' or grandparents' or ancestors' country of origin (if you know)?

Inspired by a thread here and I had to google an ethnic group mentioned. It's led to the interest in different ethnic groups in other countries and I'll like to learn more about other people's.

I'm English (with a Scottish heritage. Mum was part English and Scottish) but from ancestors, I've been told Anglo-Saxons who're Germanic tribes that migrated from Denmark and Germany to the island in the 5th century.

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SarahAndQuack · 11/06/2020 23:25
Confused

What are you actually asking?

GrumpyHoonMain · 11/06/2020 23:26

On all sides of my family, I am British for at least 6 generations. Not white though.

Destroyedpeople · 11/06/2020 23:28

It's not that interesting or relevant at the moment where my ancestors were in the 5 th century tbh.

raspberryk · 11/06/2020 23:34

I have no clue on my mother's side in terms of ancestry, and my paternal grandfathers side is also unknown.
I'm "white british" though, but it's one of those things I dislike really, when someone asks me to describe myself my skin colour isn't anything I'd mention in terms of white. I'm not white I'm so pale peach that I'm transparent. I'm far more likely to mention I'm a student and a mum and a woman.
Probably missing the point spectacularly.

Pinkkgaga · 11/06/2020 23:35

English Romany gypsy.

Puppybum · 11/06/2020 23:38

My family is Welsh and I'm short and dark so probably a celt

IncorrigibleTitmouse · 11/06/2020 23:40

White Welsh, Irish, Italian and Greek. I’m a mutt.

bojkaboom · 11/06/2020 23:40

It is to me about mineHmm. Don't think I tagged you specifically, so if you don't wish to answer, off you go then.

I mentioned your or your parents or your grandparents or your ancestors so people can choose which one they want to answer. No one's obliged to state a specific generation.

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pocoyopocoyo · 11/06/2020 23:40

Parents are British, but my mums family originally from South India.My mum was born in UK.

SpillTheTeaa · 11/06/2020 23:42

English Romany Gypsy.
Irish.
South African.

Destroyedpeople · 11/06/2020 23:46

Well sorry but 'ethnic groups ' is so divisive and inane.

Siameasy · 11/06/2020 23:48

Irish mainly - paternal side rocked up during the potato famine. My brother “looks Irish” (is often told so); I don’t really.
Would love to go back in time and meet them all..can you imagine! Fascinating. Surname is a common one with Irish Travellers so would be interested to know more about that.

bojkaboom · 11/06/2020 23:52

@pocoyopocoyo I've just googled south Indian ethnic groups. You don't have to answer but do you know which one your mum's family belong to? I'm just reading up on different ones.

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bojkaboom · 11/06/2020 23:53

Well sorry but 'ethnic groups ' is so divisive and inane

Goodbye then. People see what they want to see. I see it as learning about people.

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calamityjam · 11/06/2020 23:54

My maternal grandmother came to England as a teenager with her mother from Kolkata. My mum was born here as was I. I do know that I have family still around Kolkata and I would love to find them. My aunties tried but didn't get far. Nobody guesses that I am mixed race British/Indian because I look White British.

bojkaboom · 11/06/2020 23:57

Would love to go back in time and meet them all..can you imagine!

I'm with you! Fascinated by all of itGrin

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Destroyedpeople · 11/06/2020 23:58

Do you know what racist white cops call brown people?
'Ethnics'.

TerrorWig · 12/06/2020 00:02

White English about as far back as you can see on my mum's side. Greek Cypriot on my dad's side, although he was born here.

There is no trace of my Greek heritage in my looks Grin I am pure English Rose. My sister is just like my dad - dark hair and tanned olive skin. Odd how things like that are different between siblings. In turn, my older sons are English Rose types (husband also English as far as we know) but youngest has inherited the olive complexion.

bojkaboom · 12/06/2020 00:02

Everyone belongs to an ethnic group, what's your point? We're not talking about what racist white cops call brown people here.

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SarahAndQuack · 12/06/2020 00:04

Ok, I see how this thread is going.

Research indicates that 'race' has little or no biological meaning. It's a construct. Yes, sure, there are some things that correlate with having red hair, or brown skin, or whatever. But there are far, far, far more things that that have nothing to do with those skin colour differences we call 'race'.

It is not possible or sensible to say you can trace your family back to fifth-century Britain. It just isn't. The technology does not exist to do this. The technology that does exist, gives you a best guess, which is so inaccurate as to be meaningless.

By far the biggest reason race matters, is because societies decided to discriminate according to skin colour.

bojkaboom · 12/06/2020 00:10

I'm not sure where you and the other pp are getting this "race" issue fromConfused

Others are willingly posting answers to the simple question posed...atleast I believe no one's been held at gunpoint.

You both seem to want to read meanings into the post that simply isn't there but I'll be ignoring the both of you from now.

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Camomila · 12/06/2020 00:10

White - other on forms, I'm Italian.
I'd love to do a DNA test as we had celts in our bit of Italy and I look more celtic than traditionally Italian (pale, plue eyes, curly hair)

namechange0202 · 12/06/2020 00:11

White Scottish .

Mother’s ancestry is Scottish and Irish, with just one English line .

Father’s ancestry is entirely Scottish, from Stranraer and inner Hebrides . His surname traces back a very, very long way - centuries- and there are very few of us about, so do feel confident in saying that I am probably about as Scottish as you can get ...

Unsurprisingly we are all blonde/ginger, blue eyes and covered in freckles .

bojkaboom · 12/06/2020 00:15

To be fair I agree with you on race but this isn't what this thread is about, so I suggest we end the paranoia.

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Destroyedpeople · 12/06/2020 00:15

Oh no I am gutted....

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