• Ben Hur Horse Race@lemm.ee
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    15 days ago

    …English is not the “default” ancestry for Americans. I think I know one dude from Michigan who has English heritage. Most folks I’d know have blood from Poland, Ireland, Italy and Germany. It varies regionally.

    • Ellen_musk_ox@lemm.ee
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      15 days ago

      As far as white/Caucasian Americans, I’d bet money it’s Germanic ancestry.

      I recall reading that at one point in the 19th century, 52% of American newspapers were printed in German. And, you still find towns with German names from coast to coast. Anaheim California, Hamburg Minnesota, Berlin New Hampshire.

      If you’re near Eastern Indiana, check out Oldenburg.

      • Ben Hur Horse Race@lemm.ee
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        15 days ago

        Im actually in Ireland, but I grew up in western PA. There is a Deutschestown in north Pittsburgh, and a few breweries have faux bierhalles like Penn Brewery for example. Max’s Alleghenney Tavern in Pgh is a ‘German Restaurant’ as well, but they do “quirky german” things like serve beer in jars, which is not done in Germany at all…

        anyway, genetically, Im half polish half irish, but there were shit tons of italians everywhere also. plenty of krauts in my schools though, now that im old enough to decipher their last names’ ethnic origins. some scandanavians also

    • TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world
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      15 days ago

      I’m aware. There’s an absolutely huge amount of Germanic-descended people, for example. That’s why I spoke of it being the ‘perceived’ default.

      • Ben Hur Horse Race@lemm.ee
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        15 days ago

        haha yeah ok I hear you, Ive just never perceived this or known that anyone else did, but maybe they do and I just didnt know