Another ancestry question: At what point does someone just become "American" vs. (for example) "German-American"?

eta: I guess that was just answered by Amy.

There's a category for "American" ancestry (not American Indian) - what's that supposed to mean?

People who came here from Canada?

There's a category for "American" ancestry (not American Indian) - what's that supposed to mean?

Descendents of Vespucci, I believe.

The Oh picture startled me too. Not sure why I didn't believe the very clear description, looked at it, and then had to go back to check.

I need to remember there's a Mark functionality for a reason.

People who came here from Canada?

That's the first thing I thought.

I think that the Western and Southern European populations are going down, but the Central and Eastern ones are staying level/increasing in the past 15 years or so. I know that the Polish population in Chicago is actually going down a bit, but only because the younger ones who came over in the 1980s and 90s are now getting married and heading for the 'burbs (Elmwood Park and Franklin Park, especially) with their families. This is good, because there are now more Polish bakeries and restaurants along Harlem Avenue--yay for pierogies and kolachkies!

One of my great grandfathers was German but they Americanized their last name at some point.

I have German, Comanche, Scottish, and English ancestry and god knows what else since my one of my grandfather's never knew his father and his mother never spoke of him. From census records we found out his first name and that he was born in Kentucky but nothing past that.

Another ancestry question: At what point does someone just become "American" vs. (for example) "German-American"?

Well, it's a question of how the individual identifies, I think, so it'd be different from person to person. Certainly my grandmother, who's first-generation American, identified as Italian-American. Her daughter, my mother, identifies pretty strongly as Italian (even though her father was French-Canadian). I don't, particularly, but I might more if my Dad's side of the family wasn't all WASPy or if I'd grown up in Northampton with my Italian cousins. So it would also depend to some extent on what kind of community you live in, I suspect.

Maybe fourth of fifth generation American?

Pikers. :) t grinning at the ancestry that qualifies me for the Mayflower Society if such a group would have me and if I could resist from strangling them.

Magnets? Age liquor?!

Another ancestry question: At what point does someone just become "American" vs. (for example) "German-American"?

Well, it's a question of how the individual identifies, I think

Yeah, I think so, too. I'm sure some folks who are fifth or sixth generation American-born might indentify strongly as Irish or Italian or whatever. But others, not so much. Maybe people who are descended from the Mayflower crew identify as "American" instead of British. It's going to depend on the person.