Ethnic diversity: North vs. South

[AOII Angel]

As someone raised in the deep south, not many people identify with anything other than being southern. I have German, Swedish, Italian and a small bit of English blood, but I and my family don't specifically identify with any of them. White ethnic groups in Louisiana are more locally defined...as in cajun or creole if they even apply. We have a lot of French names in LA which is a little different from the rest of the south, but Polish and Czech names are practically unheardof here.

[REE1993]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

As someone raised in the deep south, not many people identify with anything other than being southern. I have German, Swedish, Italian and a small bit of English blood, but I and my family don't specifically identify with any of them.

I agree with this statement. My husband is from "the south". Now, he has blood lines from all over Europe and even native American, but he grew up all over the south (military brat). I am in New England, and half italian, and a quarter each Hungarian and Lithuanian. But I grew up in an Italian household (my dad is off the boat). People ask - I say I am Italian.

Growing up, kids identified each other by their heritage. Even the Catholic churches/schools were different - you had the Italian, the Spanish, the Irish, the Russian.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by REE1993

I agree with this statement. My husband is from "the south". Now, he has blood lines from all over Europe and even native American, but he grew up all over the south (military brat). I am in New England, and half italian, and a quarter each Hungarian and Lithuanian. But I grew up in an Italian household (my dad is off the boat). People ask - I say I am Italian.

Growing up, kids identified each other by their heritage. Even the Catholic churches/schools were different - you had the Italian, the Spanish, the Irish, the Russian.

The first Catholic churches/schools in my hometown were the same way (although it's all a bit before my time) St. Patrick Church was the first, but the Germans didn't want to worship with the Irish so St. James was right behind them. (Ironically they're now merging to form one parish). It seems so weird to me that people would go to that trouble, but it's a product of the times.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

As someone raised in the deep south, not many people identify with anything other than being southern.

Although I do not live in the Deep South, I would agree that this is my experience. The one exception I see rather frequently with many Southerners is identification with Scottish heritage.

[DSTRen13]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Although I do not live in the Deep South, I would agree that this is my experience. The one exception I see rather frequently with many Southerners is identification with Scottish heritage.

I guess it just depends on specific local history with things like that in the South. But overall, yeah, nothing like other places in the US. People came over earlier, and the willing part of that came pretty much exclusively from Northern European places.

I'm Georgian - my heritage is a mismash of English, Irish, Scottish, German, Cherokee, Creek, and who knows what else thrown in for good measure. There's not really enough of any one thing to identify with very strongly (although of course I'm Irish on St. Patrick's Day ), and I'd say this is typical for most Southerners.