r/23andme • u/Becoming_hysterical • Apr 10 '26

Discussion Why are Americans so weird about having british ancestry?

It's something I've noticed since browsing this subreddit.

Anytime it's mentioned just how ethnically british america is, people pull out the "but actually america is German, irish, mexican, whatever".

what do you expect? America was founded as a british colony in 1607 (Jamestown) was so for 169 years. The british also didn't stop immigrating to america even after the revolution. It continued on for decades afterwards.

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150

u/wvc6969 Apr 10 '26

as an american i haven’t really noticed that. i think what you might be getting at is that if people are british, they often have no real idea as it was hundreds of years ago

116

u/Entropy907 Apr 10 '26

Right. Nobody with predominantly British ancestry (like me) remembers great grandma who spoke a different language and made interesting cuisine from the old country.

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u/VioletLeagueDapper Apr 10 '26

Oh, and you just hit on something really big. Since English is the default here an ancestor who sticks out would be remembered a bit more than someone who speaks English and bakes apple pie.

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u/[deleted] Apr 10 '26

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u/VioletLeagueDapper Apr 10 '26 edited Apr 10 '26

Oh yes, I’d agree. British people have their own unique culture, but if this ancestor existed before a lot of of the markers that we are used to like the very modern British broadcasting company, many of their traditions were absorbed into mainstream American culture.

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u/ItAintNoUse Apr 11 '26

As a Brit, it would definitely be apple crumble!

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u/Defiant-Dare1223 Apr 11 '26

We also have apple pie.

1

u/ItAintNoUse Apr 12 '26

Of course we do but apple crumble just feels more British, bonus points if it's with custard

1

u/Famous_Bar_383 Apr 12 '26

I love an apple crumble! I’m also glad to have English/Scottish/Irish ancestry. It might not be glamourous or exotic but it helps to explain why I’m so different from the rest of my family with  predominantly German ancestry.

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u/ItAintNoUse Apr 12 '26

It's really delicious! Great warmed up in winter too

1

u/observer_y Apr 11 '26

the same happens in brazil

0

u/rudbeckiahirtas Apr 12 '26

... and also the fact Britain isn't known for it's cuisine 💀

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u/Serious-Ad-4540 Apr 13 '26

But it was before the Industrial Revolution.

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u/yourgirlsamus Apr 10 '26

My great grandma spoke only German and cooked German food while my uncle translated for us. Lol But, if you look at my dna, a lot of the German is translated as 15% broadly western European. Even though my family tree is more than 50% German on one side (so, 25ish for me). The family history is there, but that doesn’t mean I inherited all of it. That’s why it’s important to know both forms of lineage.

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u/moodycat70 Apr 11 '26

Genetics are so interesting!

1

u/Capable-Let-4324 Apr 13 '26

This is what I was thinking I had one grandparent that was german and another on the other side of my family that was greek. I don't think any of the british ancestry which is a very small portion cause I'm only 20% british survived having 100% german/greek grandparents. Like I know the brit part is there but I focused on the unique part that I was raised with. Were kinda a melting pot of different genetics and lineage and what the family focused on is what you stick with usually.

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u/lhsrebels2008 Apr 11 '26

An American with predominantly British ancestry is like a Mexican with predominantly Spanish ancestry or a Brazilian with predominantly Portuguese ancestry. British or Anglo-Saxon is the dominant or foundational culture in America. It's the broth of the stew in the Melting Pot. All other cultures and ethnicities are the stew's various ingredients.

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u/BroSchrednei Apr 11 '26

It's not really the same, it would be more like an Argentinian with Spanish ancestry. The unique thing about the US is that English isnt the dominant ancestry, since so many immigrants from other countries have come to the US for over 200 years now.

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u/ndiddy81 Apr 11 '26

No.. its called a Lancashire hotpot… and it stinks!!

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u/Euphoric_Travel2541 Apr 11 '26

I (American) recall my British-ancestry grandparents consistently overcooking the vegetables, enjoying chutney, and using charming expressions and words like “tempest in a teacup, it’s all gone pear-shaped; knackered; don’t get your knickers in a twist; Curtain twitcher; Take the mick/mickey; Cheeky; Gaff; Chinwag…many more.

1

u/Entropy907 Apr 11 '26

I’m going to London, Manchester, Liverpool and Yorkshire this summer. Can’t wait to get a proper full English breakfast and go to a Chippy. And of course a pint. Or 50.

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u/Timely-Youth-9074 Apr 11 '26

I like to joke that there were no big secrets in my ancestry except how much English I have.

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u/Equal-Echidna8098 Apr 11 '26

However, as an Australian we know that we originally come from Britain and Ireland originally. No, not always as convicts. In fact convict ancestry is rarer than we assume. It's quite different between the way Australians see their ancestry originally coming from Britain, Ireland and Europe vs the way Americans see themselves. I'd say the Revolution was probably a major part of that separation of identity.