How do I calculate heritage when there are ancestors from different countries?

Question

I've been working on calculating my heritage recently, so that I can truly say "I am 60.4% English," etc. I've even worked out all of the complicated algorithms needed to do so and done infinite amounts of research. The problem I have run into is actually determining the country of origin.

For example, I have an ancestor from Scotland whose parents and grandparents are all from England. However, almost all of this ancestor's great grandparents are from France. Does this man count as Scottish? English? 3/4 French? I need help. I don't understand how that calculation works. I've just been going on a case-by-case basis so far, but it's been confusing and, I fear, inaccurate.

Comments

Hi Andrew.  Just curious, what does your DNA test say about your ethnicity?  I'm not sure the type of calculation you describe actually has any significant meaning.  I'm no authority on the subject, but I think you consist of about 50% of each parent, 25% of each grandparent, 12.5% of each great grandparent, and so on.  But the same can be said about each of those ancestors, who may consist of a whole variety of different ethnicities themselves, regardless of what spot on the planet they made their home.  So even if you are able to trace back to a home country for all your ancestors for some number of generations, what would that really tell you about yourself?  You can perhaps make some generalizations based on finding a few "hot spots," but I'm not sure you can expect much more than that.

Answer 1

I believe country of origin would be criteria. The French line would continue to be French only diluted % by marriage & descendants.

My German ancestors 100%. Child married 100% German in America still 100%. Their 100% son married English woman. Their son now 50-50 German / English. Their son married English woman. Their son now 25% German- 75% English. Their son married English woman. Their son, me, now 12.5% German and 87.5% English provide all English women were 100%.