What generation American are you?

Although there were people with my last name living in America prior the our war for independence, my particular branch of the family (We all came from Scotland [hence my avatar]--some by the way of other countries.) moved from Scotland to Ireland.

Due to the series of "Potato Famines" that Ireland experienced, my family moved to America in the 1840's. We started out on the coasts of ME, then to MA, then to NJ, and eventually in the 1880-1890's wound up in the Philadelphia PA area.

After serving in the USAF in the late 1960's, I returned to that area for a couple years until 1972. It was then when I moved to TN.

We never "Anglicanized" our family name (Scots & Brits seldom get along with each other anyway!). :thumbs:

 

I can tract back 7 generations on my father's. The first that can be confirmed was born in Virginia, so we know that there is at least one or more prior to his birth.

On my mother's side I am the 12th generation, the first was Elizabeth and William T. They were born in Wales in 1612 and 1609 and immigrated to what is now Connecticut in the 1630's.

The spelling of the names changed in several of my lines of ancestors.

 

My family has been here for several generations. Since I am an amateur genealogist, I have traced my family back along several lines, and have found that not one ancestor has come to the US after the Revolution. Most came in the mid 1600s and the very latest one came from Scotland in 1773.

As far as the name changing question, I have one German line that did change their name. It was originally Gentzler, and they changed it to Canselor.

 

I was surprised to find my family tree on my father's side going all the way back to 1527 in Yorkshire, England. My first grandfather born here was in Virginia in 1686. I am the 10th generation born in America.

I also found by family tree on my mother's side going back to around 1680, also from England. My first grandfather born here was around 1735 also in Virginia I believe.

I found these records on Rootsweb.

 

My great grandmother on my fathers side came here from Germany following WW2, so I assume thats as far back I can go.

 

We've traced my lineage back to the first settlement at Jamestown. My ancestors fled England and hid their valuables in a pie when they sailed to America. On the other side of my lineage, I have German ancestors who changed their name when they came here before/during WWII. There's also a Cherokee lady on that side who married one of the German ancestors after he moved here.

It's very interesting to see certain physical features that are prominent in family members. I was watching a movie about WWII and saw a couple of foreign actors (German) that looked identical to one of my brothers in the facial shape, eyes, nose, ears, and even hairstyle. These particular traits are easily seen in my uncles and one grandfather from the German decent. They even stand the same way and carry themselves the same.

 

On my mom's side, it has been a Mayflower thing, I am sure.

On my dad's side, he came over on the boat.

Names were not changed to protect the innocent.

 

Cajun from south Louisiana---all the way, baby!!!!!

:type::type::type:

 

My wife's second cousin is Joseph Yule (aka Mickey Rooney) from Scotland origionally. I have pictures of him & my wife in their youths ...strong family resemblance.

 

Sadly if you wanted to find out earlier ancestors from Germany, it could be very difficult as many records were lost during the WW2. My mothers side comes from what was Prussia, and there has been difficulties in regards to lost records.