Where did your family immigrate from?

whatdidyousay! said:
The movie 'Fiddler on the roof' would give you some idea of how life was for my dad's family . They came over in steerage class and landed in Boston
in the late 1800's or early 1900's . They had to go into a holding area b/c the younger son had an eye infection . I believe dad's father and oldest brother came here first and send for the family . Dad's family came from Siberia , Russia . They lived in a house with a dirt floor and had to live on the byproducts of animal and hunts for animals that where found frozen in caves .
Dad told us that there was a blizzard coming while he was in one room school house and he was the only child that no came to walk home . The storm was so bad a child would had gotten lost and dies . Dad said the there was no more wood to burn so he tried fid his way and his dad showed up b/c dad mom told the SOB to go get his son. Dad 's father had to leave his village for awhile and when he came back he found his wife pregnant with dad and he fought his wife got raped and that dad was not his son. Women where getting raped when their men left to find food for their families.
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Pogroms. That is how my great uncle's family got here too. They came to New York, then the parents died.

My great uncle was 16 and just made his own way in the world, but his two little sisters got adopted. He did manage to be in touch with them as adults, but I don't know how he was able to find them.
 
Hmm..

Dad's side of the family- Scottish, Irish, English (Welsh). One of my cousins has been doing a lot of research on that side. My paternal grandmother's tree has been particularly trying to figure out- considering that dad says they really have no idea if her birthdate is even accurate (she never would tell anyone what it was exactly). Paternal grandmother immigrated to the US from Scotland when she was 6 months old (from stories...).

Mother's side of the family is mostly Scottish and German (I'm sure there are others). Maternal grandmother was born in Scotland, immigrated to Canada @ age 5 then US @ age 10. She had dual citizenship if I recall (UK and US). Her father served in the Royal Navy. Ironically enough- her father was from the US- I don't know how he met great-granny though...

I don't know the reason(s) why various members of family immigrated to the US... never really asked.
 
My dad is Native American my mom is from Germany.


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I'm 50% Irish (we came here in the 1860's, but i'm not sure when my other side came from Ireland--I'm Irish on both sides...) and my grandfather was from Germany (he was born here, but his parents and sister were born in Germany--may mom may have been pregnant with him when they came, or shortly after...
 
annasymmetric said:
Did he ever learn or embrace his heritage?

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A part of dad did but he had so much bitter memory of living with a monster of a father . Dad would love to do part of the Russian dance where the men swat down and kick their legs out. He could o this very good for a man that was in his 60's. And when dad cut the loaf Russian rye he would hold the loaf of bread in the crook of his elbow and cut it was big knife . I loved to watch
him do that. Yes , he did embrace some his heritage. He gave a lot money to his temple so he embrace his Jewish heritage very deeply . It was a shame he was not allowed to finish school b/c he was a very intelligence man , his closest friends were lawyers and doctors . I can remember what the Rabbi said about dad at his funeral . He said dad reminded him of an oat tree , strong and proud .
 
my mom's side: Ireland, Scotland.
Dad's side: England, Scotland, and who knows where else.
 
Dad's family (both sides) came from Prussia and I do not know why.

Mom's mother's side originally was Native American (Cherokee), Don't know about Grandma Lu's father's side.

Mom's dad was from Australia and he came due to a job and stayed. He was a preacher.
 
Ireland.....My mom and dad came to America with four small children, ages 4,3,2 and 1. They came to America because it was my dads dream as a little kid. All of our relatives still live in Ireland.
 
Bottesini said:
Pogroms. That is how my great uncle's family got here too. They came to New York, then the parents died.

My great uncle was 16 and just made his own way in the world, but his two little sisters got adopted. He did manage to be in touch with them as adults, but I don't know how he was able to find them.
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Thank you! I was not sure to spell Pogroms . I am petty sure dad family came to Boston . His parents separated and his mother lived not far us. We had enough room in our house for grandma to live so I am not sure why dad did not have her live with us. Dad had to help support his family so his dad took him out of school. Dad never for gave his father for his.
 
I need to ask my parents about who immigrated and why. As far as I know, I am a 6th or 7th generation American. Most of my ancestors were of Northern Europe heritage except for my grandmother who was 1/2 Native American.
 
My fathers side is from Czechoslovakia. My mother is Irish.


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KristinaB said:
Dad's family (both sides) came from Prussia and I do not know why.

Mom's mother's side originally was Native American (Cherokee), Don't know about Grandma Lu's father's side.

Mom's dad was from Australia and he came due to a job and stayed. He was a preacher.
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That's a lot of different things. I'm glad you shared, I'm sure you're proud! Prussia is nonexistant now and there are probably few Prussians left.

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Most, if not all, from Ireland. The only "line" I have, from a cousin of my mom's shows my maternal grandmother's dad & some of his siblings came over in the 1870's.
She had visited the relatives in Ireland at least once.


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KikLove said:
No, I'm from Japan. I was saying it was cool because I've never known anyone with heritage from there.
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Oh gotcha I thought you were. I am a half czechoslovkian. After 1990s czechoslovkia broke up, then I am a slovkian. :) My grandma was 16 yrs old came to NYC all alone. I heard lots of czechoslovkia moved to Canada.
 
Ah I see. Yes, I'm full Japanese. Both of my parents immigrated here about 20 years ago from Japan. :)
 
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