On my mother's side, they've been here (well, or Canada) forever (literally almost 500 years in some cases), but on my father's side, my great-grandfather was from Germany and my great-grandmother was from the Cayman Islands. Which I learned on Ancestry. I knew someone was from the Caribbean, but wasn't sure who.

I knew a lot more than I do now, I forgot stuff. I know 1 of Mom's sister has done a lot of research into their dad's side, including a lot of stuff on his father, who was Comanche, and was in the same bad as Quanah Parker, although we aren't related to him.

Well done, Cash! You're on the A-Team.

My grandfather changed his name on purpose at Ellis Island, thinking he needed something short and snappy to make himself a Real American.

My friend Alison's family changed their name too for the same reason. They decided their last name was too Jewish so they changed it to something much more American. So they went from Wolf to Steiner.

the other thing about Ancestry is that people submit their family trees, and I don't always know how accurate the information is. I found some family stuff that seems to be verified, but I think it's just based on legend.

I think I recently mentioned that both my mother and father can trace their Mi'kmaq roots to the same relative, right? That's what happens in isolated rural areas.

I am much more of a Heinz 57 than I thought: French & Irish, but some Mi'kmaq and Acadian too. I wouldn't be too surprised if there was some Basque, consider St. Pierre was settled by the French and Basque.

Amy, I reset my smtp port so it may have gone through? Stupid entourage.

JZ! You're Mexican like I am Cuban!

Fake Latina high five!

I know it is invasive but what I really wish ancestry.com would do s give me contact information for living people. My grandfather's sister had a son, who has grandchildren and maybe they would know more. Still uncomfortable to ask because of random scandolous affairs and mental illness, though. But I would like the opportunity.

I'd actually be interested to see if I can find anything out about the Great Grandfather Who Was Name was Never Spoken. All I know is that he lived, and I believe, died in Kentucky.

No one knows anything about his parents or his family because it was a taboo subject with my great grandmother.

Jesse! Sister! Hugs!

I got nothing but unspecified slave folks and pretty poor Scots. Remarkably consistent, as far back as we went. I have some relatives who *swear* we're related to the Barrett Brownings or something, but I suspect they're just full of pretentious shit. I mean, seriously.

And, lord, I've been trying to remember the name Barrett Browning for almost a decade now, and I just couldn't work out which poet it was. And it just fell off my fingertips just now.

the other thing about Ancestry is that people submit their family trees, and I don't always know how accurate the information is. I found some family stuff that seems to be verified, but I think it's just based on legend.

Sadly, when Granny in Scotland died, Betty Dick apparently burnt the family bible that had all the Aitken history in it. (And when Granny was alive, always hushed her when Granny was getting to the GOOD gossip, per my Aunt.)

So says Mom's cousin Mary. And speaking of small towns, Mary and Betty are related through a brother and sister who married a sister and brother.