U.K. Ancestry

[Ron Alexander]

During my search for ancestors, the first I found was one "Mannheim". He was originally from Saxony, but received a land grant from the "Saxon King" of England to settle near the white cliffs of Dover. This was about 1050 AD, which may be as far back as most can find their ancestry. Mannheim's name eventually changed to Manning in U.K. There are alot of Mannings in my family tree.

Cindy, thank you for inviting me to join this group.

[Melanie Worman]

Nice one Ron............it takes an American to get the Brits talking to each other!

Actually, you're more of a Brit than I am. I think my family name, Worman, originated in Germany. We have a right wing group in the UK who use the slogan "Keep England for the English" which I find incredibly funny. There's no such thing as a pure blood Englishman considering the number of times this little island was invaded and settled.

I'm willing to bet that none of the other members of this group (including me) can go back further than 200 years.

[Ron Alexander]

Melanie Worman said:

Nice one Ron............it takes an American to get the Brits talking to each other!

Actually, you're more of a Brit than I am. I think my family name, Worman, originated in Germany. We have a right wing group in the UK who use the slogan "Keep England for the English" which I find incredibly funny. There's no such thing as a pure blood Englishman considering the number of times this little island was invaded and settled.

I'm willing to bet that none of the other members of this group (including me) can go back further than 200 years.

Thanks for replying, Melanie. Now here is rest of story as far as I know it:
Both sides of my immediate family - maternal (the Hillhouses) and fraternal (the Alexanders or McAlexanders) immigrated from Ayrshire, Scotland about 250 to 325 years ago. They were Calvinists outside the Anglican religion, and reportedly were persecuted for it there. Most went across to North Ireland first (the Orange Protestant Party), then came to America.
In Scotland, they were ministers, craftsmen, farmers and fishermen mostly. One became a poet laureate ("Sir" William Alexander) just after or before "Bobbie" Burns. Their clan were closely aligned with the Burns, and both clans ended up close together on the coast of North Carolina - a beautiful part called Swansborough. I was born nearbye at Paradise Point. One Burns became a privateer in the 1812 war, and was undefeated against the Brits. The Americans had a tiny Navy at the start of the war,and could not have won it without privateers! Or the fact that the British, at the same time, had a worldwide Naval war against the French. This is fun, I hope more get interested. As Southeast primary population is mostly "Scotch/Irish". Some immigrated because of religious conflict, and others because of being forced to leave because of being no more room left in debt prisons. Oglethorpe lead a group of debt prisoners to Georgia. I think some of my family were part of that ragtag group.

I have read somewhere (hope it is not right wing propaganda) that before 1947, over 70 % in the British Isles were related in same way or another. Also, that some in Wales had a Spanish background due to the ship wrecked sailors washed ashore during the Spanish Armada (over 1000 ships, I understand?)

[peter James martyn]

It has been a very busy week. Have been doing first aid training all week.
True Brits.... Hmmm

I tend to agree about no such thing as a pure blood english. Lots of mixed up blood.
As for Brits. You must include the parts of the country not invaded by the Normans, or Vikings Etc.
Are their any parts of Britain that wasn't.

I have mostly Cornish blood in my immediate background with a 1 Irish Great grandparent and the rest Cornish.
Beyond that i could not say.
Does that make me English as well as British?



Melanie Worman said:

Nice one Ron............it takes an American to get the Brits talking to each other!

Actually, you're more of a Brit than I am. I think my family name, Worman, originated in Germany. We have a right wing group in the UK who use the slogan "Keep England for the English" which I find incredibly funny. There's no such thing as a pure blood Englishman considering the number of times this little island was invaded and settled.

I'm willing to bet that none of the other members of this group (including me) can go back further than 200 years.