are we immigrants,??

[alfred]

I write this as i wonder like many people what it is that's attracting people from Afghanistan and others places to want to come to England , i assume a better way of life to which I'm sure some of them must be clever people amongst them who will in time add to making the united kingdom great,

thinking back to the past many of us myself and family included wondered in the past did we  our ancestors arrive on shores of the u.k and then decided to make it their home, if so where from ?

history shows us just how many people came here and some other countries sent warriors  who conquered us in the process, 
Saxons, Vikings, Celts, and so on even the romans who help design and built our roads and even sauna baths amongst other things as well as an orderly military approach,

even after w.w.2 some Germans who were brought here as captives decide to stay here and make this their home and many became successful farmers, other even bakers making some delicious bread,

since then we've had Greeks , Chinese , and a host of other nationalities arrive here including Jamaicans , hindu,s   and many Jewish  families who were to my mind the best tailors around, and many east end shops were run and in competition by many Jewish tailor shops ,all competing for your trade,

so it shows just how many people from all walks of life and from ,many places in the world  have made the u.k their home over many many years
so is it a good thing or a bad one simply  because a person arrives on our shores , and who knows how they will fare in the future
as it is in recent times we have had many European workers working our farms, and doing jobs some of our own wouldn't do ,

Q; England is or has been made up of many cultures and over the years they have contributed to the English society, that is thinking the way we do,

Q; have you had any thoughts of where your ancestors came from it could suprise you,

[alfred]

my wife's ancestors originated from  Bulgaria and also from France  I'm still trying to find where my ancestors came from once i know ill let you know,

[Alex]

Although it's interesting to find out about our ancestors, I don't think we can compare today's immigrants with the distant past.  The world today is a frightening place, with terrorists seeking to destroy the west.  Who knows out of the 30,000 who have arrived illegally, having discarded their documents in the channel, how many wish us harm ?

[klondike]

S'nothing new



What is new is that in our enlightened times we not only let 'em in we seem to roll out a red carpet too 

[Jacqueline]

According to my DNA results I am 100% British (from the British Isles) most of the native white population are much the same.   

[crabbyob]

my cousin traced our family back to the early 1700s to Kings Barn near St Andrews... ok all those guys married ladies from where i know not... but in my own line my son was the first to marry foreign [english] but then he too is English...lol... what have i started.. i havent gone down the DNA yet

[GrannyMac]

My DNA identifies me as mainly Scots, Irish, English and a bit of other European. I've struggled with my mum's ancestry (too many 'Mac' names) but have found my dad's paternal line in the 1700s in Kinross.  My husband, judging by our surname, must have some Scandinavian heritage as well as the English and Irish we know about. 

[Scrumpy]

Heaven knows what I am.. I know there could be Jewish there somewhere.. My family are a Bethnal Green lot..

As far as foreigners coming here I do agree .. because of terrorist it is becoming unsafe..

I remember getting well excited when a Chinese Restaurant opened up ..

[Alex]

I've no idea where I came from, a friend once tried to do my family tree but didn't get any further than Southport 

[klondike]

Never done the DNA thing or dug back through the documents to produce any family tree. I do know some were a tad disreputable. I doubt any were rich enough to be slave owners.

[TREBOR]

I have English, French and Scottish ancestry. Rather like Mary Queen of Scots. She came to a sticky end and lost her head so lets hope I dont follow in her path.

[1955vintage]

Don't know ,don't care. My grandparents were all born in UK, so I'm a Brit. Some Irish from my great grandfather (so I am not Charlton- Irish) and Welsh from great Grandmother, but otherwise English with a dollop of bargee, (look up Ronnie Wood).

[crabbyob]

and having read all that i have come to the conclusion that we are all simply works art, perhaps knitted by our Grannies, but works of art non the the less..
so heres to us,and whaes like us..... damn few, it appears..

[Wandering Walter]

My ancestors arrived here in Long Ships Danish originally DNA proves the Scandinavian connection

[klondike]

They probably raped and pillaged some of mine I guess.