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| Americymru.com Information |
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| Mr. Ceri Shaw |
Phone: 5038419322
URL: http://www.americymru.com
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Welcome to Americymru.com. It is intended that this site will be a place for Americans of Welsh descent to celebrate their heritage and deepen their knowledge of the rich fund of Welsh History , Folklore and Legend.
Americymru (pronounced "amerikumree") simply means "Welsh-American". You won't find it in any dictionary because we coined it ourselves and we thought it sounded cute.
Nearly 2 million Americans claimed Welsh ancestry in the 2000 census. This figure represents approximately 0.6% of the total US population.
The real figure may well be considerably higher. Jones is the most common surname in Wales and the second most common in the UK, after Smith. In America it is the fourth most common shared by 3% of the population. Not everyone actively researches their heritage. Many of these Jones's may also be of Welsh descent.
The population of Wales is around 3 million, similar in size to the population of Oregon where this site is based.
I am grateful for much of the above quoted statistical information to the various Wikipedia articles cited below and of course to the U.S. Census Bureau. In the United States it is possible to indicate Welsh ancestry on the census return. This is not necessarily the case elsewhere.
At the time of the last UK census ( 2001 ) there was a major controversy concerning the lack of a Welsh 'tick-box' on the return. There were calls for a boycott and other forms of civil disobedience.
It was possible , however, to indicate your origins by writing 'Welsh' in the 'Other' field on the form.
This went some way toward mollifying the popular resentment felt in Wales at the time. In any case the furore occasioned by this startling omission will not be repeated . The UK census authorities have promised to include a Welsh 'tick-box' on the 2011 census.
It is perhaps ironic that this entire farce was repeated in Australia. The 2006 Australian census form allowed respondents to identify themselves as English, Irish, or Scottish but once again there was no Welsh 'tick-box'. Predictably Australians of Welsh descent complained vociferously about this omission.
It is to the struggle against attitudes that lead to omissions like these that this site is dedicated. Welshness is something to be celebrated and not dismissed! Wales has, within the last decade, voted itself a parliament. Its first since the 15th century. There is some evidence that the Welsh language, particularly in the south, is enjoying a revival; and, who knows, someday, Cardiff City might even make it into the premier league.
These are exciting times for Wales, a fact which we hope will be reflected on this site and which will be a cause of pride to all Welsh Americans. |
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