The different ways that UK is named is confusion to many non-British.
In many cases you see “England” used to mean all of Great Britain, or even all of the the British Isles.
If you are among those who are confused by all this, here is an explanation to clear it all up:
Another confusing aspects is that all of the British Isles are a "Common Travel Area
(I.e. no passport is need to travel between the individual countries and territories):
The Common Travel Area consists of UK (England, Scotland & Wales), Republic of Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.
To make it more complicated the Republic of Ireland is a member of EU and the Common Customs Union, while UK are not (as of 31.01.2020)
PS> The Republic of Ireland is NOT a member of the Schengen free travel arrangement withinn Europe.
That means that there is a de facto “border” in the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, although only for goods that is/ MAY be destined for the Republic of Ireland:
PS> Travellers can move freely between the two parts of the Island of Ireland, however.
Since we are on the subject of geography and history; the “Vikings” didn’t only raid and pillaged in the British Isles, they also traded and settled there:
Even less known is the extent of Viking/Norsemen/Normand activities in Europe and even North Africa:
So soon we will be re-instituting the Danelaw? Is that the goal of this thread? I’m sure Alfred The Great is rolling in his grave, so too are the Jacobites I suppose.
Having ancestors that likely came over in the 1066 Norman Invasion, ancestors that go back in Ireland probably before the time of St Patrick, and ancestors in Scottland that probably fought on both sides at Culloden, it’s hard, as a modern American to pick a particular form of old-world nationalism.
I am always amazed when hear some people can trace their roots as far back! Having been born and raised in Ukraine I remember very few people knew their great-great-grandfather’s name . And due to two world wars , civil war, and few other unfortunate events almost no trackable documents exist to help with ancestry search.
Anyway, good for you!
Not exactly on topic, but something geography related:
Gaza pier had been permanently disassembled. It appeared to be the sea is not very hospitable to such structures in that place. It’s been only 5 thousand years of seafaring in that part of the world who could know, right?
If they “came over” in 1086 they must have come on a Vikings treding ship (Knarr)
(See upper left corner of the map above)
Oh you ment the Vikings (aka Normans) that came across the English Channel in small boats and conquered England?
PS> It’s still not popular to have people “coming across the Chanel in small boats” I hear.
The way describe your ancesterl background you call yourselft an “Norman-Irish-Scottish-American”? That is more impressive than most, with only one -American to their name.
Well I can go as far back as two of my great great grandfathers on one side of the family, sometime in the early 1800s. On the other side, I can’t go past my grandfather. So anything pre-1800s, take with a grain of salt as it’s based on surname alone, though one of the less common, but well documented, surnames.
So, I’m from Berwick-upon-Tweed, and am a borderline case I suppose. My mum is Scottish and can trace her Bruce family line all the way back to Robert the Bruce. My dad was born in Berwick to a Scottish MacDonald mother, whose family came from the south end of Skye, and a father who came from Hackney in London. Berwick changed hands about 14 times and most of us Berwickers believe we’re Scots, but the place is administered by England. So confused, I now live in New Zealand!
I’ve avoided DNA tests JIK I find out who I’m related to.
My Daughter did the DNA thing. According to the DNA people. My Daughter is only 99.98% Scottish. And O.02% Greek.
WTF that comes from I don’t know must be the wife.
