We asked a couple of Welsh members on our ‘Humans of Cymru’ facebook page to share their thoughts on Americans. There have been multiple number questions from Americans about what the Welsh ‘really’ think about them. ‘Are Welsh anti-American?’ ‘Random 13% DNA found….,’ or ‘My great-great-great grandparents…..’

Here’s what our Welsh readers and a couple of Americans who are also Welsh enthusiasts has to say:

#1. It is a bit strange that they don’t embrace Wales so much.

Seems correct… All you see in America are Irish bars and a mass celebration of St Patrick’s Day.. Then Americans love hearing about Bonnie Scotland. It a bit strange that they don’t embrace Wales so much… when you you see how much Americans know of famous Welsh people like Richard Burton, Dylan Thomas, Michael Sheen, Anthony Hopkins, Gareth Bale and Catherine Zeta Jones, Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones, with no real interest on where these people actually come from.

#2. Most of my fellow Americans were never told that they had Welsh ancestry.

And our English-based educational system does teach it as a country, but only as part of the U.K. Ireland is a separate island, so it was treated differently on immigration records. And, there have been a lot of films and television programs about the Scots. For good or ill, we get a lot of our culture that way.  Mind you, I know plenty of English folks who refer to Cymru as, “England’s Vacation County.” 

#3. I think we must be the only nation that has not got a flag in “It’s a small world” in Disney.

#4. I’d say they know very little about Northern Ireland too… but they might think they do.

#5. I’d say they’re all pretty much aware of Cymru

My grandfather was an American citizen. Thankfully, he came home or I wouldn’t exist. I have to say that all of the relatives and friends I have in the US are very much aware of Cymru, the language and culture and are all proud of their connection. I should add that they’re all highly educated. Perhaps education is the key, not only in the US but with our neighbours in England as well? If they don’t know, they won’t understand or recognise Cymru.

#6. Wales is a very beautiful country, we await an influx of American tourists!!!

#7. I have lived in both the US and Canada and I was consistently asked which part of England I was from .

Also, in general Americans also seem to think that England, Great Britain and the UK are the same thing. I shared this graphic a lot!

#8. I do believe that the power of Facebook has made more Americans aware of Wales’ existence.

Its a slow process but I make sure I put on every comment I leave on their posts and I must say a lot of people question the flag and I oblige them with a brief history of my country. They tend to understand Welsh pride too. After all they are always interested in their British history too.

#9. Britain’s best kept secret.

#10. We Welsh don’t blow our own trumpets like the others do, so we quietly do things not bragging about what we’ve done.

#11. When I first started going to the States, they loved the Welsh accent saying ‘I’ve never heard it before,’ but also have very little interest in anything outside the States.

ONLY excitedly said they know of her when I mentioned Princess Diana and then Prince Charles Prince of Wales but thought that was just a title and not a Country but also thought Wales and Scotland were in England and Britain was just another name for England.

After many years of travelling back and forth to the States it seems better but I think because of a few factors I.e. laziness; isolationism and lack of geographical Education they still don’t grasp the idea that there could be three countries in Britain, MAYBE because we’re an Island? But they know of more than one Country in the Carribbean isles, so it’s still a mystery except they have very little interest in anything outside the States. But then they don’t seem to realise that the Carribbean Islands are slowly being taken over by the Chinese.

#12. Five signatories of the Declaration of Independence Eight presidents including including Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, John Adams and John Quincy Adams can get them to claim themselves as a Welsh descent.

#13. To be fair, people in the USA are not top of the class when it comes to geography with only a small percentage owning passports & travelling but seriously, who cares?

#14. Although they know the celebrities from Cymru, I believe they don’t associate it as a County, and class it as a part of England, sadly.

#15. Where was America again?

#16. Personally I don’t want anything to do with America.

Meanwhile, a few Americans, in their defense, suggest—“Sadly, Welsh culture isn’t as known across most of the US.”

“There are areas here where Welsh immigrants came and settled, but like so many other cultures, they became diluted in the “melting pot” that has been US history. There are groups forming and changing the mindset of a melting pot to one of a mosaic, where our ancestral identities are recognized and celebrated. There are several Facebook groups here in Michigan. WELSH IN MICHIGAN; DETROIT WELSH; and others and we are working to bring Welsh and Welsh descendants together to honor our ancestors and our Welsh culture.”

Let us know your thoughts about what do the Welsh ‘really’ think of Americans in the comments below.

Humans of Cymru is a blog which aims to celebrate stories of everyday Welsh people. The stories we aim to cover are inspirational in nature and hopefully provide the reader with not just inspiration but warmth as well. You can find us on Facebook, where we share similar stories.

Sally George

Sally is a proud wife of a Welshman, editor & writer of Welsh Histories. She’s all about stories—that shout ‘anything Welsh.’ Drop her an email if you have an advice, insight, experience, or a story to share.