Why do many African Americans have Irish surnames?

[Sikeliot]

Eddie Murphy, Shaquille O'Neal, Tracy McGrady etc.

I have known many African Americans also with surnames like McDowell, Collins, Kelly, etc.

Why? I didn't know there would be Irish ancestry or any Irish Americans owning slaves.

[Seth MacFarlane]

Eddie Murphy, Shaquille O'Neal, Tracy McGrady etc.

I have known many African Americans also with surnames like McDowell, Collins, Kelly, etc.

Why? I didn't know there would be Irish ancestry or any Irish Americans owning slaves.

I've also thought of this also , the only explanation I could come up with is that some English slaveowners have some paternal irish ancestry from mixing back in the British isles.

[Anima Libera]

Following their release from slavery, they adopted European surnames.

And some had interbred with white folk.

[Sikeliot]

I've also thought of this also , the only explanation I could come up with is that some English slaveowners have some paternal irish ancestry from mixing back in the British isles.

I know some surnames are shared between Irish and Scottish people, but the examples above -- McGrady, Murphy, Kelly, etc. are just Irish. So Scots-Irish might not explain it.

[Seth MacFarlane]

Following their release from slavery, they adopted European surnames.

It's more likely the mixed nationality of their owners due to close proximity of their native land. You won't see African American with random Slavic surnames or romance names

[Anima Libera]

It's more likely the mixed nationality of their owners due to close proximity of their native land. You won't see African American with random Slavic surnames or romance names

Yes but they adopted white surnames common in america. that's what I was meaning. like anglo germanic names

[Siberyak]

Almost all the people who owned slaves in the south were british isles descended. That shouldn't be a hard one to figure out...

[Linebacker]

In many white families post slavery,black people were adopted.Kind of like the maids/cooks and butlers in British families at the time.They lived in the family's house and they carried the family's name.

There's your answer.

[Cody Gearhart]

Also a reason why african americans can grow facial hair Lol. Just sayin. but yes a lot of them interbred with white folk.

[pincopallino]

because the Irish owned slaves. Actually many AA carry Welsh surnames too like Williams, Jones etc

[SupaThug]

Also a reason why african americans can grow facial hair Lol. Just sayin. but yes a lot of them interbred with white folk.

Africans can grow facial hair without any admixture.

[AverageKorhonen]

Africans can grow facial hair without any admixture.

Not likely. How many full blacks are in Brazil ? As far as I know all your ''blacks'' are actually mutts. Full west africans aren't known for thick beards, maybe a mustache or goathee but a full beard ? Could you share your sources ?

West Africans with full beards = sex slave bastards of Arabs

[SupaThug]

Not likely. How many full blacks are in Brazil ? As far as I know all your ''blacks'' are actually mutts. Full west africans aren't known for thick beards, maybe a mustache or goathee but a full beard ? Could you share your sources ?

West Africans with full beards = sex slave bastards of Arabs

I am not talking about blacks in Brazil,but blacks in Africa:

http://www.standard.co.uk/incoming/article9538041.ece/alternates/w620/Didier%20Drogba.jpg

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSj-BF4xa5ozI-W2ai5Uz7L1o-N1snvrYIHCxvhscZfxsygJ0u4cQ

[AverageKorhonen]

I am not talking about blacks in Brazil,but blacks in Africa:

http://www.standard.co.uk/incoming/article9538041.ece/alternates/w620/Didier%20Drogba.jpg

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSj-BF4xa5ozI-W2ai5Uz7L1o-N1snvrYIHCxvhscZfxsygJ0u4cQ

Arab admixture from slavery times for sure both of them.

[Freeroostah]

Because back then African-Americans and Irish were both treated equally by the English(low class people). That made them live together and eventually mix thus having Black people with Irish surnames.

[Smitty]

Because back then African-Americans and Irish were both treated equally by the English(low class people). That made them live together and eventually mix thus having Black people with Irish surnames.

Irish-Americans lived with blacks? They may have been lower class, but they weren't that low class.

[Freeroostah]

Irish-Americans lived with blacks? They may have been lower class, but they weren't that low class.

The majority of African-Americans I've met were part Irish and some of them even part Native American.

[Smitty]

The majority of African-Americans I've met were part Irish and some of them even part Native American.

Some of that is probably distant blood from slaveholders. There may have been some Irish (along with most any other ethnic group) who mixed with blacks, but those people then essentially became black. I just doubt that blacks and Irish were living together or mixing to any great degree. While both groups were lower on the totem pole than, say, WASPs, they were hardly considered to be at the same level.

[Freeroostah]

Some of that is probably distant blood from slaveholders. There may have been some Irish (along with most any other ethnic group) who mixed with blacks, but those people then essentially became black. I just doubt that blacks and Irish were living together or mixing to any great degree. While both groups were lower on the totem pole than, say, WASPs, they were hardly considered to be at the same level.

I still dont get the fact that black people with the slaveowners blood were still considered as slaves. I mean they were the owner's kids lol

[LightHouse89]

Also a reason why african americans can grow facial hair Lol. Just sayin. but yes a lot of them interbred with white folk.

sources?

[Smitty]

I still dont get the fact that black people with the slaveowners blood were still considered as slaves. I mean they were the owner's kids lol

I'm not surprised they were considered slaves, but it is ironic that these people were willing to rape and mix their seed with the very people they enslaved. If blacks were subhumans like they claimed, you would think they wouldn't want to have sex with them, much less mix their noble bloodline with "animals."

[Sikeliot]

I'm not surprised they were considered slaves, but it is ironic that these people were willing to rape and mix their seed with the very people they enslaved. If blacks were subhumans like they claimed, you would think they wouldn't want to have sex with them, much less mix their noble bloodline with "animals."

They didn't really consider black people subhuman, they just said so to justify their enslavement of them, which was for economic reasons.

[LightHouse89]

Because back then African-Americans and Irish were both treated equally by the English(low class people). That made them live together and eventually mix thus having Black people with Irish surnames.

False. Several people who signed the declaration of independence were Irish.

[LightHouse89]

The majority of African-Americans I've met were part Irish and some of them even part Native American.

I doubt it. I met Puerto Ricans who claimed they were irish or scotch irish. Yet they look entirely tri-racial or have Spanish surnames.

[Smitty]

They didn't really consider black people subhuman, they just said so to justify their enslavement of them, which was for economic reasons.

For many of them, I'm sure that was the case. But I'm sure there were some who genuinely believed the propaganda. Prejudice runs deep.

[Greenstone]

Well, in the book Gone with the Wind, the family running the plantation was of Irish descent- however, it's possible that many Af. Am.'s with Irish names have Scots-Irish rather than outright Irish lineage.

[StevenTylerAerosmith]

i heard a rumor that irish were the first slaves in america

[Cristiano viejo]

For the same reason than blacks in Central and South America have Spanish, French or Portuguese surnames.

[KMack]

The more important question, why do blacks stop their auto in the middle of the street to have a conversation? Please park the phucking car somewhere.

[KMack]

]i heard a rumor[/B] that irish were the first slaves in america

From Heathers?