Ersys Logo Ersys Name
Winston County – Ancestry

Picture of valves

Ancestry refers to the lineage or descent of a person, family, or group, tracing back through generations to identify their origins, heritage, and familial connections. It encompasses the genetic, cultural, and historical ties that link individuals to their forebears, shaping their identity and sense of belonging. Ancestry is a multifaceted concept, intertwining biology, genealogy, history, and culture, and it plays a significant role in how people understand themselves and their place in the world.

At its core, ancestry is rooted in genetics. Each individual inherits a unique combination of DNA from their parents, who in turn inherited their DNA from their own ancestors. This genetic material carries information about physical traits, predispositions to certain health conditions, and even behavioral tendencies. Advances in genetic testing, such as DNA analysis, have made it possible for individuals to trace their biological ancestry with remarkable precision. Companies like 23andMe and AncestryDNA offer services that analyze genetic markers to provide insights into a person's ethnic composition and geographic origins, often revealing surprising connections to distant relatives or previously unknown heritage.

Beyond genetics, ancestry is deeply tied to genealogy, the study of family history and lineage. Genealogical research involves constructing family trees, documenting relationships, and uncovering historical records such as birth certificates, marriage licenses, census data, and immigration documents. This process often reveals stories of migration, resilience, and adaptation, offering a window into the lives of ancestors and the challenges they faced. For many, genealogy is a way to honor their forebears and preserve their legacy for future generations.

Cultural ancestry is another critical dimension, encompassing the traditions, languages, customs, and values passed down through generations. It connects individuals to their ethnic or national heritage, shaping their cultural identity and worldview. For example, someone with Irish ancestry might celebrate St. Patrick's Day, learn traditional Irish dance, or explore the Gaelic language, while someone with Japanese ancestry might practice tea ceremonies, study calligraphy, or observe Obon festivals. Cultural ancestry fosters a sense of continuity and belonging, linking individuals to a broader community with shared experiences and values.

Historical ancestry delves into the broader context of a family's or group's past, including significant events, social conditions, and historical movements that shaped their lives. For instance, the transatlantic slave trade, the Irish Potato Famine, or the Jewish diaspora have profoundly influenced the ancestry of millions of people, leaving lasting imprints on their descendants' identities. Understanding historical ancestry often involves grappling with complex narratives of triumph and tragedy, resilience and oppression, and the interplay of individual and collective experiences.

Ancestry also has a deeply personal and emotional dimension. For many, exploring their ancestry is a journey of self-discovery, offering insights into who they are and where they come from. It can foster a sense of pride, connection, and continuity, as well as a deeper appreciation for the struggles and achievements of those who came before. At the same time, it can raise questions about identity, belonging, and the complexities of heritage, particularly for individuals with mixed or multicultural backgrounds.

In a globalized world, ancestry serves as a bridge between the past and the present, connecting individuals to their roots while also highlighting the interconnectedness of human history. It underscores the diversity and richness of human experience, reminding us that every person's story is part of a larger tapestry woven over centuries. Whether through genetic testing, genealogical research, cultural practices, or historical exploration, ancestry offers a profound way to understand ourselves and our place in the world.

A diversification score measures the diversity of ancestries in the county. As the value appoaches 100, ancestry diversity decreases and therefore increasing the risk of a lack of cultural diversity. The ancestry diversification score for this county is:

21.86

Most common ancestry not including "Unknown" is:

American

 
Ancestry Report Part I
DescriptionTotal Population American Native American Hawaiian Caribbean (Latino) Mexican Central American South American Other Hispanic African American Sub- Saharan Caribbean (Black)

Winston County24,2385,5698211473643664561841414
Alabama (in 000's)5,20355221240162431417909201187
National (in 000's)343,25113,8902,21362611,32738,8796,1814,6443,68725,8937,8527,174
Cullman County93,06620,174283514723,5851437420169015699
Walker County65,66616,71818202061,368342601932,605709672
Lawrence County33,6566,4931,39072315248133831,987642648
Franklin County32,1557,03411322593,3272,5730240887205204
Marion County29,3995,70270147474016018683190175
 
Per Cent to Total PopulationDiversity
Index
 

Winston County21.8622.980.340.050.191.501.510.020.230.760.060.06
Alabama12.2410.610.410.050.773.120.820.280.3317.473.873.59
National7.834.050.640.183.3011.331.801.351.077.542.292.09
Cullman County15.2421.680.300.050.513.850.150.080.220.740.170.11
Walker County16.8925.460.280.000.312.080.520.090.293.971.081.02
Lawrence County16.1119.294.130.020.691.560.240.100.255.901.911.93
Franklin County15.1421.880.350.010.8110.358.000.000.752.760.640.63
Marion County20.4419.400.240.050.252.520.050.000.062.320.650.60
 
Comparisons to State Norms % to Total >= 150% % to Total < 50% 

Winston County 216.5881.9196.9425.3548.13183.215.9670.494.351.491.61
Alabama 100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00
National 38.15156.12389.80431.33363.02218.48488.45327.7043.1859.1058.20
Cullman County 204.3473.63117.0666.29123.4618.6428.7165.894.244.332.96
Walker County 239.9967.110.0041.0066.7763.1932.9989.6722.7127.9028.50
Lawrence County 181.86999.9744.4389.7149.9029.2035.4075.2433.7949.2953.62
Franklin County 206.2085.0913.29105.28331.62970.840.00227.7215.7916.4717.67
Marion County 182.8357.65101.7232.9080.676.600.0018.6813.3016.7016.58
 
Comparisons to National Norms % to Total >= 150% % to Total < 50% 

Winston County 567.7852.4724.875.8813.2683.851.2221.5110.062.532.76
Alabama 262.1664.0525.6523.1827.5545.7720.4730.52231.60169.19171.81
National 100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00
Cullman County 535.6847.1630.0315.3734.018.535.8820.119.837.335.09
Walker County 629.1442.980.009.5118.3928.926.7527.3652.5947.2048.96
Lawrence County 476.74640.5211.4020.8013.7513.367.2522.9678.2683.3992.12
Franklin County 540.5854.503.4124.4191.35444.350.0069.4936.5727.8730.35
Marion County 479.2936.9326.107.6322.223.020.005.7030.8028.2528.48
 
Ancestry Report Part II
DescriptionTotal Population Canadian British Dutch French German Italian Polish Scandi­navian Scotish/ Irish Spanish Other European

Winston County24,23842,178678588819448912,0350293
Alabama (in 000's)5,20373591534178471528324775
National (in 000's)343,2511,35018,0691,8283,64224,7089,0274,6675,96920,6251,1409,563
Cullman County93,066529,2313864419,2231,11544056310,116651,174
Walker County65,666136,0772502652,448741752015,6770769
Lawrence County33,65621,8211278985620325852,6720285
Franklin County32,15502,037968254119726351,567100180
Marion County29,399292,278139244906346831662,48724437
 
Per Cent to Total PopulationDiversity
Index
 

Winston County21.860.028.990.280.353.660.800.200.388.400.001.21
Alabama12.240.136.890.290.653.420.900.290.546.230.141.44
National7.830.395.260.531.067.202.631.361.746.010.332.79
Cullman County15.240.069.920.410.479.911.200.470.6010.870.071.26
Walker County16.890.029.250.380.403.731.130.110.318.650.001.17
Lawrence County16.110.015.410.380.262.540.600.070.257.940.000.85
Franklin County15.140.006.330.300.261.680.610.080.114.870.310.56
Marion County20.440.107.750.470.833.081.180.280.568.460.081.49
 
Comparisons to State Norms % to Total >= 150% % to Total < 50% 

Winston County 12.43130.4195.6454.31107.0888.7568.6470.05134.780.0083.97
Alabama 100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00
National 296.1676.40184.25164.30210.38291.63471.23324.4596.46240.51193.53
Cullman County 42.07143.95143.5073.38289.64132.85163.86112.88174.5050.5787.62
Walker County 14.91134.31131.7262.49108.95125.1339.5957.11138.790.0081.34
Lawrence County 4.4778.52130.5540.9574.3366.8825.7547.12127.450.0058.82
Franklin County 0.0091.94103.2939.4949.1767.9428.0320.3178.23225.1638.88
Marion County 74.27112.45163.58128.5390.07130.5197.85105.36135.8059.10103.25
 
Comparisons to National Norms % to Total >= 150% % to Total < 50% 

Winston County 4.20170.7051.9133.0550.9030.4314.5721.59139.730.0043.39
Alabama 33.77130.9054.2760.8647.5334.2921.2230.82103.6741.5851.67
National 100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00
Cullman County 14.20188.4277.8844.66137.6745.5534.7734.79180.9021.0345.28
Walker County 5.03175.8071.4938.0451.7942.918.4017.60143.880.0042.03
Lawrence County 1.51102.7870.8624.9235.3322.935.4614.52132.130.0030.39
Franklin County 0.00120.3456.0624.0423.3723.305.956.2681.1093.6220.09
Marion County 25.08147.2088.7878.2342.8144.7520.7732.47140.7924.5853.35
 
Ancestry Report Part III
DescriptionTotal Population Chinese Filipino Japanese Korean Vietnamese South Central Asian South East Asian Other Asian Middle Eastern Other Ancestry Unknown

Winston County24,23820236005012192,5788,981
Alabama (in 000's)5,2031573149186698061,073
National (in 000's)343,2514,4613,0107931,5411,9135,4521,6431,2291,93147,32251,000
Cullman County93,066914726361264131632711,76322,018
Walker County65,66684604835262035199,07016,734
Lawrence County33,6562763344003045,9309,316
Franklin County32,1551200002141304,6957,705
Marion County29,3990252340711453,67510,815
 
Per Cent to Total PopulationDiversity
Index
 

Winston County21.860.080.090.020.000.000.020.000.050.0810.6437.05
Alabama12.240.290.130.060.260.180.350.110.110.1715.4920.61
National7.831.300.880.230.450.561.590.480.360.5613.7914.86
Cullman County15.240.010.160.030.040.140.000.010.180.0312.6423.66
Walker County16.890.130.090.010.010.050.040.030.050.0313.8125.48
Lawrence County16.110.010.020.020.100.130.000.000.090.0117.6227.68
Franklin County15.140.040.000.000.000.000.070.010.040.0014.6023.96
Marion County20.440.000.090.010.120.000.020.000.050.0212.5036.79
 
Comparisons to State Norms % to Total >= 150% % to Total < 50% 

Winston County 28.1672.9042.090.000.005.860.0046.2344.9768.65179.77
Alabama 100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00
National 443.51673.78392.78171.03311.57451.20433.51334.48322.6888.9872.09
Cullman County 3.30121.3547.5114.7375.691.2212.65163.5616.6481.58114.78
Walker County 43.6570.2010.364.6429.8011.2527.5949.7716.6089.15123.64
Lawrence County 2.0315.9830.3237.3473.090.000.0083.246.82113.72134.29
Franklin County 12.740.000.000.000.0018.5511.2737.760.0094.24116.25
Marion County 0.0065.3311.5744.050.006.763.0844.479.7680.68178.48
 
Comparisons to National Norms % to Total >= 150% % to Total < 50% 

Winston County 6.3510.8210.720.000.001.300.0013.8213.9477.15249.38
Alabama 22.5514.8425.4658.4732.1022.1623.0729.9030.99112.38138.73
National 100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00
Cullman County 0.7418.0112.098.6124.290.272.9248.905.1691.68159.23
Walker County 9.8410.422.642.719.562.496.3614.885.14100.19171.51
Lawrence County 0.462.377.7221.8423.460.000.0024.892.11127.80186.30
Franklin County 2.870.000.000.000.004.112.6011.290.00105.91161.27
Marion County 0.009.702.9525.750.001.500.7113.303.0290.67247.59


Sources: STI: PopStats, Circa April 2025