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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:

Most common ancestry not including "Unknown" is:

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

Madison County	135,334	12,419	292	49	1,103	4,755	352	140	296	5,992	1,790	1,686
Indiana (in 000's)	6,972	477	12	3	68	396	51	28	26	419	128	90
National (in 000's)	343,251	13,890	2,213	626	11,327	38,879	6,181	4,644	3,687	25,893	7,852	7,174
Hamilton County	385,702	18,042	425	138	2,986	10,612	1,350	5,351	615	11,740	3,152	1,289
Delaware County	113,170	10,481	231	64	306	2,767	243	79	208	4,309	1,596	1,340
Hancock County	90,793	7,713	120	43	340	1,331	552	321	170	2,373	440	95
Grant County	66,532	6,193	144	19	358	2,451	151	230	275	2,160	910	808
Henry County	49,155	5,903	67	4	162	775	24	2	81	944	122	74
Tipton County	15,435	2,089	15	1	57	348	40	0	6	18	62	4

Per Cent to Total Population	Diversity Index

Madison County	14.45	9.18	0.22	0.04	0.82	3.51	0.26	0.10	0.22	4.43	1.32	1.25
Indiana	11.72	6.84	0.18	0.04	0.98	5.69	0.73	0.40	0.37	6.02	1.84	1.29
National	7.83	4.05	0.64	0.18	3.30	11.33	1.80	1.35	1.07	7.54	2.29	2.09
Hamilton County	10.41	4.68	0.11	0.04	0.77	2.75	0.35	1.39	0.16	3.04	0.82	0.33
Delaware County	14.70	9.26	0.20	0.06	0.27	2.44	0.21	0.07	0.18	3.81	1.41	1.18
Hancock County	14.71	8.50	0.13	0.05	0.37	1.47	0.61	0.35	0.19	2.61	0.48	0.10
Grant County	15.38	9.31	0.22	0.03	0.54	3.68	0.23	0.35	0.41	3.25	1.37	1.21
Henry County	18.41	12.01	0.14	0.01	0.33	1.58	0.05	0.00	0.16	1.92	0.25	0.15
Tipton County	17.94	13.53	0.10	0.01	0.37	2.25	0.26	0.00	0.04	0.12	0.40	0.03

Comparisons to State Norms	% to Total >= 150%		% to Total < 50%

Madison County		134.21	120.72	94.05	83.26	61.78	35.61	25.77	59.25	73.59	71.81	96.30
Indiana		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
National		59.18	360.76	474.02	337.11	199.17	246.53	337.08	290.95	125.38	124.20	161.56
Hamilton County		68.41	61.65	92.94	79.09	48.38	47.92	345.64	43.19	50.59	44.37	25.83
Delaware County		135.45	114.20	146.90	27.62	42.99	29.40	17.39	49.79	63.28	76.57	91.52
Hancock County		124.24	73.95	123.02	38.26	25.78	83.23	88.08	50.72	43.44	26.31	8.09
Grant County		136.13	121.10	74.18	54.97	64.78	31.07	86.13	111.96	53.96	74.26	93.87
Henry County		175.63	76.26	21.14	33.67	27.72	6.68	1.01	44.64	31.92	13.48	11.64
Tipton County		197.94	54.37	16.83	37.73	39.65	35.48	0.00	10.53	1.94	21.81	2.00

Comparisons to National Norms	% to Total >= 150%		% to Total < 50%

Madison County		226.77	33.46	19.84	24.70	31.02	14.44	7.65	20.36	58.69	57.82	59.61
Indiana		168.97	27.72	21.10	29.66	50.21	40.56	29.67	34.37	79.76	80.52	61.90
National		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
Hamilton County		115.59	17.09	19.61	23.46	24.29	19.44	102.54	14.85	40.35	35.72	15.99
Delaware County		228.86	31.66	30.99	8.19	21.59	11.92	5.16	17.11	50.47	61.65	56.65
Hancock County		209.93	20.50	25.95	11.35	12.94	33.76	26.13	17.43	34.65	21.19	5.01
Grant County		230.02	33.57	15.65	16.31	32.52	12.60	25.55	38.48	43.04	59.79	58.11
Henry County		296.76	21.14	4.46	9.99	13.92	2.71	0.30	15.34	25.46	10.85	7.20
Tipton County		334.45	15.07	3.55	11.19	19.91	14.39	0.00	3.62	1.55	17.56	1.24

Ancestry Report Part II
Description	Total Population	Canadian	British	Dutch	French	German	Italian	Polish	Scandinavian	Scotish/ Irish	Spanish	Other European

Madison County	135,334	103	12,625	831	1,140	14,687	1,455	788	1,082	9,865	46	2,226
Indiana (in 000's)	6,972	12	487	58	71	932	98	110	69	486	11	189
National (in 000's)	343,251	1,350	18,069	1,828	3,642	24,708	9,027	4,667	5,969	20,625	1,140	9,563
Hamilton County	385,702	1,093	36,151	2,761	4,483	57,410	9,052	6,715	6,134	31,348	420	15,114
Delaware County	113,170	74	10,081	793	997	13,134	1,436	915	974	8,769	166	3,008
Hancock County	90,793	215	9,818	473	1,552	14,079	1,150	692	1,213	7,843	180	3,084
Grant County	66,532	166	5,341	632	590	7,179	726	441	520	4,347	118	1,344
Henry County	49,155	94	5,497	309	364	5,598	341	152	447	3,977	8	727
Tipton County	15,435	0	1,816	152	211	2,010	128	60	132	1,257	67	341

Per Cent to Total Population	Diversity Index

Madison County	14.45	0.08	9.33	0.61	0.84	10.85	1.08	0.58	0.80	7.29	0.03	1.64
Indiana	11.72	0.17	6.99	0.83	1.02	13.36	1.41	1.57	1.00	6.97	0.16	2.72
National	7.83	0.39	5.26	0.53	1.06	7.20	2.63	1.36	1.74	6.01	0.33	2.79
Hamilton County	10.41	0.28	9.37	0.72	1.16	14.88	2.35	1.74	1.59	8.13	0.11	3.92
Delaware County	14.70	0.07	8.91	0.70	0.88	11.61	1.27	0.81	0.86	7.75	0.15	2.66
Hancock County	14.71	0.24	10.81	0.52	1.71	15.51	1.27	0.76	1.34	8.64	0.20	3.40
Grant County	15.38	0.25	8.03	0.95	0.89	10.79	1.09	0.66	0.78	6.53	0.18	2.02
Henry County	18.41	0.19	11.18	0.63	0.74	11.39	0.69	0.31	0.91	8.09	0.02	1.48
Tipton County	17.94	0.00	11.77	0.98	1.37	13.02	0.83	0.39	0.86	8.14	0.43	2.21

Comparisons to State Norms	% to Total >= 150%		% to Total < 50%

Madison County		43.61	133.50	73.97	82.29	81.20	76.51	36.99	80.33	104.56	21.31	60.58
Indiana		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
National		225.38	75.33	64.15	103.65	53.86	187.16	86.37	174.72	86.19	208.22	102.62
Hamilton County		162.37	134.13	86.23	113.55	111.37	167.01	110.60	159.80	116.58	68.25	144.33
Delaware County		37.47	127.48	84.41	86.07	86.84	90.30	51.36	86.48	111.14	91.94	97.90
Hancock County		135.68	154.75	62.76	167.00	116.03	90.14	48.42	134.24	123.91	124.27	125.11
Grant County		142.96	114.88	114.43	86.63	80.74	77.65	42.11	78.53	93.72	111.17	74.40
Henry County		109.57	160.04	75.73	72.34	85.21	49.37	19.64	91.37	116.05	10.20	54.47
Tipton County		0.00	168.37	118.63	133.55	97.44	59.01	24.69	85.93	116.81	272.08	81.37

Comparisons to National Norms	% to Total >= 150%		% to Total < 50%

Madison County		19.35	177.22	115.30	79.40	150.76	40.88	42.83	45.98	121.31	10.23	59.04
Indiana		44.37	132.75	155.88	96.48	185.66	53.43	115.78	57.24	116.03	48.03	97.45
National		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
Hamilton County		72.04	178.05	134.42	109.55	206.78	89.24	128.05	91.46	135.26	32.78	140.65
Delaware County		16.62	169.22	131.58	83.04	161.23	48.25	59.47	49.50	128.96	44.16	95.40
Hancock County		60.20	205.42	97.82	161.12	215.42	48.16	56.06	76.83	143.76	59.68	121.92
Grant County		63.43	152.50	178.37	83.58	149.90	41.49	48.75	44.95	108.74	53.39	72.50
Henry County		48.62	212.44	118.04	69.80	158.21	26.38	22.74	52.30	134.65	4.90	53.08
Tipton County		0.00	223.51	184.92	128.85	180.91	31.53	28.59	49.18	135.53	130.67	79.29

Ancestry Report Part III
Description	Total Population	Chinese	Filipino	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	South Central Asian	South East Asian	Other Asian	Middle Eastern	Other Ancestry	Unknown

Madison County	135,334	184	88	7	101	51	195	56	89	166	23,209	37,466
Indiana (in 000's)	6,972	31	17	6	11	9	57	33	12	19	819	1,736
National (in 000's)	343,251	4,461	3,010	793	1,541	1,913	5,452	1,643	1,229	1,931	47,322	51,000
Hamilton County	385,702	6,812	1,555	1,070	2,050	1,054	11,196	1,166	1,580	4,249	50,571	78,018
Delaware County	113,170	272	166	35	52	249	482	32	236	393	15,646	33,636
Hancock County	90,793	43	4	59	121	271	270	32	65	298	9,820	26,013
Grant County	66,532	121	16	4	49	48	209	55	68	56	10,259	20,544
Henry County	49,155	72	26	2	34	2	19	12	49	8	6,179	17,080
Tipton County	15,435	1	11	0	3	0	19	1	11	5	1,347	5,223

Per Cent to Total Population	Diversity Index

Madison County	14.45	0.14	0.07	0.01	0.07	0.04	0.14	0.04	0.07	0.12	17.15	27.68
Indiana	11.72	0.44	0.24	0.09	0.16	0.13	0.82	0.47	0.17	0.27	11.74	24.90
National	7.83	1.30	0.88	0.23	0.45	0.56	1.59	0.48	0.36	0.56	13.79	14.86
Hamilton County	10.41	1.77	0.40	0.28	0.53	0.27	2.90	0.30	0.41	1.10	13.11	20.23
Delaware County	14.70	0.24	0.15	0.03	0.05	0.22	0.43	0.03	0.21	0.35	13.83	29.72
Hancock County	14.71	0.05	0.00	0.06	0.13	0.30	0.30	0.04	0.07	0.33	10.82	28.65
Grant County	15.38	0.18	0.02	0.01	0.07	0.07	0.31	0.08	0.10	0.08	15.42	30.88
Henry County	18.41	0.15	0.05	0.00	0.07	0.00	0.04	0.02	0.10	0.02	12.57	34.75
Tipton County	17.94	0.01	0.07	0.00	0.02	0.00	0.12	0.01	0.07	0.03	8.73	33.84

Comparisons to State Norms	% to Total >= 150%		% to Total < 50%

Madison County		31.01	27.40	5.99	47.57	28.01	17.62	8.76	38.34	45.83	146.05	111.18
Indiana		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
National		296.38	369.59	267.29	286.20	414.22	194.19	101.34	208.81	210.15	117.41	59.67
Hamilton County		402.77	169.90	321.02	338.75	203.11	354.89	64.01	238.82	411.60	111.66	81.24
Delaware County		54.81	61.81	35.79	29.29	163.54	52.07	5.99	121.57	129.75	117.74	119.37
Hancock County		10.80	1.86	75.20	84.94	221.85	36.36	7.46	41.74	122.63	92.11	115.07
Grant County		41.47	10.13	6.96	46.94	53.62	38.41	17.50	59.59	31.45	131.32	124.01
Henry County		33.40	22.29	4.71	44.08	3.02	4.73	5.17	58.12	6.08	107.05	139.55
Tipton County		1.48	30.03	0.00	12.39	0.00	15.05	1.37	41.55	12.10	74.32	135.90

Comparisons to National Norms	% to Total >= 150%		% to Total < 50%

Madison County		10.46	7.41	2.24	16.62	6.76	9.07	8.65	18.36	21.81	124.39	186.33
Indiana		33.74	27.06	37.41	34.94	24.14	51.50	98.67	47.89	47.58	85.17	167.58
National		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
Hamilton County		135.89	45.97	120.10	118.36	49.04	182.76	63.16	114.37	195.86	95.10	136.14
Delaware County		18.49	16.73	13.39	10.23	39.48	26.82	5.91	58.22	61.74	100.28	200.04
Hancock County		3.64	0.50	28.13	29.68	53.56	18.72	7.36	19.99	58.35	78.45	192.83
Grant County		13.99	2.74	2.60	16.40	12.95	19.78	17.27	28.54	14.96	111.85	207.82
Henry County		11.27	6.03	1.76	15.40	0.73	2.43	5.10	27.83	2.89	91.18	233.86
Tipton County		0.50	8.13	0.00	4.33	0.00	7.75	1.35	19.90	5.76	63.30	227.75

Sources: STI: PopStats, Circa April 2025

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