Ersys Logo Ersys Name

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:

Most common ancestry not including "Unknown" is:

 
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)

Wabasha County21,69270530411645788262060268
Minnesota (in 000's)5,8401495533023037362119116040
National (in 000's)343,25113,8902,21362611,32738,8796,1814,6443,68725,8937,8527,174
Olmsted County167,4424,193378791,0146,3384981,0587735,1695,384802
Winona County50,0972,1798201571,28412121495497206128
Goodhue County48,3451,272523361211,18639344113407220101
Buffalo County13,475467371043221945254672
Pepin County7,5442442805122262191443
 
Per Cent to Total PopulationDiversity
Index
 

Wabasha County19.233.250.140.020.532.110.410.120.090.280.120.04
Minnesota10.332.550.950.050.523.940.640.610.363.262.730.69
National7.834.050.640.183.3011.331.801.351.077.542.292.09
Olmsted County10.382.500.230.050.613.790.300.630.463.093.220.48
Winona County14.614.350.160.000.312.560.240.430.190.990.410.26
Goodhue County16.072.631.080.070.252.450.810.090.230.840.460.21
Buffalo County19.013.470.270.070.321.640.070.330.190.340.050.01
Pepin County21.753.230.370.000.071.620.340.030.250.190.050.04
 
Comparisons to State Norms % to Total >= 150% % to Total < 50% 

Wabasha County 127.5214.5739.77103.2553.4863.2719.5825.948.484.395.37
Minnesota 100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00
National 158.7767.91393.55637.16287.50280.84221.03302.20231.1583.72304.22
Olmsted County 98.2523.77101.75116.9396.0846.38103.22129.8994.59117.6869.72
Winona County 170.6617.240.0060.5165.0637.6769.7953.3530.4015.0537.19
Goodhue County 103.23113.93160.5948.3362.27126.7814.8765.7625.8016.6530.41
Buffalo County 135.9828.92160.0561.6141.6310.4254.5652.2010.461.902.16
Pepin County 126.9039.090.0012.8041.0553.754.3370.865.691.945.79
 
Comparisons to National Norms % to Total >= 150% % to Total < 50% 

Wabasha County 80.3121.4510.1016.2118.6022.538.868.583.675.241.76
Minnesota 62.98147.2625.4115.6934.7835.6145.2433.0943.26119.4532.87
National 100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00
Olmsted County 61.8835.0125.8518.3533.4216.5246.7042.9840.92140.5622.92
Winona County 107.4925.390.009.5022.6313.4131.5717.6613.1517.9812.22
Goodhue County 65.02167.7840.817.5821.6645.146.7321.7611.1619.8910.00
Buffalo County 85.6442.5840.679.6714.483.7124.6817.274.532.270.71
Pepin County 79.9357.560.002.0114.2819.141.9623.452.462.321.90
 
Ancestry Report Part II
DescriptionTotal Population Canadian British Dutch French German Italian Polish Scandi­navian Scotish/ Irish Spanish Other European

Wabasha County21,692858951883407,5781702952,4581,81013430
Minnesota (in 000's)5,8403020647911,1066912885033611201
National (in 000's)343,2511,35018,0691,8283,64224,7089,0274,6675,96920,6251,1409,563
Olmsted County167,4426547,0151,6451,76532,4591,5872,41619,30610,0916045,775
Winona County50,0971211,70735483314,0275393,0355,9263,245191,368
Goodhue County48,3451201,82427256112,0224246719,9873,055211,071
Buffalo County13,47531432841744,552809932,1926309213
Pepin County7,54421290581372,934541621,0633706152
 
Per Cent to Total PopulationDiversity
Index
 

Wabasha County19.230.394.130.871.5734.930.781.3611.338.340.061.98
Minnesota10.330.523.530.811.5618.941.182.1814.555.750.193.44
National7.830.395.260.531.067.202.631.361.746.010.332.79
Olmsted County10.380.394.190.981.0519.390.951.4411.536.030.363.45
Winona County14.610.243.410.711.6628.001.086.0611.836.480.042.73
Goodhue County16.070.253.770.561.1624.870.881.3920.666.320.042.22
Buffalo County19.010.233.210.621.2933.780.597.3716.274.680.071.58
Pepin County21.750.283.840.771.8238.890.722.1514.094.900.082.01
 
Comparisons to State Norms % to Total >= 150% % to Total < 50% 

Wabasha County 75.62116.76107.56100.72184.4866.4162.2977.86145.0131.2457.69
Minnesota 100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00
National 75.91148.9766.1068.1838.01222.8762.2811.95104.42173.1981.08
Olmsted County 75.38118.56121.9367.74102.3780.3266.0979.23104.73188.06100.37
Winona County 46.6196.4287.70106.85147.8691.18277.5081.28112.5719.7779.47
Goodhue County 47.90106.7769.8374.57131.3174.3263.57141.94109.8222.6564.47
Buffalo County 44.4090.7277.3782.98178.3850.31337.55111.7881.2534.8246.00
Pepin County 53.72108.7895.42116.70205.3760.6698.3696.8285.2341.4658.63
 
Comparisons to National Norms % to Total >= 150% % to Total < 50% 

Wabasha County 99.6278.38162.74147.73485.3229.80100.03651.66138.8718.0471.15
Minnesota 131.7367.13151.30146.67263.0844.87160.57836.9695.7757.74123.34
National 100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00
Olmsted County 99.3079.59184.4899.35269.3036.04106.13663.08100.30108.59123.79
Winona County 61.4064.73132.69156.72388.9840.91445.59680.28107.8011.4298.01
Goodhue County 63.1071.67105.65109.37345.4633.35102.081,188.02105.1713.0879.51
Buffalo County 58.4960.90117.05121.71469.2922.57542.01935.5177.8120.1156.73
Pepin County 70.7773.03144.37171.17540.2927.22157.94810.3581.6223.9472.32
 
Ancestry Report Part III
DescriptionTotal Population Chinese Filipino Japanese Korean Vietnamese South Central Asian South East Asian Other Asian Middle Eastern Other Ancestry Unknown

Wabasha County21,692112131011694251,2924,480
Minnesota (in 000's)5,84031144163056509621564931
National (in 000's)343,2514,4613,0107931,5411,9135,4521,6431,2291,93147,32251,000
Olmsted County167,4422,0395371703941,7422,3452,5608381,33117,58828,895
Winona County50,097123755287391861803591193,1299,611
Goodhue County48,3452861384244152116413,45510,041
Buffalo County13,47500060001035552,599
Pepin County7,54412700002043271,469
 
Per Cent to Total PopulationDiversity
Index
 

Wabasha County19.230.050.100.010.050.050.030.040.190.025.9620.65
Minnesota10.330.540.240.080.280.510.970.851.640.369.6715.94
National7.831.300.880.230.450.561.590.480.360.5613.7914.86
Olmsted County10.381.220.320.100.241.041.401.530.500.7910.5017.26
Winona County14.610.250.150.100.170.080.370.360.720.246.2519.18
Goodhue County16.070.060.010.030.170.050.080.110.240.087.1520.77
Buffalo County19.010.000.000.000.040.000.000.000.070.024.1219.29
Pepin County21.750.010.360.000.000.000.000.030.000.054.3319.47
 
Comparisons to State Norms % to Total >= 150% % to Total < 50% 

Wabasha County 9.4141.1718.3216.4310.012.864.8511.816.4761.63129.58
Minnesota 100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00
National 241.10372.94306.03160.04110.04164.4855.9821.85157.89142.6493.22
Olmsted County 225.91136.38134.5183.86205.43145.03178.8230.53223.14108.68108.27
Winona County 45.5563.66137.5261.8915.3738.4542.0243.7266.6864.62120.37
Goodhue County 10.745.2835.6361.929.808.7812.5814.6423.8173.94130.31
Buffalo County 0.000.000.0015.870.000.000.004.536.2542.61121.01
Pepin County 2.46152.190.000.000.000.003.100.0014.8844.85122.17
 
Comparisons to National Norms % to Total >= 150% % to Total < 50% 

Wabasha County 3.9011.045.9910.279.101.748.6754.064.1043.20139.00
Minnesota 41.4826.8132.6862.4990.8860.80178.63457.6563.3470.11107.27
National 100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00100.00
Olmsted County 93.7036.5743.9552.40186.6888.17319.43139.73141.3376.19116.14
Winona County 18.8917.0744.9438.6713.9723.3875.07200.0842.2345.30129.12
Goodhue County 4.461.4211.6438.698.915.3422.4766.9915.0851.84139.79
Buffalo County 0.000.000.009.920.000.000.0020.723.9629.88129.81
Pepin County 1.0240.810.000.000.000.005.540.009.4331.44131.06


Sources: STI: PopStats, Circa April 2025

Advertisers