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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)

Wadena County	14,491	615	89	11	27	219	15	14	18	53	50	7
Minnesota (in 000's)	5,840	149	55	3	30	230	37	36	21	191	160	40
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
Otter Tail County	61,191	1,781	292	15	194	1,505	92	78	424	325	358	52
Becker County	35,546	822	2,097	9	47	459	31	47	33	186	33	14
Cass County	31,296	1,157	3,377	0	38	369	3	57	25	53	38	6
Todd County	26,147	915	106	56	709	1,498	14	5	35	80	26	12
Hubbard County	21,966	844	522	10	24	232	31	153	92	78	4	13

Per Cent to Total Population	Diversity Index

Wadena County	17.94	4.24	0.61	0.08	0.19	1.51	0.10	0.10	0.12	0.37	0.35	0.05
Minnesota	10.33	2.55	0.95	0.05	0.52	3.94	0.64	0.61	0.36	3.26	2.73	0.69
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
Otter Tail County	17.93	2.91	0.48	0.02	0.32	2.46	0.15	0.13	0.69	0.53	0.59	0.08
Becker County	16.04	2.31	5.90	0.03	0.13	1.29	0.09	0.13	0.09	0.52	0.09	0.04
Cass County	13.04	3.70	10.79	0.00	0.12	1.18	0.01	0.18	0.08	0.17	0.12	0.02
Todd County	17.26	3.50	0.41	0.21	2.71	5.73	0.05	0.02	0.13	0.31	0.10	0.05
Hubbard County	14.44	3.84	2.38	0.05	0.11	1.06	0.14	0.70	0.42	0.36	0.02	0.06

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

Wadena County		166.52	64.68	163.71	35.98	38.36	16.14	15.78	34.95	11.21	12.63	7.03
Minnesota		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
National		158.77	67.91	393.55	637.16	287.50	280.84	221.03	302.20	231.15	83.72	304.22
Otter Tail County		114.20	50.26	52.87	61.21	62.43	23.45	20.82	194.96	16.27	21.41	12.37
Becker County		90.73	621.30	54.60	25.53	32.78	13.60	21.60	26.12	16.03	3.40	5.73
Cass County		145.05	1,136.41	0.00	23.44	29.93	1.49	29.75	22.48	5.19	4.44	2.79
Todd County		137.30	42.69	461.89	523.56	145.42	8.35	3.12	37.66	9.38	3.64	6.68
Hubbard County		150.75	250.27	98.18	21.10	26.81	22.01	113.79	117.84	10.88	0.67	8.61

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

Wadena County		104.88	95.25	41.60	5.65	13.34	5.75	7.14	11.56	4.85	15.08	2.31
Minnesota		62.98	147.26	25.41	15.69	34.78	35.61	45.24	33.09	43.26	119.45	32.87
National		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
Otter Tail County		71.92	74.01	13.43	9.61	21.71	8.35	9.42	64.51	7.04	25.58	4.07
Becker County		57.15	914.93	13.87	4.01	11.40	4.84	9.77	8.64	6.94	4.06	1.88
Cass County		91.36	1,673.49	0.00	3.68	10.41	0.53	13.46	7.44	2.24	5.31	0.92
Todd County		86.48	62.87	117.37	82.17	50.58	2.97	1.41	12.46	4.06	4.35	2.20
Hubbard County		94.95	368.55	24.95	3.31	9.32	7.84	51.48	38.99	4.71	0.80	2.83

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

Wadena County	14,491	200	428	81	161	3,595	99	222	3,526	560	3	229
Minnesota (in 000's)	5,840	30	206	47	91	1,106	69	128	850	336	11	201
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
Otter Tail County	61,191	202	1,813	552	826	15,856	319	1,155	16,589	2,831	140	1,315
Becker County	35,546	279	1,127	365	599	7,876	168	508	9,194	1,443	106	810
Cass County	31,296	204	1,341	303	496	6,174	231	711	4,929	1,740	32	740
Todd County	26,147	70	655	162	347	8,874	99	1,048	2,983	1,005	44	527
Hubbard County	21,966	237	1,154	192	383	4,897	141	402	4,567	1,406	36	769

Per Cent to Total Population	Diversity Index

Wadena County	17.94	1.38	2.95	0.56	1.11	24.81	0.68	1.53	24.33	3.86	0.02	1.58
Minnesota	10.33	0.52	3.53	0.81	1.56	18.94	1.18	2.18	14.55	5.75	0.19	3.44
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
Otter Tail County	17.93	0.33	2.96	0.90	1.35	25.91	0.52	1.89	27.11	4.63	0.23	2.15
Becker County	16.04	0.78	3.17	1.03	1.69	22.16	0.47	1.43	25.87	4.06	0.30	2.28
Cass County	13.04	0.65	4.28	0.97	1.58	19.73	0.74	2.27	15.75	5.56	0.10	2.36
Todd County	17.26	0.27	2.51	0.62	1.33	33.94	0.38	4.01	11.41	3.84	0.17	2.02
Hubbard County	14.44	1.08	5.25	0.87	1.74	22.29	0.64	1.83	20.79	6.40	0.16	3.50

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

Wadena County		266.36	83.58	69.37	71.40	131.00	57.90	70.17	167.19	67.16	10.79	45.99
Minnesota		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
National		75.91	148.97	66.10	68.18	38.01	222.87	62.28	11.95	104.42	173.19	81.08
Otter Tail County		63.71	83.84	111.96	86.74	136.83	44.18	86.46	186.28	80.40	119.28	62.54
Becker County		151.48	89.72	127.44	108.29	117.00	40.05	65.46	177.73	70.55	155.47	66.31
Cass County		125.80	121.26	120.16	101.84	104.17	62.55	104.06	108.22	96.62	53.31	68.81
Todd County		51.67	70.89	76.90	85.28	179.22	32.09	183.59	78.39	66.80	87.73	58.65
Hubbard County		208.23	148.67	108.48	112.04	117.72	54.40	83.83	142.86	111.24	85.44	101.88

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

Wadena County		350.88	56.11	104.96	104.72	344.65	25.98	112.68	1,399.34	64.31	6.23	56.72
Minnesota		131.73	67.13	151.30	146.67	263.08	44.87	160.57	836.96	95.77	57.74	123.34
National		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
Otter Tail County		83.93	56.28	169.39	127.23	359.98	19.82	138.83	1,559.09	77.00	68.87	77.13
Becker County		199.55	60.23	192.82	158.83	307.81	17.97	105.11	1,487.48	67.56	89.77	81.79
Cass County		165.72	81.40	181.80	149.38	274.06	28.07	167.10	905.75	92.53	30.78	84.87
Todd County		68.06	47.59	116.34	125.08	471.49	14.40	294.80	656.10	63.97	50.66	72.34
Hubbard County		274.30	99.80	164.13	164.34	309.71	24.41	134.61	1,195.69	106.53	49.34	125.65

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

Wadena County	14,491	1	22	0	12	0	0	16	10	10	1,009	3,189
Minnesota (in 000's)	5,840	31	14	4	16	30	56	50	96	21	564	931
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
Otter Tail County	61,191	129	42	27	41	20	52	51	5	78	3,484	10,548
Becker County	35,546	29	25	17	27	42	10	55	2	32	2,958	6,096
Cass County	31,296	10	51	7	26	5	5	5	27	36	3,021	6,079
Todd County	26,147	24	15	0	7	0	39	18	4	6	2,714	4,050
Hubbard County	21,966	12	9	0	4	4	6	13	27	46	1,516	4,142

Per Cent to Total Population	Diversity Index

Wadena County	17.94	0.01	0.15	0.00	0.08	0.00	0.00	0.11	0.07	0.07	6.96	22.01
Minnesota	10.33	0.54	0.24	0.08	0.28	0.51	0.97	0.85	1.64	0.36	9.67	15.94
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
Otter Tail County	17.93	0.21	0.07	0.04	0.07	0.03	0.08	0.08	0.01	0.13	5.69	17.24
Becker County	16.04	0.08	0.07	0.05	0.08	0.12	0.03	0.15	0.01	0.09	8.32	17.15
Cass County	13.04	0.03	0.16	0.02	0.08	0.02	0.02	0.02	0.09	0.12	9.65	19.42
Todd County	17.26	0.09	0.06	0.00	0.03	0.00	0.15	0.07	0.02	0.02	10.38	15.49
Hubbard County	14.44	0.05	0.04	0.00	0.02	0.02	0.03	0.06	0.12	0.21	6.90	18.86

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

Wadena County		1.28	64.56	0.00	29.51	0.00	0.00	12.91	4.21	19.37	72.04	138.07
Minnesota		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
National		241.10	372.94	306.03	160.04	110.04	164.48	55.98	21.85	157.89	142.64	93.22
Otter Tail County		39.11	29.19	58.46	23.88	6.45	8.80	9.75	0.50	35.78	58.91	108.15
Becker County		15.14	29.91	63.36	27.07	23.33	2.91	18.10	0.34	25.27	86.10	107.60
Cass County		5.93	69.30	29.63	29.61	3.15	1.65	1.87	5.26	32.29	99.88	121.87
Todd County		17.03	24.39	0.00	9.54	0.00	15.45	8.05	0.93	6.44	107.39	97.18
Hubbard County		10.13	17.42	0.00	6.49	3.60	2.83	6.92	7.50	58.78	71.41	118.31

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

Wadena County		0.53	17.31	0.00	18.44	0.00	0.00	23.07	19.27	12.27	50.51	148.11
Minnesota		41.48	26.81	32.68	62.49	90.88	60.80	178.63	457.65	63.34	70.11	107.27
National		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
Otter Tail County		16.22	7.83	19.10	14.92	5.86	5.35	17.41	2.28	22.66	41.30	116.02
Becker County		6.28	8.02	20.70	16.92	21.20	1.77	32.33	1.57	16.01	60.36	115.42
Cass County		2.46	18.58	9.68	18.50	2.87	1.01	3.34	24.09	20.45	70.02	130.73
Todd County		7.06	6.54	0.00	5.96	0.00	9.39	14.38	4.27	4.08	75.29	104.25
Hubbard County		4.20	4.67	0.00	4.06	3.27	1.72	12.37	34.32	37.23	50.06	126.91

Sources: STI: PopStats, Circa April 2025

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