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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)

Choctaw County	8,223	800	15	0	11	71	45	8	2	1,427	429	410
Mississippi (in 000's)	2,976	220	14	1	16	60	16	5	8	736	171	161
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
Oktibbeha County	52,582	2,091	94	10	121	620	216	212	127	12,800	3,324	2,801
Attala County	17,439	839	28	4	96	70	0	17	28	5,112	1,358	1,236
Winston County	17,583	1,038	182	2	16	83	0	0	64	5,344	1,370	1,335
Webster County	10,143	1,446	10	1	3	113	1	0	58	1,138	378	320
Montgomery County	9,524	624	13	0	13	21	22	0	12	2,644	774	766

Per Cent to Total Population	Diversity Index

Choctaw County	14.34	9.73	0.18	0.00	0.13	0.86	0.55	0.10	0.02	17.35	5.22	4.99
Mississippi	13.85	7.39	0.47	0.04	0.55	2.03	0.54	0.18	0.28	24.71	5.76	5.40
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
Oktibbeha County	13.94	3.98	0.18	0.02	0.23	1.18	0.41	0.40	0.24	24.34	6.32	5.33
Attala County	16.80	4.81	0.16	0.02	0.55	0.40	0.00	0.10	0.16	29.31	7.79	7.09
Winston County	18.03	5.90	1.04	0.01	0.09	0.47	0.00	0.00	0.36	30.39	7.79	7.59
Webster County	13.24	14.26	0.10	0.01	0.03	1.11	0.01	0.00	0.57	11.22	3.73	3.15
Montgomery County	18.23	6.55	0.14	0.00	0.14	0.22	0.23	0.00	0.13	27.76	8.13	8.04

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

Choctaw County		131.70	39.05	0.00	24.36	42.62	101.43	55.54	8.56	70.22	90.65	92.28
Mississippi		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
National		54.78	138.02	511.41	601.03	559.03	333.79	772.44	378.09	30.52	39.75	38.68
Oktibbeha County		53.83	38.27	53.30	41.91	58.20	76.14	230.19	85.02	98.49	109.84	98.59
Attala County		65.13	34.37	64.28	100.26	19.81	0.00	55.66	56.52	118.61	135.31	131.18
Winston County		79.91	221.57	31.88	16.57	23.30	0.00	0.00	128.13	122.97	135.38	140.52
Webster County		192.98	21.10	27.63	5.39	54.99	1.83	0.00	201.29	45.40	64.75	58.39
Montgomery County		88.69	29.22	0.00	24.86	10.88	42.82	0.00	44.35	112.33	141.21	148.86

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

Choctaw County		240.42	28.29	0.00	4.05	7.62	30.39	7.19	2.26	230.05	228.07	238.56
Mississippi		182.55	72.45	19.55	16.64	17.89	29.96	12.95	26.45	327.63	251.59	258.51
National		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
Oktibbeha County		98.27	27.73	10.42	6.97	10.41	22.81	29.80	22.49	322.70	276.35	254.87
Attala County		118.89	24.90	12.57	16.68	3.54	0.00	7.21	14.95	388.59	340.42	339.10
Winston County		145.88	160.53	6.23	2.76	4.17	0.00	0.00	33.89	402.90	340.61	363.27
Webster County		352.29	15.29	5.40	0.90	9.84	0.55	0.00	53.24	148.73	162.91	150.95
Montgomery County		161.91	21.17	0.00	4.14	1.95	12.83	0.00	11.73	368.02	355.27	384.81

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

Choctaw County	8,223	11	647	12	17	170	34	14	10	622	0	29
Mississippi (in 000's)	2,976	5	165	6	30	73	26	6	11	156	5	31
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
Oktibbeha County	52,582	45	3,952	70	411	1,656	512	105	334	2,982	28	847
Attala County	17,439	0	978	13	37	169	59	8	33	951	16	96
Winston County	17,583	0	669	11	35	178	42	10	6	764	0	41
Webster County	10,143	7	1,742	35	64	233	108	39	29	845	0	32
Montgomery County	9,524	7	477	3	13	63	8	0	1	249	0	40

Per Cent to Total Population	Diversity Index

Choctaw County	14.34	0.13	7.87	0.15	0.21	2.07	0.41	0.17	0.12	7.56	0.00	0.35
Mississippi	13.85	0.17	5.56	0.20	1.02	2.45	0.88	0.19	0.36	5.24	0.17	1.03
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
Oktibbeha County	13.94	0.09	7.52	0.13	0.78	3.15	0.97	0.20	0.64	5.67	0.05	1.61
Attala County	16.80	0.00	5.61	0.07	0.21	0.97	0.34	0.05	0.19	5.45	0.09	0.55
Winston County	18.03	0.00	3.80	0.06	0.20	1.01	0.24	0.06	0.03	4.35	0.00	0.23
Webster County	13.24	0.07	17.17	0.35	0.63	2.30	1.06	0.38	0.29	8.33	0.00	0.32
Montgomery County	18.23	0.07	5.01	0.03	0.14	0.66	0.08	0.00	0.01	2.61	0.00	0.42

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

Choctaw County		80.06	141.60	73.33	20.28	84.52	47.14	90.92	33.85	144.23	0.00	34.14
Mississippi		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
National		235.41	94.73	267.60	104.09	294.30	299.85	726.09	484.03	114.57	193.18	269.73
Oktibbeha County		51.22	135.26	66.89	76.68	128.76	111.02	106.64	176.81	108.13	30.97	155.94
Attala County		0.00	100.93	37.46	20.81	39.62	38.57	24.50	52.67	103.98	53.35	53.29
Winston County		0.00	68.47	31.44	19.53	41.39	27.23	30.37	9.50	82.85	0.00	22.57
Webster County		41.30	309.08	173.39	61.90	93.92	121.40	205.34	79.59	158.85	0.00	30.54
Montgomery County		43.99	90.13	15.83	13.39	27.04	9.58	0.00	2.92	49.85	0.00	40.66

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

Choctaw County		34.01	149.47	27.40	19.49	28.72	15.72	12.52	6.99	125.89	0.00	12.66
Mississippi		42.48	105.56	37.37	96.07	33.98	33.35	13.77	20.66	87.28	51.77	37.07
National		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
Oktibbeha County		21.76	142.78	25.00	73.67	43.75	37.02	14.69	36.53	94.38	16.03	57.82
Attala County		0.00	106.54	14.00	20.00	13.46	12.86	3.37	10.88	90.76	27.62	19.76
Winston County		0.00	72.28	11.75	18.76	14.06	9.08	4.18	1.96	72.31	0.00	8.37
Webster County		17.55	326.26	64.79	59.47	31.91	40.49	28.28	16.44	138.65	0.00	11.32
Montgomery County		18.69	95.14	5.91	12.87	9.19	3.19	0.00	0.60	43.51	0.00	15.07

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

Choctaw County	8,223	0	21	0	0	0	0	0	2	4	1,701	1,711
Mississippi (in 000's)	2,976	5	4	1	1	7	7	3	3	5	501	517
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
Oktibbeha County	52,582	564	143	11	100	164	461	31	40	221	11,558	5,931
Attala County	17,439	17	0	0	0	0	1	18	32	71	3,205	2,947
Winston County	17,583	0	0	0	0	11	0	0	15	19	3,940	2,408
Webster County	10,143	21	8	2	0	0	5	0	0	9	1,610	1,886
Montgomery County	9,524	0	0	0	0	2	1	0	12	0	2,431	1,328

Per Cent to Total Population	Diversity Index

Choctaw County	14.34	0.00	0.26	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.02	0.05	20.69	20.81
Mississippi	13.85	0.17	0.14	0.04	0.04	0.24	0.25	0.09	0.09	0.15	16.84	17.36
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
Oktibbeha County	13.94	1.07	0.27	0.02	0.19	0.31	0.88	0.06	0.08	0.42	21.98	11.28
Attala County	16.80	0.10	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.01	0.10	0.18	0.41	18.38	16.90
Winston County	18.03	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.06	0.00	0.00	0.09	0.11	22.41	13.70
Webster County	13.24	0.21	0.08	0.02	0.00	0.00	0.05	0.00	0.00	0.09	15.87	18.59
Montgomery County	18.23	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.02	0.01	0.00	0.13	0.00	25.52	13.94

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

Choctaw County		0.00	188.42	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	26.26	31.96	122.86	119.88
Mississippi		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
National		762.78	647.05	655.35	1,009.42	231.04	648.27	528.97	386.65	369.54	81.88	85.60
Oktibbeha County		629.53	200.65	59.35	427.51	129.30	357.84	65.16	82.12	276.14	130.55	64.99
Attala County		57.21	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	2.34	114.07	198.09	267.49	109.15	97.36
Winston County		0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	25.94	0.00	0.00	92.09	71.00	133.08	78.90
Webster County		121.51	58.19	55.94	0.00	0.00	20.12	0.00	0.00	58.30	94.27	107.13
Montgomery County		0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	8.71	4.29	0.00	136.02	0.00	151.60	80.34

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

Choctaw County		0.00	29.12	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	6.79	8.65	150.05	140.04
Mississippi		13.11	15.45	15.26	9.91	43.28	15.43	18.90	25.86	27.06	122.13	116.82
National		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
Oktibbeha County		82.53	31.01	9.06	42.35	55.97	55.20	12.32	21.24	74.72	159.44	75.92
Attala County		7.50	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.36	21.57	51.23	72.38	133.31	113.74
Winston County		0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	11.23	0.00	0.00	23.82	19.21	162.54	92.17
Webster County		15.93	8.99	8.54	0.00	0.00	3.10	0.00	0.00	15.78	115.14	125.15
Montgomery County		0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	3.77	0.66	0.00	35.18	0.00	185.15	93.85

Sources: STI: PopStats, Circa April 2025

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