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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)

Wright County	19,473	2,113	58	5	104	255	17	0	54	40	14	24
Missouri (in 000's)	6,288	403	22	9	36	204	36	17	18	451	123	101
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
Webster County	42,200	3,933	267	11	106	706	14	0	71	226	32	67
Laclede County	36,730	4,989	175	19	30	845	10	0	105	189	41	31
Texas County	25,528	2,615	166	8	145	246	122	12	49	606	66	38
Douglas County	12,060	1,304	71	0	19	139	10	0	8	43	2	34

Per Cent to Total Population	Diversity Index

Wright County	22.92	10.85	0.30	0.03	0.53	1.31	0.09	0.00	0.28	0.21	0.07	0.12
Missouri	11.68	6.41	0.35	0.14	0.57	3.25	0.57	0.26	0.29	7.17	1.95	1.60
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
Webster County	20.97	9.32	0.63	0.03	0.25	1.67	0.03	0.00	0.17	0.54	0.08	0.16
Laclede County	16.27	13.58	0.48	0.05	0.08	2.30	0.03	0.00	0.29	0.51	0.11	0.08
Texas County	20.08	10.24	0.65	0.03	0.57	0.96	0.48	0.05	0.19	2.37	0.26	0.15
Douglas County	23.12	10.81	0.59	0.00	0.16	1.15	0.08	0.00	0.07	0.36	0.02	0.28

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

Wright County		169.22	84.66	17.99	93.14	40.35	15.42	0.00	96.95	2.87	3.68	7.69
Missouri		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
National		63.11	183.28	127.88	575.48	349.02	318.00	510.88	375.49	105.26	117.02	130.43
Webster County		145.34	179.84	18.27	43.80	51.55	5.86	0.00	58.82	7.47	3.88	9.91
Laclede County		211.82	135.43	36.25	14.24	70.89	4.81	0.00	99.94	7.18	5.71	5.27
Texas County		159.75	184.84	21.96	99.05	29.69	84.39	17.75	67.10	33.12	13.23	9.29
Douglas County		168.62	167.34	0.00	27.47	35.52	14.64	0.00	23.19	4.98	0.85	17.59

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

Wright County		268.14	46.19	14.07	16.18	11.56	4.85	0.00	25.82	2.72	3.14	5.90
Missouri		158.46	54.56	78.20	17.38	28.65	31.45	19.57	26.63	95.00	85.45	76.67
National		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
Webster County		230.31	98.13	14.28	7.61	14.77	1.84	0.00	15.66	7.10	3.31	7.60
Laclede County		335.66	73.89	28.35	2.48	20.31	1.51	0.00	26.62	6.82	4.88	4.04
Texas County		253.14	100.85	17.17	17.21	8.51	26.54	3.47	17.87	31.47	11.30	7.12
Douglas County		267.20	91.30	0.00	4.77	10.18	4.60	0.00	6.18	4.73	0.72	13.49

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

Wright County	19,473	36	1,584	167	220	1,935	129	43	256	1,679	131	387
Missouri (in 000's)	6,288	11	450	39	87	893	120	55	84	515	13	185
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
Webster County	42,200	93	3,208	293	410	6,133	426	158	552	3,878	0	915
Laclede County	36,730	68	4,093	352	537	3,799	235	304	409	3,847	49	772
Texas County	25,528	14	2,110	182	187	2,704	209	181	366	2,050	81	355
Douglas County	12,060	14	1,178	113	161	1,107	213	122	216	836	7	174

Per Cent to Total Population	Diversity Index

Wright County	22.92	0.18	8.13	0.86	1.13	9.94	0.66	0.22	1.31	8.62	0.67	1.99
Missouri	11.68	0.17	7.15	0.61	1.38	14.20	1.90	0.88	1.33	8.19	0.21	2.94
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
Webster County	20.97	0.22	7.60	0.69	0.97	14.53	1.01	0.37	1.31	9.19	0.00	2.17
Laclede County	16.27	0.19	11.14	0.96	1.46	10.34	0.64	0.83	1.11	10.47	0.13	2.10
Texas County	20.08	0.05	8.27	0.71	0.73	10.59	0.82	0.71	1.43	8.03	0.32	1.39
Douglas County	23.12	0.12	9.77	0.94	1.33	9.18	1.77	1.01	1.79	6.93	0.06	1.44

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

Wright County		109.14	113.71	139.72	81.82	70.00	34.79	25.20	98.99	105.22	314.03	67.66
Missouri		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
National		232.21	73.59	86.76	76.84	50.71	138.12	155.16	130.93	73.33	155.07	94.85
Webster County		130.10	106.27	113.12	70.36	102.38	53.02	42.73	98.50	112.15	0.00	73.82
Laclede County		109.29	155.78	156.13	105.88	72.86	33.60	94.45	83.85	127.82	62.27	71.55
Texas County		32.38	115.55	116.15	53.05	74.62	43.00	80.91	107.96	98.00	148.12	47.34
Douglas County		68.53	136.55	152.65	96.68	64.66	92.76	115.44	134.86	84.60	27.09	49.12

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

Wright County		47.00	154.53	161.04	106.48	138.04	25.19	16.24	75.60	143.50	202.51	71.33
Missouri		43.06	135.89	115.26	130.15	197.21	72.40	64.45	76.37	136.37	64.49	105.43
National		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
Webster County		56.03	144.41	130.37	91.57	201.90	38.38	27.54	75.23	152.94	0.00	77.82
Laclede County		47.07	211.69	179.95	137.80	143.69	24.33	60.88	64.04	174.31	40.16	75.44
Texas County		13.94	157.02	133.87	69.04	147.15	31.13	52.15	82.45	133.65	95.52	49.91
Douglas County		29.51	185.56	175.94	125.83	127.52	67.16	74.40	103.00	115.37	17.47	51.78

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

Wright County	19,473	0	17	42	0	0	0	0	0	6	1,808	8,349
Missouri (in 000's)	6,288	27	15	4	10	16	40	11	9	19	765	1,503
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
Webster County	42,200	24	34	0	15	0	2	10	24	68	3,852	16,672
Laclede County	36,730	55	45	8	46	0	14	25	27	93	4,149	11,369
Texas County	25,528	0	42	0	0	3	0	2	25	33	3,007	9,904
Douglas County	12,060	0	13	0	0	0	0	1	5	3	1,040	5,227

Per Cent to Total Population	Diversity Index

Wright County	22.92	0.00	0.09	0.22	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.03	9.28	42.87
Missouri	11.68	0.43	0.24	0.06	0.16	0.25	0.64	0.17	0.14	0.30	12.17	23.90
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
Webster County	20.97	0.06	0.08	0.00	0.04	0.00	0.00	0.02	0.06	0.16	9.13	39.51
Laclede County	16.27	0.15	0.12	0.02	0.13	0.00	0.04	0.07	0.07	0.25	11.30	30.95
Texas County	20.08	0.00	0.16	0.00	0.00	0.01	0.00	0.01	0.10	0.13	11.78	38.80
Douglas County	23.12	0.00	0.11	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.01	0.04	0.02	8.62	43.34

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

Wright County		0.00	35.64	354.19	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	10.22	76.32	179.36
Missouri		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
National		305.34	358.09	379.31	279.97	220.94	248.93	282.74	250.51	186.59	113.33	62.15
Webster County		13.36	32.90	0.00	22.16	0.00	0.74	14.00	39.78	53.46	75.03	165.27
Laclede County		35.18	50.02	35.77	78.08	0.00	5.97	40.21	51.41	84.00	92.85	129.48
Texas County		0.00	67.18	0.00	0.00	4.66	0.00	4.63	68.50	42.88	96.83	162.30
Douglas County		0.00	44.01	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	4.90	29.00	8.25	70.89	181.31

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

Wright County		0.00	9.95	93.38	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	5.48	67.35	288.56
Missouri		32.75	27.93	26.36	35.72	45.26	40.17	35.37	39.92	53.59	88.24	160.89
National		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
Webster County		4.38	9.19	0.00	7.92	0.00	0.30	4.95	15.88	28.65	66.21	265.90
Laclede County		11.52	13.97	9.43	27.89	0.00	2.40	14.22	20.52	45.02	81.94	208.33
Texas County		0.00	18.76	0.00	0.00	2.11	0.00	1.64	27.34	22.98	85.44	261.12
Douglas County		0.00	12.29	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	1.73	11.58	4.42	62.55	291.71

Sources: STI: PopStats, Circa April 2025

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