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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)

Chaves County	63,737	1,962	365	28	324	30,596	62	111	5,309	572	184	152
New Mexico (in 000's)	2,141	37	182	1	21	726	10	9	264	23	9	6
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
Lea County	76,691	1,987	482	22	416	41,484	359	51	4,277	1,533	622	407
Otero County	70,301	2,034	4,070	133	1,011	23,553	208	206	2,974	1,550	444	354
Eddy County	62,253	1,826	473	35	318	26,947	123	124	3,960	436	147	200
Lincoln County	20,142	1,518	429	9	31	5,512	0	11	946	76	17	4
Roosevelt County	18,765	720	190	15	241	6,802	29	9	1,172	202	51	64
De Baca County	1,699	41	4	4	1	304	151	0	421	2	0	0

Per Cent to Total Population	Diversity Index

Chaves County	27.83	3.08	0.57	0.04	0.51	48.00	0.10	0.17	8.33	0.90	0.29	0.24
New Mexico	17.06	1.72	8.51	0.07	0.98	33.92	0.48	0.44	12.33	1.09	0.43	0.28
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
Lea County	33.24	2.59	0.63	0.03	0.54	54.09	0.47	0.07	5.58	2.00	0.81	0.53
Otero County	16.22	2.89	5.79	0.19	1.44	33.50	0.30	0.29	4.23	2.20	0.63	0.50
Eddy County	24.59	2.93	0.76	0.06	0.51	43.29	0.20	0.20	6.36	0.70	0.24	0.32
Lincoln County	15.57	7.54	2.13	0.04	0.15	27.37	0.00	0.05	4.70	0.38	0.08	0.02
Roosevelt County	20.33	3.84	1.01	0.08	1.28	36.25	0.15	0.05	6.25	1.08	0.27	0.34
De Baca County	16.32	2.41	0.24	0.24	0.06	17.89	8.89	0.00	24.78	0.12	0.00	0.00

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

Chaves County		178.65	6.73	65.23	51.87	141.52	20.07	39.63	67.57	82.55	67.27	85.20
New Mexico		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
National		234.85	7.57	270.94	336.70	33.39	371.51	307.90	8.71	693.85	533.04	746.68
Lea County		150.37	7.38	42.59	55.34	159.47	96.57	15.13	45.24	183.86	188.99	189.59
Otero County		167.91	68.01	280.89	146.73	98.77	61.04	66.68	34.32	202.80	147.17	179.89
Eddy County		170.23	8.93	83.48	52.12	127.61	40.76	45.33	51.60	64.42	55.02	114.77
Lincoln County		437.39	25.02	66.34	15.70	80.68	0.00	12.43	38.10	34.71	19.67	7.09
Roosevelt County		222.68	11.89	118.68	131.04	106.86	31.88	10.91	50.66	99.01	63.33	121.84
De Baca County		140.05	2.77	349.56	6.01	52.75	1,833.53	0.00	201.00	10.83	0.00	0.00

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

Chaves County		76.07	88.81	24.07	15.40	423.81	5.40	12.87	775.51	11.90	12.62	11.41
New Mexico		42.58	1,320.30	36.91	29.70	299.48	26.92	32.48	1,147.78	14.41	18.76	13.39
National		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
Lea County		64.03	97.47	15.72	16.44	477.57	25.99	4.92	519.23	26.50	35.46	25.39
Otero County		71.50	897.87	103.67	43.58	295.79	16.43	21.66	393.86	29.23	27.61	24.09
Eddy County		72.48	117.84	30.81	15.48	382.16	10.97	14.72	592.24	9.28	10.32	15.37
Lincoln County		186.24	330.32	24.49	4.66	241.61	0.00	4.04	437.27	5.00	3.69	0.95
Roosevelt County		94.82	157.03	43.80	38.92	320.03	8.58	3.54	581.49	14.27	11.88	16.32
De Baca County		59.63	36.51	129.02	1.78	157.97	493.53	0.00	2,307.03	1.56	0.00	0.00

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

Chaves County	63,737	27	1,535	144	169	1,371	181	112	334	1,336	724	339
New Mexico (in 000's)	2,141	2	66	5	10	62	17	7	18	62	58	25
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
Lea County	76,691	15	1,369	126	155	1,329	171	33	191	1,332	444	394
Otero County	70,301	135	3,469	286	406	3,339	656	214	654	3,509	1,389	778
Eddy County	62,253	15	2,423	134	267	1,754	239	132	328	1,558	709	310
Lincoln County	20,142	2	1,437	55	185	1,252	183	57	152	1,314	148	352
Roosevelt County	18,765	13	555	66	63	586	172	13	93	775	197	161
De Baca County	1,699	0	59	2	3	50	6	2	3	71	24	3

Per Cent to Total Population	Diversity Index

Chaves County	27.83	0.04	2.41	0.23	0.27	2.15	0.28	0.18	0.52	2.10	1.14	0.53
New Mexico	17.06	0.10	3.08	0.24	0.46	2.91	0.78	0.33	0.82	2.89	2.71	1.17
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
Lea County	33.24	0.02	1.79	0.16	0.20	1.73	0.22	0.04	0.25	1.74	0.58	0.51
Otero County	16.22	0.19	4.93	0.41	0.58	4.75	0.93	0.30	0.93	4.99	1.98	1.11
Eddy County	24.59	0.02	3.89	0.22	0.43	2.82	0.38	0.21	0.53	2.50	1.14	0.50
Lincoln County	15.57	0.01	7.13	0.27	0.92	6.22	0.91	0.28	0.75	6.52	0.73	1.75
Roosevelt County	20.33	0.07	2.96	0.35	0.34	3.12	0.92	0.07	0.50	4.13	1.05	0.86
De Baca County	16.32	0.00	3.47	0.12	0.18	2.94	0.35	0.12	0.18	4.18	1.41	0.18

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

Chaves County		40.93	78.09	92.86	57.13	73.88	36.35	52.58	63.66	72.43	41.98	45.35
New Mexico		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
National		380.03	170.69	218.89	228.59	247.24	336.63	406.83	211.23	207.63	12.28	237.54
Lea County		18.90	57.88	67.53	43.55	59.52	28.54	12.88	30.25	60.02	21.40	43.80
Otero County		185.53	160.01	167.21	124.43	163.13	119.44	91.09	113.01	172.48	73.02	94.35
Eddy County		23.28	126.21	88.47	92.41	96.77	49.14	63.45	64.00	86.48	42.09	42.46
Lincoln County		9.59	231.34	112.23	197.89	213.49	116.29	84.68	91.67	225.43	27.15	149.00
Roosevelt County		66.93	95.90	144.56	72.34	107.26	117.32	20.73	60.20	142.72	38.80	73.15
De Baca County		0.00	112.60	48.38	38.04	101.08	45.20	35.22	21.45	144.41	52.20	15.05

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

Chaves County		10.77	45.75	42.42	24.99	29.88	10.80	12.92	30.14	34.88	341.95	19.09
New Mexico		26.31	58.58	45.69	43.75	40.45	29.71	24.58	47.34	48.16	814.58	42.10
National		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
Lea County		4.97	33.91	30.85	19.05	24.07	8.48	3.16	14.32	28.91	174.28	18.44
Otero County		48.82	93.74	76.39	54.43	65.98	35.48	22.39	53.50	83.07	594.78	39.72
Eddy County		6.13	73.94	40.42	40.42	39.14	14.60	15.60	30.30	41.65	342.85	17.87
Lincoln County		2.52	135.53	51.27	86.57	86.35	34.55	20.81	43.40	108.57	221.19	62.72
Roosevelt County		17.61	56.19	66.04	31.64	43.38	34.85	5.10	28.50	68.73	316.03	30.79
De Baca County		0.00	65.97	22.10	16.64	40.88	13.43	8.66	10.15	69.55	425.24	6.34

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

Chaves County	63,737	46	250	50	19	76	129	38	43	27	10,573	6,549
New Mexico (in 000's)	2,141	6	8	2	2	5	6	2	2	3	331	149
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
Lea County	76,691	14	229	12	5	10	289	11	25	18	12,911	5,968
Otero County	70,301	101	460	37	64	66	26	115	147	90	11,668	6,155
Eddy County	62,253	11	217	32	29	64	87	27	50	27	11,822	7,429
Lincoln County	20,142	2	0	15	5	0	41	35	25	20	4,549	1,760
Roosevelt County	18,765	3	58	0	51	0	4	6	5	0	3,976	2,473
De Baca County	1,699	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	1	364	181

Per Cent to Total Population	Diversity Index

Chaves County	27.83	0.07	0.39	0.08	0.03	0.12	0.20	0.06	0.07	0.04	16.59	10.28
New Mexico	17.06	0.28	0.39	0.08	0.10	0.25	0.30	0.10	0.11	0.15	15.48	6.97
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
Lea County	33.24	0.02	0.30	0.02	0.01	0.01	0.38	0.01	0.03	0.02	16.84	7.78
Otero County	16.22	0.14	0.65	0.05	0.09	0.09	0.04	0.16	0.21	0.13	16.60	8.76
Eddy County	24.59	0.02	0.35	0.05	0.05	0.10	0.14	0.04	0.08	0.04	18.99	11.93
Lincoln County	15.57	0.01	0.00	0.07	0.02	0.00	0.20	0.17	0.12	0.10	22.58	8.74
Roosevelt County	20.33	0.02	0.31	0.00	0.27	0.00	0.02	0.03	0.03	0.00	21.19	13.18
De Baca County	16.32	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.06	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.06	0.06	21.42	10.65

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

Chaves County		25.59	100.15	95.38	29.84	47.26	66.83	58.10	61.15	27.46	107.18	147.34
New Mexico		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
National		460.84	223.94	280.83	449.47	220.87	524.46	466.43	324.66	364.59	89.07	213.06
Lea County		6.47	76.24	19.02	6.53	5.17	124.43	13.98	29.55	15.21	108.77	111.59
Otero County		50.94	167.07	63.99	91.12	37.21	12.21	159.41	189.54	82.98	107.23	125.55
Eddy County		6.27	89.00	62.50	46.63	40.75	46.15	42.27	72.80	28.11	122.70	171.12
Lincoln County		3.52	0.00	90.54	24.85	0.00	67.21	169.34	112.51	64.36	145.92	125.30
Roosevelt County		5.67	78.92	0.00	272.04	0.00	7.04	31.16	24.15	0.00	136.90	188.98
De Baca County		0.00	0.00	0.00	58.91	0.00	0.00	0.00	53.35	38.15	138.42	152.77

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

Chaves County		5.55	44.72	33.96	6.64	21.40	12.74	12.46	18.84	7.53	120.32	69.16
New Mexico		21.70	44.66	35.61	22.25	45.28	19.07	21.44	30.80	27.43	112.27	46.94
National		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
Lea County		1.40	34.05	6.77	1.45	2.34	23.73	3.00	9.10	4.17	122.11	52.38
Otero County		11.05	74.61	22.79	20.27	16.85	2.33	34.18	58.38	22.76	120.39	58.93
Eddy County		1.36	39.75	22.25	10.37	18.45	8.80	9.06	22.42	7.71	137.75	80.32
Lincoln County		0.76	0.00	32.24	5.53	0.00	12.82	36.31	34.65	17.65	163.82	58.81
Roosevelt County		1.23	35.24	0.00	60.52	0.00	1.34	6.68	7.44	0.00	153.69	88.70
De Baca County		0.00	0.00	0.00	13.11	0.00	0.00	0.00	16.43	10.46	155.40	71.70

Sources: STI: PopStats, Circa April 2025

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