Ancestry for Paulding County, OH

Paulding County – Ancestry

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:

19.38

Most common ancestry not including "Unknown" is:

German

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)

Paulding County	18,771	1,416	35	7	142	788	0	0	110	87	38	22
Ohio (in 000's)	11,945	645	19	4	172	238	54	38	32	931	297	210
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
Allen County	402,629	18,215	898	135	2,767	24,426	3,773	1,076	1,934	28,776	8,175	6,401
Defiance County	38,679	2,543	67	16	361	3,280	85	63	287	291	180	119
Putnam County	34,211	1,875	23	4	174	1,712	216	8	133	95	40	9
Van Wert County	29,003	2,143	36	12	60	931	22	51	61	127	65	39

Per Cent to Total Population	Diversity Index

Paulding County	19.38	7.54	0.19	0.04	0.76	4.20	0.00	0.00	0.59	0.46	0.20	0.12
Ohio	10.47	5.40	0.16	0.04	1.44	2.00	0.46	0.32	0.27	7.79	2.48	1.76
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
Allen County	10.74	4.52	0.22	0.03	0.69	6.07	0.94	0.27	0.48	7.15	2.03	1.59
Defiance County	15.86	6.57	0.17	0.04	0.93	8.48	0.22	0.16	0.74	0.75	0.47	0.31
Putnam County	27.88	5.48	0.07	0.01	0.51	5.00	0.63	0.02	0.39	0.28	0.12	0.03
Van Wert County	20.82	7.39	0.12	0.04	0.21	3.21	0.08	0.18	0.21	0.44	0.22	0.13

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

Paulding County		139.76	118.44	100.76	52.60	210.39	0.00	0.00	218.20	5.95	8.15	6.66
Ohio		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
National		74.98	409.59	493.04	229.45	567.67	395.68	429.07	399.94	96.80	92.06	118.77
Allen County		83.82	141.68	90.59	47.78	304.05	205.90	84.75	178.86	91.71	81.71	90.34
Defiance County		121.81	110.03	111.76	64.89	425.01	48.29	51.66	276.29	9.65	18.73	17.48
Putnam County		101.54	42.71	31.59	35.36	250.80	138.73	7.42	144.76	3.56	4.71	1.49
Van Wert County		136.90	78.85	111.79	14.38	160.88	16.67	55.77	78.31	5.62	9.02	7.64

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

Paulding County		186.41	28.92	20.44	22.92	37.06	0.00	0.00	54.56	6.14	8.85	5.61
Ohio		133.38	24.41	20.28	43.58	17.62	25.27	23.31	25.00	103.30	108.63	84.20
National		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
Allen County		111.80	34.59	18.37	20.83	53.56	52.04	19.75	44.72	94.74	88.76	76.06
Defiance County		162.47	26.86	22.67	28.28	74.87	12.20	12.04	69.08	9.97	20.34	14.72
Putnam County		135.44	10.43	6.41	15.41	44.18	35.06	1.73	36.20	3.68	5.11	1.26
Van Wert County		182.59	19.25	22.67	6.27	28.34	4.21	13.00	19.58	5.80	9.80	6.43

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

Paulding County	18,771	28	1,200	153	353	4,752	162	200	95	1,145	28	260
Ohio (in 000's)	11,945	23	818	68	115	1,780	423	234	95	988	19	543
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
Allen County	402,629	724	23,691	2,647	6,501	70,417	5,241	4,552	4,641	23,695	384	11,949
Defiance County	38,679	26	1,986	300	624	9,958	428	330	363	2,419	98	776
Putnam County	34,211	23	1,403	176	225	16,015	335	193	99	1,584	5	268
Van Wert County	29,003	16	2,152	315	310	8,339	344	199	96	1,609	73	396

Per Cent to Total Population	Diversity Index

Paulding County	19.38	0.15	6.39	0.82	1.88	25.32	0.86	1.07	0.51	6.10	0.15	1.39
Ohio	10.47	0.19	6.85	0.57	0.96	14.90	3.54	1.96	0.80	8.27	0.16	4.54
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
Allen County	10.74	0.18	5.88	0.66	1.61	17.49	1.30	1.13	1.15	5.89	0.10	2.97
Defiance County	15.86	0.07	5.13	0.78	1.61	25.75	1.11	0.85	0.94	6.25	0.25	2.01
Putnam County	27.88	0.07	4.10	0.51	0.66	46.81	0.98	0.56	0.29	4.63	0.01	0.78
Van Wert County	20.82	0.06	7.42	1.09	1.07	28.75	1.19	0.69	0.33	5.55	0.25	1.37

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

Paulding County		77.72	93.37	143.59	195.45	169.88	24.36	54.41	63.51	73.76	93.77	30.49
Ohio		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
National		204.95	76.88	93.82	110.27	48.30	74.25	69.43	218.22	72.66	208.83	61.34
Allen County		93.69	85.94	115.81	167.81	117.36	36.75	57.73	144.66	71.16	59.96	65.33
Defiance County		35.02	74.99	136.63	167.67	172.76	31.24	43.57	117.78	75.62	159.28	44.17
Putnam County		35.03	59.90	90.63	68.35	314.13	27.64	28.81	36.32	55.99	9.19	17.25
Van Wert County		28.74	108.37	191.33	111.09	192.94	33.48	35.04	41.54	67.08	158.23	30.06

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

Paulding County		37.92	121.44	153.05	177.25	351.69	32.82	78.37	29.11	101.52	44.90	49.71
Ohio		48.79	130.07	106.59	90.69	207.02	134.68	144.03	45.83	137.63	47.89	163.04
National		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
Allen County		45.72	111.78	123.45	152.19	242.97	49.49	83.15	66.29	97.94	28.71	106.52
Defiance County		17.09	97.54	145.64	152.06	357.66	42.07	62.75	53.97	104.08	76.27	72.01
Putnam County		17.09	77.91	96.60	61.99	650.33	37.23	41.49	16.64	77.06	4.40	28.12
Van Wert County		14.03	140.95	203.94	100.74	399.43	45.10	50.47	19.04	92.33	75.77	49.01

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

Paulding County	18,771	0	16	0	19	0	0	0	3	0	1,591	6,121
Ohio (in 000's)	11,945	58	25	11	16	17	134	20	21	66	1,325	2,506
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
Allen County	402,629	1,553	1,868	146	824	1,694	2,287	9,757	1,093	1,066	50,928	80,395
Defiance County	38,679	1	47	5	13	4	19	2	23	30	4,510	9,425
Putnam County	34,211	6	24	3	0	0	0	9	17	0	2,221	7,316
Van Wert County	29,003	6	32	0	40	0	7	3	14	8	2,125	9,372

Per Cent to Total Population	Diversity Index

Paulding County	19.38	0.00	0.09	0.00	0.10	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.02	0.00	8.48	32.61
Ohio	10.47	0.49	0.21	0.09	0.13	0.15	1.12	0.17	0.17	0.56	11.09	20.98
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
Allen County	10.74	0.39	0.46	0.04	0.20	0.42	0.57	2.42	0.27	0.26	12.65	19.97
Defiance County	15.86	0.00	0.12	0.01	0.03	0.01	0.05	0.01	0.06	0.08	11.66	24.37
Putnam County	27.88	0.02	0.07	0.01	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.03	0.05	0.00	6.49	21.38
Van Wert County	20.82	0.02	0.11	0.00	0.14	0.00	0.02	0.01	0.05	0.03	7.33	32.31

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

Paulding County		0.00	41.48	0.00	75.99	0.00	0.00	0.00	9.24	0.00	76.43	155.41
Ohio		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
National		267.63	426.76	245.23	337.13	383.45	141.39	280.97	207.09	101.14	124.32	70.81
Allen County		79.43	225.76	38.50	153.65	289.49	50.56	1,422.55	156.96	47.61	114.06	95.16
Defiance County		0.53	59.13	13.72	25.23	7.12	4.37	3.04	34.38	13.95	105.14	116.13
Putnam County		3.61	34.14	9.31	0.00	0.00	0.00	15.44	28.73	0.00	58.54	101.92
Van Wert County		4.26	53.69	0.00	103.54	0.00	2.15	6.07	27.91	4.96	66.07	154.00

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

Paulding County		0.00	9.72	0.00	22.54	0.00	0.00	0.00	4.46	0.00	61.48	219.47
Ohio		37.36	23.43	40.78	29.66	26.08	70.73	35.59	48.29	98.87	80.44	141.22
National		100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
Allen County		29.68	52.90	15.70	45.58	75.50	35.76	506.31	75.79	47.07	91.75	134.39
Defiance County		0.20	13.86	5.60	7.48	1.86	3.09	1.08	16.60	13.79	84.58	164.00
Putnam County		1.35	8.00	3.80	0.00	0.00	0.00	5.50	13.87	0.00	47.09	143.93
Van Wert County		1.59	12.58	0.00	30.71	0.00	1.52	2.16	13.48	4.90	53.15	217.49

Sources: STI: PopStats, Circa April 2025