Such an interesting documentary. In South Africa, the French immigrants were called Huguenots because they were Protestants (fleeing from French Catholic persecution around the time your ancestor also left). Hoosier sounds suspiciously like a nickname for Huguenot. Especially with the French pronunciation I can imagine the "g" sounding like an "s".
Btw I'm french and it's not pronounced deux cent "tans" but deux cent "zans" ! It'll sound more french then :) Loved your video! I've recently been looking for my ancestors and I realised a lot of people had already done a lot of research and posted our family tree online! I still need to go to Veneto Italy lol but...not right now I guess
Hey Damon, my boyfriend is a French history major who specializes in genealogy and after watching this video together he explained to me that most of the people who moved to America from France did so not because they were poor and looking for more financial opportunities, but because they had middle class to wealthy families that were running out of land to give to their descendants so the families would pay for and support their voyage. It sounds like Xavier wasn’t abandoning his family by leaving but was probably very supported and in contact with them. Something more to look into 😊
I never knew this "officially" but "instictively" if that makes sense?? In southern and western Germany, Belgium, France etc (that's just where I have the most experience, so probably in lots more places, too!!) you can literally walk from one historic town centre to the next in an hour, and nowadays one bigger city can have so many historic town centers (think of the city of London and the city of Westminster). So yeah, Europe was already extremely densely populated at a time when both living and growing food took up a lot more space because technology wasn't as evolved (no 10 story apartment buildings or genetically modified corn). When I visited California a while back, I had a feeling like Europeans rebuilt their homes but with more space to breath, especially im San Francisco and San Diego 😊
@Nicky L Not sure about like 300 years ago but it's generally impossible in France even today to let your children without inheritance. But back in the days the older you were the most you had compared to your younger siblings. However you would not find a child without inheritance which was quite the opposite in England if I recall correctly. If you want to look into it you can check Napoleon policies since it's him who established the law. As for "countryside" people, they tended to stay together in family so even if you were to marry into another family and give you part of the land, there was a BIG chance that the land you were getting by marrying was initially yours to begin with if that make sense because of shared ancestry lol. But concerning your comment on land being too small, I think that's why so many French families tended to live with their extended family so the lands were bigger and shared. I remember my grandma telling me she was living in the countryside with her aunts,uncles, cousins and, after marrying, her in-laws and sister in laws with their husbands and kids 😅 that would explain it
@Nicky L I think that might be the case but there were also ways around that, so, for example the younger men would get into clergy thus they wouldn't get (didn't need) land or similar things
@Nicky L I don't know since when that date back, but yes right now there is such a system. It's also illegal to disinherit your children you must give them at least 50% if you have one child, 66% if you have two and 85% if you have three or more (If there is no spouse). Children become share owners of everything their parents owned, and if their parents owned lands what usually happened is that one or to children would buy their other brothers share. That way they have full control over the land, and their brothers have money to do something elsewhere because there is not enough land everybody anyway. The problem was that even if the brothers had quite a lot of money (for rich families), they couldn't buy any land for themselves because there was simply none avaiable to buy. That's what "family paid for their voyage" usually meant, it's just money they got from selling their own land to their brothers.
Does anyone else get like an “international traveler meets Bill Nye” kind of vibe from these mini-docs? I feel like I’m watching Damon hop around the world like Mrs. Frizzle on the magic school bus
I thought the same thing, but I've traced my family back to the 1700's so far. Try listening to the ologies podcast on genealogy. There's a black genealogist telling you about it and how to do it.
this is so special, i feel like as americans we are so detached from our individual heritage. my grandparents came from sicily and i visited their town a few months back and it felt strange to be in the town where my family likely lived for centuries, yet as a foreigner.
@@pagegrav yeah! it's something my brothers and i have considered. i was an au pair in italy for a few months and want to go back more long term once, yaknow, the world opens up again.
"i feel like as americans we are so detached from our individual heritage" Meanwhile as a Black American I immediately got a little depressed when I saw the family book around 2:00~ because certain people decided to destroy all of my people's records. edit: Still enjoying the video, though, of course.
Y'all I wanna film everyone so badly but most times I stick a camera in anyone's face, they get all flustered...and if I ask for permission before, I feel like the moment is gone and people freeze up.
Damon out there trying to make us believe he all French n stuff, connecting with his French roots, promoting French culture, but now we know why it was so hard for him to get the visa... in reality he's a good ol' German boy! We need to see you in Berlin next Damon, it's like the capital of gay fun! Also as a non American watching this realising y'all are just selling us this idea of big cities when most of the US is just.. land.
This reminds me of our Year 6/7 genealogy project our history teacher made us do. I'm African and many of us (unless descended from royalty of some sort and even then...) are unable to trace our lineage further than 3 or 4 generations. There I was presenting my project with only my grandparents from both my parents' sides while the other kids (of which 98% were of European descent) had old photographs of their predecessors from the early 1800s showing maps of old properties they owned and wartime achievements they were awarded. I felt as though my history was extremely insignificant. At that age especially, any and everything can make you insecure. Fast forward into my teens and we took a trip upcountry to where my Mum's family comes from. We're filling up our car with petrol and buying snacks at the small kiosk and an old man strikes up a conversation with us. Turns out our families have been neighbours for generations and he took time out of his day to explain to me more about our culture including traditional ceremonies and even our history of tattoos and body modification. That's when it hit me. Most people from other places have to travel hundreds to thousands of kilometres to take an adventure into their past and while that is exciting, driving for four hours and sharing a spiced tea with an old man who reveals to you in detail the magic of a history you were convinced never existed is something else entirely. The pure serendipity of it. Neither experience can trump the other because everyone's history means something to someone and no two are the same.
Honestly when i was watching this it felt like you were transported to the past by seeing the houses and speaking to the people in the town. And then when you got on the bus and scanned the QR code I was like ok back to reality 😂
Damon I loved this so so much. It was so interesting seeing you go on this journey and seeing your history from so far back!! As an African-american it made me just a tad bit sad only cause I'm not so sure how much i could find out lmaooo and if I did chile I'm not so sure it'd make me that happy 💀 it was so great to see you do this though. just how you inspired me before I started taking my content seriously, you're inspiring me now to get back to what I really love about filming and creating: storytelling, cinematography blah blah all that just really speaks to me and what i love to do. been having a hard time navigating my art and journey and you always help me. thanks for that.
Don’t be disheartened. I did a 23 and Me ancestry kit and traced ancestors from Ghana via the Caribbean. It has a database of relatives so you might be able to piece together your journey from Africa in an indirect way. Good luck 😊
this is exactly how i feel wow. it’s so inspirational to see but so sad to know that a lot of our history is either lost, or just incredibly painful 😬 but wow this kind of content is just incredibly important and inspiring
@@damondominique you should definitely hang around Belfort and other big cities from Alsace and Lorraine when you have the time and occasion, you will cross a lot of faces that look eerily familiar 😂
Since you have documented your heritage, you should go back and see if there is a 'livre de famille' for any of your past french family. Why this is important, this could aid you in gaining your French citizenship. No, it's not cut a dry process but if grandmother or other directly related family members kept their French citizenship. Yes, it's complicated but while it may be true that your parents may not be french (by citizenship) but you could request a court hearing to argue because since your family is French and have proof; and by no fault of your own you were born in the States, that you speak french, you live in France that you wish to be a citizen of France and contribute to France. I've read there have been situations where citizenship was granted. But take all of this with a grain of salt, your mileage may vary - even if you go thanks but I'm fine the way I am. I'll still keep watching your videos. Just trying to be helpful - Bisou, À toute à l'heure!
@@r.m5883 as a gay man that is not really a question of want to or not. The problem is rather that they can only have children through adoption. But he's got siblings who have kids and they might very well pass on the story.
I am litteraly QUAKING I am BORN in Belfort, grew up in a little town litteraly at the Switzerland border and I'm currently studying in Besançon. This is pretty much France's country side never would I ever have imagined your ancestors are from there! Alsace is also really near (as you can imagine) It's actually bordered with Germany and was at some point an actual german area. Well I think It's fair you describe yourself as an Alsacien and Franc-comtois ;)
I'm also from Belfort and living now in Besançon, where I was student. Belfort erea known now as Territoire de Belfort was part of Alsace, people there didn't speak alsacien only french. It was quiet destroy during the " guerre de 30 ans" and repopulate by German, Swiss ... in 1648 became french, before it was Habsbourg territories. It was a sous- prefecture of the Haut-Rhin ( 68), during the 1870 war the town was siegee and had to surrender with honour because of the armistice, the army was living the town free. It's why Belfort stay french when Alsace became German. It was only in 1923 that it became a department, the Territoire de Belfort, 90 and only in 1960 it became part of the region Franche-Comté. We still have some alsacienne custom like the St Nicolas, and some idioms like " attendre sur le bus" ... The " vieille ville" of Belfort has still the south German look.
This was so interesting to see for me because I'm Italian and I've lived in Italy for my whole life, I was born and raised in Florence and my surname is very typical of my region. I did a little bit of researches and I discovered that my father's family lived in Tuscany for many centuries. This makes me feel so attached to this land and I know in my heart that even if I will probably move soon and I'm already studying in uni in another city I will never be able to detach from Tuscany and from its people. Americans don't really get to experience this because they are more attached to their country than to the land, while for me, I feel I belong to this region more than I belong to Italy all together. It was so cool to see a completely different experience of what genealogy and ancestors are and I almost got emotional when you went where your ancestors grew up because I felt it was such and intimate moment for you. Amazing content as usual !
Did anyone notice the goat cheese sign said “ici”, meaning here, right? It looks like the name of that bar in Ohio Ickey’s... lol maybe I’m reading too much into this but it seems like a sign that you’re always “here” no matter where you are
This is precious. As a black girl I knew 7 of my blood grandparents and lost my last one this yr. I know of grandparents that were Creek Indigenous, Irish, Belize, Honduras, Spain and last but not least Africa/America via slavory. I can trace back 2 greats on fathers side because I knew them personally and knew of 2 greats on mothers side but only knew 1 great personally ,mothers side.
most of my family is from ireland (but came to the US in the late 1800s) and my uncle did a bunch of research like this and ended up posting a picture of our great great grandfather in a facebook group where he found someone living in ireland with the same great great grandfather. When he went to visit our newfound irish cousins ended up driving him up and down the coast. crazy how connections happen!
I'm french and I come from Alsace ! From Strasbourg to be exact ! I think this video is so interesting ! I hope you have the chance to visit this city one day, it is really beautiful ! :D
My family is from Erstein! My great grandmother used to go to work in Strasbourg and she had this fascination with a 13th century astronomical clock in the cathedral. Do you know it??
Omg! This is so interesting! I'm french canadian (from Québec) and my aunt did this research on our family going back to France in the 1600! My ancestors moved to Canada in 1696.
FINALLY GETTING THEM OUT OF THERE! Like the finished product was really just *sitting* in a folder as if I hadn't just spent all that time and effort doing this. 🤣🥴
My family is from Jamaica and it's so hard to do things like this because no one really kept records back then unless they were from Europe coming to Jamaica or affiliated with Europe by military. Awe I'm happy you got to trace where your French side was from! Love your videos!
@Nana Dufie I took a DNA test and it's crazy and actually there's barely any Ghanian in me. I just wish i could find the names and background of my ancestors
Damn, 30 minutes flew by so fast. I'm living for this creative content! Glad you had the courage to edit the vid. Longue vie aux Dominiques ! 😋 take care xx
I tried searching for my families origins. My father's family were Dravidians who came to Garhwal(lower Himalayas) from Tamil Nadu in South India about 300 ago and my mother's family were probably Aryans from western india who settled in the region. Crazy world we live in. But it's also really fun to go searching and hunting about things no one's ever bothered to wonder about.
i've always been really curious about my family history origins and seeing you talk to everyone in that little village in french made me realize i probably would have to learn my native language (tagalog) if i were to ever go back and explore. it's something i've always wanted to learn .. so maybe i've found a new motivation :)
I love how you highlighted that research is like a treasure hunt. I also appreciate the librarian/archivist who helped you in the beginning. She seemed genuinely interested in your project.
yes, just yes. There is nothing that can connect you to your roots more than speaking their language and visiting their land. This is goals. One day I'm headed to England for this same type of experience.
wow. this video like low-key made me emotional!! its honestly almost surreal to see where your ancestors were in the past....like their house....the land they looked at....the spot in the sky where they looked up at all those generations ago...idk its so cool. its like knowing your ancestry contexualizes one's own life happening as a succession of many decisions over many years. Thank you so much for making this, it's really incredible. I feel inspired to look into my own family's history.
i get wes anderson vibes from your videos.. this is gold gold gold content. thank you for being authenthic and real ang bringing INTERESTING topics to the mainstream sending hugs
Here's a little more food for thought. People that traversed to America had a high tendency to marry within cousins, but lets be real, they also did it overseas as well before coming to America. So, when you said your DNA may be diluted down, likelihood is, it's not as diluted as you believe it to be. I'm having a hell of a time researching my own ancestors to be honest. I know that I have a little bit of French but I have no idea where because it is such a common name, Barnett. But, a large percentage of me is German and Welsh as well. However, I just had my grandmother's identical twin sister (my great Aunt) take a DNA test and it came back we're a high percentage Mongolian. I can't even put a toe outside my door without getting a massive sunburn. I'm as fair skinned as can be, so I'm looking at myself and going...where?! So, I'm with you on this search. It's why I pulled up your channel.
Debbie B If you’re researching your ancestors and need a little help Allison DePrey Singleton at genealogy@acpl.com is AMAZING! She helped us tremendously with this research (the new found cousin at the beginning on the video)! She works at one of the largest genealogy centers in the US and You can email her any questions about your research. Happy ancestor hunting 💕
I love how you have the introspection to note things like the moment boarding the bus. Presence in the moment is.something we too often overlook but is what brings some of the greatest beauty. This past didnt go any where...just pick up any small random pebble, its all right. there.
I did a similar journey to Ireland a few years ago. The sense of who you are that you acquire by knowing the past is truly amazing. I walked the "farm town" that my family came from . Something you said about your choosing Paris when stating that you were born into the circumstances of past generations lives struck me as memorable. Thanks for the video. Joe
mysticalcupcake if im not wrong those are Vikings last names like Ericson. They used to add son or dottir to the fathers name depending if it’s a boy or girl.
You’re so lucky to be able to go back that far with so many documents. My family comes from Cuba, I only have a few details/pics to go back to my great grandparents it’s a few but it’s something. And it’s something that I can give to my son. Thank you for this vid!!!
25:18 I found this after a little research on the internet : "Housieur, euse, s (celui ou celle qui housse.) Sweeper " [Dictionnaire royal françois anglois et anglois-françois, en abrégé, Volume 1 , 1768, p.261] I wonder if the word "Hoosier" might come from some penniless french migrants who had to offer their service as "housieurs" (crossing sweepers?) to subsist in the United States during the 19th century?
I love this! My grandparents migrated from Turkey to Germany but only 60 years ago. So I am watching your story exactly knowing how you feel! Please make more of such videos :) it‘s great to watch but especially watching you and you realising how important it is for you and what it makes with you is astonishing!
Damon!You are such an enchanting storyteller!I love how you blend this whole genealogy quest with with diligent research and humor.You have such a profound respect for family.You're an innovative filmmaker with your use of hip hop to whimsical filler music,I adore all your work.I must confess that I long for an OG Damon & Jo adventure once we emerge for this insane and terrifying worldwide scenario.Merci Damon,tu est vraiment magnifique!!♡Bisous,,bjs MwF
Hi! I am French and my family moved to the US when I was 5 years old but some of my great uncles have lived here for generations. My little cousins are now more American than French haha. None of my family is from Alsace-Lorraine (although we are from literally everywhere else in France) but my best friend is! Anyway, I wanted to say that I am glad you found out more about your family history and I hope you can feel more connected to our culture!
Damon, c'est super que tu es réussi à retrouver le lieu d'habitation de tes endroits !! La généalogie est quelque chose d'incroyable, mais ça reste très difficile de trouver autant d'informations comme tu l'as fais ! Je suis vraiment contente pour toi !!
was expecting you to upload this in two parts so you can get more revenue (and we want you to!!) 🥺 but you still really did it all in one video god we really don't deserve you
I've always been fascinated in genealogy. Sadly, my family is as average as you can get. They're all Spanish born and raised, so I think if I decided to investigate I'd be setting myself up for disappointment 😂 Absolutely loved this though, agh - so cool!
The little windy bit at the end GOT me. I was rolling. Such an interesting video! Always a joy watching your adventures. Also: I loved how wholesome and hospitable the small-town French folk were. I'm from near New Orleans and the energy was the exact same. Adore that.
Damon, I was born and raised in Georgia, USA. I've never felt like I belonged in the US. I've always felt European specifically French. Last year, I sold everything and moved to France. Just because we're born somewhere doesn't mean we have to stay there. We as humans have free will to change our story or history as we like. I also believe in reincarnation and I just like to say I'm back home now. Maybe the same is true for you. Embrace it, live it, love it and never feel guilty about it. This is your life.
I loved watching this video as you explored more of your “Dominique” heritage. Can you make this a 4 part series where you research and travel to the cities/ counties of your other ancestors with the other last names in your genealogy? That would be fascinating (when the global pandemic ends of course)! 😊 #stayhome
as someone who was adopted, i think it's so fascinating the idea of being able to track your lineage and personal family history. mine begins with me but it seems like a beautiful thing
I am so proud of Damon. This video is amazing - the research, the editing, and the commitment of actually visiting those French towns and speaking to the community - I’m in awe
This is so different to the way we pass down history in my culture. Our culture used to be more oral rather than actually being written down so our parents would memorise all of their grandparents and great grandparents until they reach their ancestor. I use to never care but recently I started learning all my forefathers names in so then I can pass it down. Knowing where & who you came from is such a cool feeling.
I've been working on my family's history for years now too! In my case, it all started when we found old letters at home (we live in the house that has been from the family since the 1850s, when it was built). A few years ago, I managed to get my granfather's military documents and we were blown away! I found a whole new side to his personal story that no one knew about. He was imprisoned! I need to translate his letter, though, because they are in French. I really need to finish my research. Thanks for the video! Edit: may I add that I'm from Spain but my family has been all over the Mediterranean bc we cannot stay in one place.
Hi, how funny that that ! I follow you for years and today I discover we come from the same place !! I am French and iam from just beside Belfort Anyway, good video like always 😚🌟
I am super into genealogy and to say that there is a lack of genealogy content on RUclips would be a massive understatement. I so appreciate this fun, young, cool, view of a hobby I think is vastly underrated. Love this!!! I hope this can help jump start some more content about ancestry/genealogy. Just wanted to pop in and say that and say THANK YOU.
Literally did something like this back in November. My mom and I have been looking for our Spanish (Galician) ancestor's birthplace for years and then come to find out my aunt found another one of our ancestors.... from the Italian side. And it just so happened that he was from the Amalfi coast!! (which I had just visited a few months prior without knowing this info!). went to his town and got the "official" birth certificate (from the 1830s also coincidentally) and now my mom is in the process of becoming an Italian citizen! :) P.s. my family and I are from Argentina but moved to the states when I was 6. crazy small world. and what's even funnier? Italy looks SO MUCH like Buenos Aires, Argentina. I guess our ancestors were fed up with their own native lands but missed it enough to replicate the architecture and style, while also keeping the cultures and traditions.
Damon, oh my god I don't even know how to put this into words, but YOU ARE ON ANOTHER LEVEL!!! THIS! IS! CINEMATIC! THIS IS THE CONTENT I NEEDED! Seriously, I hope you realize how good the content you're putting out is.
Me: I’M FROM THIS TOWN 200 YEARS AGO
Them: ….ok
I love this video so much! Can you do a video about how you carry all your equipment when you're making these documents?
Such an interesting documentary. In South Africa, the French immigrants were called Huguenots because they were Protestants (fleeing from French Catholic persecution around the time your ancestor also left). Hoosier sounds suspiciously like a nickname for Huguenot. Especially with the French pronunciation I can imagine the "g" sounding like an "s".
Btw I'm french and it's not pronounced deux cent "tans" but deux cent "zans" ! It'll sound more french then :)
Loved your video! I've recently been looking for my ancestors and I realised a lot of people had already done a lot of research and posted our family tree online! I still need to go to Veneto Italy lol but...not right now I guess
I hope you write to those farmers and send them a link to your video!
Carli Bezuidenhout WoW Im French and I had no idea there was french people in South Africa
Hey Damon, my boyfriend is a French history major who specializes in genealogy and after watching this video together he explained to me that most of the people who moved to America from France did so not because they were poor and looking for more financial opportunities, but because they had middle class to wealthy families that were running out of land to give to their descendants so the families would pay for and support their voyage. It sounds like Xavier wasn’t abandoning his family by leaving but was probably very supported and in contact with them. Something more to look into 😊
I never knew this "officially" but "instictively" if that makes sense?? In southern and western Germany, Belgium, France etc (that's just where I have the most experience, so probably in lots more places, too!!) you can literally walk from one historic town centre to the next in an hour, and nowadays one bigger city can have so many historic town centers (think of the city of London and the city of Westminster). So yeah, Europe was already extremely densely populated at a time when both living and growing food took up a lot more space because technology wasn't as evolved (no 10 story apartment buildings or genetically modified corn). When I visited California a while back, I had a feeling like Europeans rebuilt their homes but with more space to breath, especially im San Francisco and San Diego 😊
He did say it was a big reach
@Nicky L Not sure about like 300 years ago but it's generally impossible in France even today to let your children without inheritance. But back in the days the older you were the most you had compared to your younger siblings. However you would not find a child without inheritance which was quite the opposite in England if I recall correctly. If you want to look into it you can check Napoleon policies since it's him who established the law. As for "countryside" people, they tended to stay together in family so even if you were to marry into another family and give you part of the land, there was a BIG chance that the land you were getting by marrying was initially yours to begin with if that make sense because of shared ancestry lol. But concerning your comment on land being too small, I think that's why so many French families tended to live with their extended family so the lands were bigger and shared. I remember my grandma telling me she was living in the countryside with her aunts,uncles, cousins and, after marrying, her in-laws and sister in laws with their husbands and kids 😅 that would explain it
@Nicky L I think that might be the case but there were also ways around that, so, for example the younger men would get into clergy thus they wouldn't get (didn't need) land or similar things
@Nicky L I don't know since when that date back, but yes right now there is such a system. It's also illegal to disinherit your children you must give them at least 50% if you have one child, 66% if you have two and 85% if you have three or more (If there is no spouse).
Children become share owners of everything their parents owned, and if their parents owned lands what usually happened is that one or to children would buy their other brothers share. That way they have full control over the land, and their brothers have money to do something elsewhere because there is not enough land everybody anyway. The problem was that even if the brothers had quite a lot of money (for rich families), they couldn't buy any land for themselves because there was simply none avaiable to buy.
That's what "family paid for their voyage" usually meant, it's just money they got from selling their own land to their brothers.
Damon’s face when he realized if he was straight he would have kids all over the world has me rolling
'yikes'
isn't he bi?
@you're arrested for first-degree clownery luv then why does he have a girlfriend?
ABSOLUtely died
Eliya Adler lmao do u mean jo?? they’re best friends, damon is for sure gay he made a video abt it
Does anyone else get like an “international traveler meets Bill Nye” kind of vibe from these mini-docs? I feel like I’m watching Damon hop around the world like Mrs. Frizzle on the magic school bus
YES!
damon + quarantine >>>>> an elite combination.
Asaph Kalala Yes 😆
Istg
Take a shot every time Damon says “back in the day”
And then take another every time I mention how many babies are in my family 😂
Literally was about to comment this 😂
I was tearing up a little cause I literally can’t do this, but this was fun to watch.
Vyes Sampson ikr this makes me want to do the same thing but I kinda already know 😭
Same :(((
I thought the same thing, but I've traced my family back to the 1700's so far. Try listening to the ologies podcast on genealogy. There's a black genealogist telling you about it and how to do it.
:/ Same
It's possible! I've been doing some research and I've narrowed my roots down to the coastal regions on Nigeria. Don't give up hope!
This is so beautiful! Definitely makes me want to trace my ancestry back to wherever we came from
We all got a story! It's up to us to dive into it!!!
this is so special, i feel like as americans we are so detached from our individual heritage. my grandparents came from sicily and i visited their town a few months back and it felt strange to be in the town where my family likely lived for centuries, yet as a foreigner.
heads up you might be eligible for Italian citizenship!
@@pagegrav yeah! it's something my brothers and i have considered. i was an au pair in italy for a few months and want to go back more long term once, yaknow, the world opens up again.
@@juliabean7181 If you need help with the process or info on it let me know! I'm in the middle of it right now but I know it'll be worth it!
"i feel like as americans we are so detached from our individual heritage" Meanwhile as a Black American I immediately got a little depressed when I saw the family book around 2:00~ because certain people decided to destroy all of my people's records.
edit: Still enjoying the video, though, of course.
@you're arrested for first-degree clownery luv That's very true. At least we're not alone. 💗
I don't know why I thought he was speaking to the cat😂💀
Y'all I wanna film everyone so badly but most times I stick a camera in anyone's face, they get all flustered...and if I ask for permission before, I feel like the moment is gone and people freeze up.
Me too!!
@@damondominique I feel you. If you put that camera in my face I'd freeze immediately
me too
Damon out there trying to make us believe he all French n stuff, connecting with his French roots, promoting French culture, but now we know why it was so hard for him to get the visa... in reality he's a good ol' German boy! We need to see you in Berlin next Damon, it's like the capital of gay fun! Also as a non American watching this realising y'all are just selling us this idea of big cities when most of the US is just.. land.
sv 93 Non American? But...but...but you said “y’all”? My Texas ass is so confused right now..
sv 93 yeah haha, American road trips mean many many hours of just wheat and corn fields
People outside of the US have access to our way of speaking to you know...
Margo Ramirez hehehe my French ass was shook when she studied in Austin and had everyone say y’all
@@margoramirez891 lmfao i'm all the way across the globe in singapore and i say "y'all" too... the internet really does things.
Wow damon really has a way with people like he strikes up the sweetest convo with literally anyone
"and btw... we are cousins" :D the best!
This reminds me of our Year 6/7 genealogy project our history teacher made us do. I'm African and many of us (unless descended from royalty of some sort and even then...) are unable to trace our lineage further than 3 or 4 generations. There I was presenting my project with only my grandparents from both my parents' sides while the other kids (of which 98% were of European descent) had old photographs of their predecessors from the early 1800s showing maps of old properties they owned and wartime achievements they were awarded.
I felt as though my history was extremely insignificant. At that age especially, any and everything can make you insecure. Fast forward into my teens and we took a trip upcountry to where my Mum's family comes from. We're filling up our car with petrol and buying snacks at the small kiosk and an old man strikes up a conversation with us. Turns out our families have been neighbours for generations and he took time out of his day to explain to me more about our culture including traditional ceremonies and even our history of tattoos and body modification.
That's when it hit me. Most people from other places have to travel hundreds to thousands of kilometres to take an adventure into their past and while that is exciting, driving for four hours and sharing a spiced tea with an old man who reveals to you in detail the magic of a history you were convinced never existed is something else entirely. The pure serendipity of it. Neither experience can trump the other because everyone's history means something to someone and no two are the same.
Honestly when i was watching this it felt like you were transported to the past by seeing the houses and speaking to the people in the town. And then when you got on the bus and scanned the QR code I was like ok back to reality 😂
Damon I loved this so so much. It was so interesting seeing you go on this journey and seeing your history from so far back!! As an African-american it made me just a tad bit sad only cause I'm not so sure how much i could find out lmaooo and if I did chile I'm not so sure it'd make me that happy 💀 it was so great to see you do this though. just how you inspired me before I started taking my content seriously, you're inspiring me now to get back to what I really love about filming and creating: storytelling, cinematography blah blah all that just really speaks to me and what i love to do. been having a hard time navigating my art and journey and you always help me. thanks for that.
Don’t be disheartened. I did a 23 and Me ancestry kit and traced ancestors from Ghana via the Caribbean. It has a database of relatives so you might be able to piece together your journey from Africa in an indirect way. Good luck 😊
this is exactly how i feel wow. it’s so inspirational to see but so sad to know that a lot of our history is either lost, or just incredibly painful 😬 but wow this kind of content is just incredibly important and inspiring
As an introvert I am amazed as how sociable Damon is every time I watch his videos
why am i surprised damon comes from alsace-lorraine of course he does we have the oldest living twinks in france
DONE ❗️🤣😂 but hey 🤷🏼♂️
@@damondominique you should definitely hang around Belfort and other big cities from Alsace and Lorraine when you have the time and occasion, you will cross a lot of faces that look eerily familiar 😂
Since you have documented your heritage, you should go back and see if there is a 'livre de famille' for any of your past french family. Why this is important, this could aid you in gaining your French citizenship. No, it's not cut a dry process but if grandmother or other directly related family members kept their French citizenship. Yes, it's complicated but while it may be true that your parents may not be french (by citizenship) but you could request a court hearing to argue because since your family is French and have proof; and by no fault of your own you were born in the States, that you speak french, you live in France that you wish to be a citizen of France and contribute to France. I've read there have been situations where citizenship was granted. But take all of this with a grain of salt, your mileage may vary - even if you go thanks but I'm fine the way I am. I'll still keep watching your videos. Just trying to be helpful - Bisou, À toute à l'heure!
The people in the French village will still talk about "that guy from America" in 20 years....
Probably yeah, village stories
If he had kids, which he said he didnt want tho
@@r.m5883 as a gay man that is not really a question of want to or not. The problem is rather that they can only have children through adoption.
But he's got siblings who have kids and they might very well pass on the story.
Y'ALL THIS IS SO GREAT MAKES ME WANT TO TRACE MY ANCESTORS TOO
me tew
The strange thing is we never met these ancestors yet we develop love for them as soon as we find out about them .
I am litteraly QUAKING I am BORN in Belfort, grew up in a little town litteraly at the Switzerland border and I'm currently studying in Besançon. This is pretty much France's country side never would I ever have imagined your ancestors are from there! Alsace is also really near (as you can imagine) It's actually bordered with Germany and was at some point an actual german area. Well I think It's fair you describe yourself as an Alsacien and Franc-comtois ;)
I am born in Alsace and still living there. Yes it's quite surprising ^^"
Pareil quand ils ont parlé de Besançon j'etais en mode wtf 😂
Me too 😊
I'm also from Belfort and living now in Besançon, where I was student. Belfort erea known now as Territoire de Belfort was part of Alsace, people there didn't speak alsacien only french. It was quiet destroy during the " guerre de 30 ans" and repopulate by German, Swiss ... in 1648 became french, before it was Habsbourg territories. It was a sous- prefecture of the Haut-Rhin ( 68), during the 1870 war the town was siegee and had to surrender with honour because of the armistice, the army was living the town free. It's why Belfort stay french when Alsace became German. It was only in 1923 that it became a department, the Territoire de Belfort, 90 and only in 1960 it became part of the region Franche-Comté. We still have some alsacienne custom like the St Nicolas, and some idioms like " attendre sur le bus" ... The " vieille ville" of Belfort has still the south German look.
“are we really just the results of past generations actions”, that really made me think lmao. loved the video man!!
If there's not at least one *philosophical zinger* in each video, I have failed both y'all and myself!
This was so interesting to see for me because I'm Italian and I've lived in Italy for my whole life, I was born and raised in Florence and my surname is very typical of my region. I did a little bit of researches and I discovered that my father's family lived in Tuscany for many centuries. This makes me feel so attached to this land and I know in my heart that even if I will probably move soon and I'm already studying in uni in another city I will never be able to detach from Tuscany and from its people. Americans don't really get to experience this because they are more attached to their country than to the land, while for me, I feel I belong to this region more than I belong to Italy all together. It was so cool to see a completely different experience of what genealogy and ancestors are and I almost got emotional when you went where your ancestors grew up because I felt it was such and intimate moment for you. Amazing content as usual !
Did anyone notice the goat cheese sign said “ici”, meaning here, right? It looks like the name of that bar in Ohio Ickey’s... lol maybe I’m reading too much into this but it seems like a sign that you’re always “here” no matter where you are
Hannah Lipka they’re pronounced completely different...
Levi Loggins okay, just said the words look similar
« Ici » is on a lot of shop sign, like « here, bakery”
you're one of the only you tubers I watch anymore, PLEASE never stop making videos like these! they're fun and educational and inspiring!
That's sweet and y'all should know I really do appreciate it ❤️❤️❤️ "Thank you" is not enough!
Damn your documentaries are delightful
Damon uploading is the only thing keeping me sane rn
And I got another SHOWSTOPPER later next week too!!!
Omg French country people are the sweetest... 💞💞💞
yayy another documentary!! please do it more often!
This is precious. As a black girl I knew 7 of my blood grandparents and lost my last one this yr. I know of grandparents that were Creek Indigenous, Irish, Belize, Honduras, Spain and last but not least Africa/America via slavory. I can trace back 2 greats on fathers side because I knew them personally and knew of 2 greats on mothers side but only knew 1 great personally ,mothers side.
wow this is the content i never knew i needed
most of my family is from ireland (but came to the US in the late 1800s) and my uncle did a bunch of research like this and ended up posting a picture of our great great grandfather in a facebook group where he found someone living in ireland with the same great great grandfather. When he went to visit our newfound irish cousins ended up driving him up and down the coast. crazy how connections happen!
I'm french and I come from Alsace ! From Strasbourg to be exact ! I think this video is so interesting ! I hope you have the chance to visit this city one day, it is really beautiful ! :D
Marie K. I’ve been to Strasbourg last summer for the first time and loved it. My aunt and cousins live there.
My family is from Erstein! My great grandmother used to go to work in Strasbourg and she had this fascination with a 13th century astronomical clock in the cathedral. Do you know it??
Omg! This is so interesting! I'm french canadian (from Québec) and my aunt did this research on our family going back to France in the 1600! My ancestors moved to Canada in 1696.
I love how you acknowledge the importance of your female ancestors as well.
You are truly blessed to have family that were able to keep names of your family. This is a blessing
Do you have French ancestors too ?
Yes Damon! The videos not sitting in your *hard drive* now!
FINALLY GETTING THEM OUT OF THERE! Like the finished product was really just *sitting* in a folder as if I hadn't just spent all that time and effort doing this. 🤣🥴
My family is from Jamaica and it's so hard to do things like this because no one really kept records back then unless they were from Europe coming to Jamaica or affiliated with Europe by military. Awe I'm happy you got to trace where your French side was from! Love your videos!
@Nana Dufie I took a DNA test and it's crazy and actually there's barely any Ghanian in me. I just wish i could find the names and background of my ancestors
I love Damon and I'm so happy he exists
Damn, 30 minutes flew by so fast. I'm living for this creative content! Glad you had the courage to edit the vid. Longue vie aux Dominiques ! 😋 take care xx
I tried searching for my families origins. My father's family were Dravidians who came to Garhwal(lower Himalayas) from Tamil Nadu in South India about 300 ago and my mother's family were probably Aryans from western india who settled in the region.
Crazy world we live in. But it's also really fun to go searching and hunting about things no one's ever bothered to wonder about.
i appreciate how Damon wasn’t in everyone’s face about his knowledge of French
watching this from quarantine is making me so happy bc I can’t leave the house for another 6 weeks
Now you gon have nothing BUT time to look up your ancestry 🤣
i've always been really curious about my family history origins and seeing you talk to everyone in that little village in french made me realize i probably would have to learn my native language (tagalog) if i were to ever go back and explore. it's something i've always wanted to learn .. so maybe i've found a new motivation :)
I have to say this is one of the most interesting videos you have come out with!! I'm so excited for you to have learned this history about yourself!
I love how you highlighted that research is like a treasure hunt. I also appreciate the librarian/archivist who helped you in the beginning. She seemed genuinely interested in your project.
Ohmygod my French American grandma is from Fort Wayne! Her parents came here from Paris when she was a baby.
yes, just yes. There is nothing that can connect you to your roots more than speaking their language and visiting their land. This is goals. One day I'm headed to England for this same type of experience.
I love The creativity you put into your channel! Also this is so cool I’d love to do it for my italian ancestors. Love you Damon! Stay safe
wow. this video like low-key made me emotional!! its honestly almost surreal to see where your ancestors were in the past....like their house....the land they looked at....the spot in the sky where they looked up at all those generations ago...idk its so cool. its like knowing your ancestry contexualizes one's own life happening as a succession of many decisions over many years. Thank you so much for making this, it's really incredible. I feel inspired to look into my own family's history.
i get wes anderson vibes from your videos..
this is gold gold gold content.
thank you for being authenthic and real
ang bringing INTERESTING topics to the mainstream
sending hugs
the effort that went into this video is 100. fascinating to watch!
Here's a little more food for thought. People that traversed to America had a high tendency to marry within cousins, but lets be real, they also did it overseas as well before coming to America. So, when you said your DNA may be diluted down, likelihood is, it's not as diluted as you believe it to be. I'm having a hell of a time researching my own ancestors to be honest. I know that I have a little bit of French but I have no idea where because it is such a common name, Barnett. But, a large percentage of me is German and Welsh as well. However, I just had my grandmother's identical twin sister (my great Aunt) take a DNA test and it came back we're a high percentage Mongolian. I can't even put a toe outside my door without getting a massive sunburn. I'm as fair skinned as can be, so I'm looking at myself and going...where?! So, I'm with you on this search. It's why I pulled up your channel.
maybe its sami finnish cuz thats pretty close to mongolian
Debbie B If you’re researching your ancestors and need a little help Allison DePrey Singleton at genealogy@acpl.com is AMAZING! She helped us tremendously with this research (the new found cousin at the beginning on the video)! She works at one of the largest genealogy centers in the US and You can email her any questions about your research. Happy ancestor hunting 💕
Mongolians can be quite fair as well
Could be like the other comment said sami from finland, norway sweden
I love how you have the introspection to note things like the moment boarding the bus. Presence in the moment is.something we too often overlook but is what brings some of the greatest beauty. This past didnt go any where...just pick up any small random pebble, its all right. there.
I’m ready for this
I've traced some of my ancestors back to various towns in Vosges, Lorraine, France. I would love to be able to see where they came from someday!
This was so well done Damon, what a wonderful experience for you!
I did a similar journey to Ireland a few years ago. The sense of who you are that you acquire by knowing the past is truly amazing. I walked the "farm town" that my family came from . Something you said about your choosing Paris when stating that you were born into the circumstances of past generations lives struck me as memorable. Thanks for the video. Joe
Wow just realised the Thompson, Johnson, Jackson etc surnames derive from being Tom’s son, John’s son and Jack’s son etc. 🤯🤣
My ultimate quarantine revelation 🤯🤯🤯
Anderson, Ferguson , Eric’s son... 🤣🤯🤣
mysticalcupcake if im not wrong those are Vikings last names like Ericson. They used to add son or dottir to the fathers name depending if it’s a boy or girl.
@@hadiatou3374 That is correct🇧🇻
You all need to read more
You’re so lucky to be able to go back that far with so many documents. My family comes from Cuba, I only have a few details/pics to go back to my great grandparents it’s a few but it’s something. And it’s something that I can give to my son. Thank you for this vid!!!
25:18 I found this after a little research on the internet : "Housieur, euse, s (celui ou celle qui housse.) Sweeper " [Dictionnaire royal françois anglois et anglois-françois, en abrégé, Volume 1 , 1768, p.261]
I wonder if the word "Hoosier" might come from some penniless french migrants who had to offer their service as "housieurs" (crossing sweepers?) to subsist in the United States during the 19th century?
Well done! Your ancestors would be so proud.
this is such a cute and wholesome video
As a lifelong genealogist I found this endearing. I wish anyone in my family had half the interest in our family history you have in yours.
And from now on, he shall be called Damon-ickey.
this is crazy, I’m from Besancon and my whole family’s from Belfort, je suis sûr qu’on a du sang en commun 😁
I'm also from Belfort living now in Besançon.
I love this! My grandparents migrated from Turkey to Germany but only 60 years ago. So I am watching your story exactly knowing how you feel! Please make more of such videos :) it‘s great to watch but especially watching you and you realising how important it is for you and what it makes with you is astonishing!
Damon!You are such an enchanting storyteller!I love how you blend this whole genealogy quest with with diligent research and humor.You have such a profound respect for family.You're an innovative filmmaker with your use of hip hop to whimsical filler music,I adore all your work.I must confess that I long for an OG Damon & Jo adventure once we emerge for this insane and terrifying worldwide scenario.Merci Damon,tu est vraiment magnifique!!♡Bisous,,bjs MwF
Hi! I am French and my family moved to the US when I was 5 years old but some of my great uncles have lived here for generations. My little cousins are now more American than French haha. None of my family is from Alsace-Lorraine (although we are from literally everywhere else in France) but my best friend is! Anyway, I wanted to say that I am glad you found out more about your family history and I hope you can feel more connected to our culture!
You interacting with the folks in the small French town had me grinning!
Honestly this type of content is what we live and breathe for Damon!! 🙏🙏🙏 Bless
The wind scene at the end LOL Almost all my male ancestors had the name François as well, SUPER FRENCH
damon sir. this content is UNMATCHED. no one on youtube is doing it like you. we LOVE to see it. !!!
BACK IN THE DAY
Kevin and Lill IT’S A USEFUL EXPRESSION OK KEVIN 🤣😂
@@damondominique hahhaha I LIKE IT!
Damon, c'est super que tu es réussi à retrouver le lieu d'habitation de tes endroits !! La généalogie est quelque chose d'incroyable, mais ça reste très difficile de trouver autant d'informations comme tu l'as fais ! Je suis vraiment contente pour toi !!
ugh Damon outchea living his past, living his present, and living his future
Really happy you find your roots. This is an educational one and I am happy to see your hometown.
was expecting you to upload this in two parts so you can get more revenue (and we want you to!!) 🥺 but you still really did it all in one video god we really don't deserve you
You are such a joy to watch 😍 you bring out the giggles!! very healing.Thank you for the channel
I've always been fascinated in genealogy. Sadly, my family is as average as you can get. They're all Spanish born and raised, so I think if I decided to investigate I'd be setting myself up for disappointment 😂
Absolutely loved this though, agh - so cool!
@@michaelcastro9238 Wow, that sounds craaaazy! I might give it a try after all of this COVID madness passes!
What an ignorant comment
@@ShushaSofia Excuse me, and you are...?
The little windy bit at the end GOT me. I was rolling. Such an interesting video! Always a joy watching your adventures.
Also: I loved how wholesome and hospitable the small-town French folk were. I'm from near New Orleans and the energy was the exact same. Adore that.
Damon, I was born and raised in Georgia, USA. I've never felt like I belonged in the US. I've always felt European specifically French. Last year, I sold everything and moved to France. Just because we're born somewhere doesn't mean we have to stay there. We as humans have free will to change our story or history as we like. I also believe in reincarnation and I just like to say I'm back home now. Maybe the same is true for you. Embrace it, live it, love it and never feel guilty about it. This is your life.
really well said!
@Doffy Rob After several months of being in France I seem to be more French than American so I think I'm good.
You put 200% effort into all your videos and it SHOWS!👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
I loved watching this video as you explored more of your “Dominique” heritage. Can you make this a 4 part series where you research and travel to the cities/ counties of your other ancestors with the other last names in your genealogy? That would be fascinating (when the global pandemic ends of course)! 😊 #stayhome
as someone who was adopted, i think it's so fascinating the idea of being able to track your lineage and personal family history. mine begins with me but it seems like a beautiful thing
Wow! This is iconic!! I’ve always wanted to do this 🤗
I am so proud of Damon. This video is amazing - the research, the editing, and the commitment of actually visiting those French towns and speaking to the community - I’m in awe
I love the content that you’re creating Damon. It’s soo good !!!!
This is so different to the way we pass down history in my culture. Our culture used to be more oral rather than actually being written down so our parents would memorise all of their grandparents and great grandparents until they reach their ancestor. I use to never care but recently I started learning all my forefathers names in so then I can pass it down. Knowing where & who you came from is such a cool feeling.
I've been working on my family's history for years now too! In my case, it all started when we found old letters at home (we live in the house that has been from the family since the 1850s, when it was built).
A few years ago, I managed to get my granfather's military documents and we were blown away! I found a whole new side to his personal story that no one knew about. He was imprisoned! I need to translate his letter, though, because they are in French. I really need to finish my research.
Thanks for the video!
Edit: may I add that I'm from Spain but my family has been all over the Mediterranean bc we cannot stay in one place.
My great-great grandfather came to Wisconsin from Alsace-Lorraine, sometime in the late 1800s. You’ve inspired me to do more research!
Hi, how funny that that ! I follow you for years and today I discover we come from the same place !! I am French and iam from just beside Belfort
Anyway, good video like always 😚🌟
I am super into genealogy and to say that there is a lack of genealogy content on RUclips would be a massive understatement. I so appreciate this fun, young, cool, view of a hobby I think is vastly underrated. Love this!!! I hope this can help jump start some more content about ancestry/genealogy. Just wanted to pop in and say that and say THANK YOU.
Literally did something like this back in November. My mom and I have been looking for our Spanish (Galician) ancestor's birthplace for years and then come to find out my aunt found another one of our ancestors.... from the Italian side. And it just so happened that he was from the Amalfi coast!! (which I had just visited a few months prior without knowing this info!). went to his town and got the "official" birth certificate (from the 1830s also coincidentally) and now my mom is in the process of becoming an Italian citizen! :) P.s. my family and I are from Argentina but moved to the states when I was 6. crazy small world. and what's even funnier? Italy looks SO MUCH like Buenos Aires, Argentina. I guess our ancestors were fed up with their own native lands but missed it enough to replicate the architecture and style, while also keeping the cultures and traditions.
also you are KILLING it with this channel! you're doing great!
YESSS this is just what I need in my self isolation ! Thanks Damon 😎
Damon, oh my god I don't even know how to put this into words, but YOU ARE ON ANOTHER LEVEL!!! THIS! IS! CINEMATIC! THIS IS THE CONTENT I NEEDED! Seriously, I hope you realize how good the content you're putting out is.