50 Heritage Quotes About Finding Out Where You Came From

These heritage quotes celebrate learning about our ancestors and why we are who we are.

Your heritage is your unique family values, culture, belongings, and traditions that have been inherited from previous generations.

It is important to take the time in this busy world to learn where you came from, and here are some reasons why:

• It helps with your sense of identity – you may wonder why you act or think as you do, and learning about your ancestors might fill in the blanks.
• Health – you may have a history of certain family illnesses or healthy achievements, but either way, knowing what those are will benefit you.
• Sense of belonging – sometimes we may feel like we don’t belong, but when you learn about your culture, traditions, and ancestors, you find a sense of belonging.

Whatever your reason for discovering more about your heritage, read these quotes for a few moments.

Best Heritage Quotes

Here are some of the best quotes about heritage.

1. “I am, always have been, and always will be proud of my Nigerian heritage.” — Jidenna

2. “Be proud of your heritage, and don’t be discouraged from the improbable.” — Carey Price

3. “It is not the honor that you take with you, but the heritage you leave behind.” — Branch Rickey

4. “My father used to say that stories are part of the most precious heritage of mankind.” — Tahir Shah

5. “If New Orleans is allowed to die, a crucial part of the world’s music heritage will disappear.” — Ray Davies

6. “When heritage becomes a box instead of an inspiration, it has gone too far.” — Brandon Sanderson

7. “I have long hair because I’m American Indian. I’m an Oklahoma boy, and I’m very proud of my heritage.” — Christian Kane

8. “We have been the benefactors of our cultural heritage and the victims of our cultural narrowness.” — Stanley Krippner

9. “People who alter or destroy works of art and our cultural heritage for profit or as an exercise of power are barbarians.” — George Lucas

10. “A concerted effort to preserve our heritage is a vital link to our cultural, educational, aesthetic, inspirational, and economic legacies.” — Steve Berry

Heritage Quotes About the Importance of Heritage

As shown in these quotes, heritage is an important, impactful thing to many.

11. “Heritage was everything.” — Nenia Campbell

12. “A people without a heritage are easily persuaded.” — Karl Marx

13. “When heritage becomes a box instead of an inspiration, it has gone too far.” — Brandon Sanderson

14. “Identity was partly heritage, partly upbringing, but mostly the choices you make in life.” — Patricia Briggs

15. “The arts have long been an integral and vibrant part of our nation’s cultural heritage.” — William J. Clinton

16. “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots.” — Marcus Garvey

17. “A people’s relationship to their heritage is the same as the relationship of a child to its mother.” — John Henrik Clarke

18. “Because of my Portuguese heritage, I have an interest in all of the instrumentation that comes from Portugal and Brazil as well.” — Nelly Furtado

19. “Our heritage and ideals, our code and standards – the things we live by and teach our children – are preserved or diminished by how freely we exchange ideas and feelings.” — Walt Disney

20. “I really identified with Pocahontas’ struggles as a young woman trying to identify herself in a modern, changing world and trying to stay true to her culture and heritage.” — Q’orianka Kilcher

Heritage Quotes About Places and Their Heritages

Every place, whether a country or town, has a unique heritage of its own.

21. “We have a strong agricultural heritage in Kansas.” — Jim Ryun

22. “My heritage is English, so I’m proud to be back here.” — Nicholas Lea

23. “Our Nation has a diverse and extremely rich cultural heritage.” — Gerald R. Ford

24. “Mongolia is a country of rich and ancient heritage, unique culture, and astounding natural beauty.” — Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj

25. “The Tower of David is important for Israel’s heritage and existence because it is more than a tower; it is a symbol.” — Yair Lapid

26. “Our whole constitutional heritage rebels at the thought of giving government the power to control men’s minds.” — Thurgood Marshall

27. “For Indigenous peoples, the impact of separating us from our heritage goes directly to the heart that pumps life through our peoples.” — Mick Dodson

28. “I’m from Samoan heritage, and with the rugby in our blood and everything, I always felt I’ve been tough and that my tolerance for pain is pretty high.” — Tony Finau

29. “India is not, as people keep calling it, an underdeveloped country, but rather, in the context of its history and cultural heritage, a highly developed one in an advanced state of decay.” — Shashi Tharoor

30. “I have taught my child to embrace her Mexican heritage, to love my first language, Spanish, to learn about Mexican history, music, folk art, food, and even the Mexican candy I grew up with.” — Salma Hayek

More Heritage Quotes

Enjoy some more of the best quotes about heritage.

31. “My Western heritage runs deep.” — Sam Elliott

32. “I’m very proud of my heritage.” — Wilford Brimley

33. “The musical heritage of Yorkshire is deep and wide.” — Lesley Garrett

34. “In the luxury business, you have to build on heritage.” — Bernard Arnault

35. “Truly there is nothing in the world so blessed or so sweet as the heritage of children.” — Margaret Oliphant

36. “People tend to believe that to be modern you have to disengage from your heritage, but it’s not true.” — Moza bint Nasser

37. “The South is a great driving destination for tourism – heritage, cultural and many other types of tourism.” — Sonny Perdue

38. “Our language and literature are without a doubt Britain’s greatest contribution to the cultural heritage of the world.” — Tessa Jowell

39. “Sport is part of every man and woman’s heritage, and its absence can never be compensated for.” — Pierre de Coubertin

40. “In the coming decades, questions of identity, meaning cultural heritage, language, and religion will play a central role in politics.” — Samuel P. Huntington

Thought-Provoking Heritage Quotes

Take a moment to ponder on these quotes all about heritage.

41. “He who denies his heritage has no heritage.” — Kahlil Gibran

42. “Visual presentation of our heritage in glass is needed.” — James Lafferty

43. “One’s heritage and roots is something to be proud of and cherished.” — Sonja Morgan

44. “You have to stay true to your heritage; that’s what your brand is about.” — Alice Temperley

45. “I don’t want to leave my kids an inheritance; I want to leave them a legacy.” — Daymond John

46. “You don’t stumble upon your heritage. It’s there, just waiting to be explored and shared.” — Robbie Robertson

47. “The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example.” — Benjamin Disraeli

48. “A true legacy is established over a lifetime and relates to what a human being does for others, not for himself.” — Bill Courtney

49. “High-tech companies that focus on research, development, and production will learn that they can be the perfect complement to our world-renowned agriculture heritage.” — Alan Autry

50. “The greatest legacy one can pass on to one’s children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one’s life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.” — Billy Graham

Why Do People Choose to Learn About Their Heritage?

People learn about their heritage for many reasons.

Still, one of the most important is that learning about your heritage helps you understand who you are.

You are your own person and have free will, but learning about your heritage can help you understand where you came from and where you might be going in the future.

Share these heritage quotes with your family and friends, and post any comments about your heritage in the comment section below.