Conversation so far:
What was their origin?
children were assigned the social status and ethnicity of their mother, regardless of their father's ethnicity or citizenship.
What classified their origin ?
Each family line has to be traced separately.
What states did they originate in?
According to the principle of partus sequitur ventrem, which Virginia incorporated into law in 1662.
What was the most common mixed race?
most individuals of the group called Melungeon were persons of mixed European and African descent.

Question: Did they ever leave Virginia?
Self-contained rewrite: Did the Melungeon ever leave Virginia?