In the South, Melungeons was often used to explain away the appearance of dark pigmentation within a White Southern Family. No matter the actual reason: genetic anomoly, French, Italian, Indian, or (heaven forbid) African; the Melungeon explanation was a way to avoid derogatory social gossip.
The truth is that the South was far more ethnically diverse than many of our dear sweet elderly Aunts were prepared to admit.
My husbands elderly aunt told him that there had been an Indian grandmother back in his family but not to worry, she was the white folks kind of Indian. What ever that means LOL! My husband was just hoping to have some Indian blood along with the English, French and German that he knew about.