[AlexW]

“So, a white from South Africa would be a South African-American?”
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Well, that would be more logical then African-American, as it denotes their origin, but race has nothing to do with country or continent of origin. A white man could just as easily be an African-American.
While my ancestors came from Ireland and Scotland, I do not call myself Scotch-Irish American, much less European-American.
My race is white, or Caucasian.

[Cronos]

your race would be Caucasian, white is a color, not race just as black is a color. from wikipedia: A Caucasoid skull is identified, with an accuracy of up to 95%, by the following features:

• Little or no prognathism exhibited—an orthognathic profile, with minimal protrusion of the lower face.
• Retreating zygomatic bones (cheekbones), making the face look more "pointed".
• Narrow nasal aperture, with a tear-shaped nasal cavity.

Caucasoid skin color varies considerably from pale, freckled Irish to black Dravidians

[RobbyS]

Around 1850, “white”meant WASP. Southern white Americans were mainly English, Welsh, Scots-Irish. “White” usually did not include German-speakers or French nor Irish-Catholics. Racism was just getting a firm foothold in our consciousness.

[TigersEye]

Well I wasn’t going to make it personal but I’m Coloradan-American. ;^)