What does it mean to be European?

The simplest,most common and most logical answer is that if a man lives in Europe he is European.But if some of your family were Europeans and they emigrated to another country where you born it depends.I think if you still find you as European,know your family history and your native language you are European.If some of the mentioned are not true for you then you are not European.
So John Atanasov is just a little bit more European than Andrew Quinn because he came in Bulgaria regularly and he was given many prizes here.I think Andrew Quinn doesn't know his native languages (he said they are more than one) but I am not sure.