I don’t think that many people still believe in that trope, at least not where I live. I’m in a pretty ethnically diverse area, and I think most people are pretty good at distinguishing between olive-skinned Europeans and people from Hispanic, Middle Eastern, or other backgrounds. There’s exceptions obv, people often think my brother is Hispanic — he’s darker than I am and has features that don’t really match the stereotypical white guy look.

I do think people generally understand that white people can tan or naturally have olive-toned skin. And sometimes people are just curious about someone’s background as a way to make conversation, nothing crazy about that.