An Overview of Minnesota’s immigrant demographics in 1900
Ever since the first thriving English settlement was established in Jamestown in 1607, waves of newcomers have reached American shores in pursuit of a fresh start. From Irish visitors escaping famine to Chinese immigrants arriving in California during the Gold Rush, more than 86 million individuals legally immigrated to the United States from 1783 to 2019.
There were four significant waves of immigration to the U.S., commencing with settlers from northern and western Europe seeking land on the frontier between 1820 and 1880. The immigrants recorded in the 1900 Census mainly came from southern and eastern Europe, lured by the promise of industrialization in America. With the onset of the world wars, immigration largely diminished, but after 1965, a large number of individuals from Asia and Latin America commenced moving to the U.S.
While the national immigrant proportion today and in 1900 remains similar, around 14% of the overall U.S. populace, the absolute figures portray a different narrative. Currently, the U.S. hosts 44.7 million immigrants, compared to just under 10.5 million during the 1900 Census. Stacker has compiled a catalog of the leading sources of immigrants in Minnesota in 1900 by transcribing a formerly untranscribed dataset from the U.S. Census Bureau. Nations are listed based on the total number of residents born in that country.
Before 1890, immigration to the U.S. was managed at the state level, with each state government establishing its own regulations and checkpoints. Initially, New York utilized Castle Garden (currently Castle Clinton) as its immigration processing center, but soon realized that a significant surge of immigrants required a larger facility. Ellis Island was inaugurated on Jan. 1, 1892, welcoming the first of more than 12 million individuals into the U.S. through its gates.
Continue reading to discover more about the historical immigrant population in your home state or investigate the data independently on our site, GitHub, or data.world.
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#1. Germany
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 117,007
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 23.16%
– Percentage of total state population: 6.68%
National
– Number of residents: 2,669,164
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 25.52%
– #1 most prevalent country of origin
#2. Sweden
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 115,476
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 22.85%
– Percentage of total state population: 6.59%
National
– Number of residents: 574,625
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 5.49%
– #5 most prevalent country of origin
#3. Norway
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 104,895
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 20.76%
– Percentage of total state population: 5.99%
National
– Number of residents: 338,426
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 3.24%
– #9 most prevalent country of origin
#4. Canada
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 47,578
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 9.42%
– Percentage of total state population: 2.72%
National
– Number of residents: 1,183,225
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 11.31%
– #3 most prevalent country of origin
#5. Ireland
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 22,428
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 4.44%
– Percentage of total state population: 1.28%
National
– Number of residents: 1,619,409
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 15.48%
– #2 most prevalent country of origin
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#6. Denmark
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 16,299
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 3.23%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.93%
National
– Number of residents: 154,616
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 1.48%
– #13 most prevalent country of origin
#7. England
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 12,022
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 2.38%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.69%
National
– Number of residents: 843,491
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 8.06%
– #4 most prevalent country of origin
#8. Poland
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 11,418
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 2.26%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.65%
National
– Number of residents: 383,595
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 3.67%
– #8 most prevalent country of origin
#9. Bohemia
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 11,147
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 2.21%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.64%
National
– Number of residents: 156,999
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 1.50%
– #12 most prevalent country of origin
#10. Finland
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 10,727
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 2.12%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.61%
National
– Number of residents: 63,440
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.61%
– #22 most prevalent country of origin
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#11. Austria
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 8,872
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 1.76%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.51%
National
– Number of residents: 276,702
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 2.65%
– #10 most prevalent country of origin
#12. Russia
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 5,907
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 1.17%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.34%
National
– Number of residents: 424,372
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 4.06%
– #7 most prevalent country of origin
#13. Scotland
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 4,810
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.95%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.27%
National
– Number of residents: 234,699
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 2.24%
– #11 most prevalent country of origin
#14. Switzerland
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 3,258
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.64%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.19%
National
– Number of residents: 115,959
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 1.11%
– #15 most prevalent country of origin
#15. Holland
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 2,717
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.54%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.16%
National
– Number of residents: 105,098
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 1.00%
– #17 most prevalent country of origin
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#16. Italy
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 2,222
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.44%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.13%
National
– Number of residents: 484,703
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 4.63%
– #6 most prevalent country of origin
#17. Hungary
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 2,182
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.43%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.12%
National
– Number of residents: 145,815
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 1.39%
– #14 most prevalent country of origin
#18. France
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 1,449
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.29%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.08%
National
– Number of residents: 104,534
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 1.00%
– #18 most prevalent country of origin
#19. Wales
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 1,288
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.25%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.07%
National
– Number of residents: 93,744
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.90%
– #20 most prevalent country of origin
#20. Belgium
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 957
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.19%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.05%
National
– Number of residents: 29,848
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.29%
– #24 most prevalent country of origin
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#21. Roumania
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 483
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.10%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.03%
National
– Number of residents: 15,043
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.14%
– #25 most prevalent country of origin
#22. Luxemburg
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 430
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.09%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.02%
National
– Number of residents: 3,049
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.03%
– #37 most prevalent country of origin
#23. Born at Sea
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 357
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.07%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.02%
National
– Number of residents: 8,310
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.08%
– #32 most prevalent country of origin
#24. Asia (excluding China, Japan, and India)
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 340
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.07%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.02%
National
– Number of residents: 11,928
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.11%
– #27 most prevalent country of origin
#25. China
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 153
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.03%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.01%
National
– Number of residents: 106,659
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 1.02%
– #16 most prevalent country of origin
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#26. Spain
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 150
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.03%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.01%
National
– Number of residents: 7,284
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.07%
– #33 most prevalent country of origin
#27. Other Countries
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 140
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.03%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.01%
National
– Number of residents: 2,587
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.02%
– #39 most prevalent country of origin
#28. Turkey
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 125
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.02%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.01%
National
– Number of residents: 9,949
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.10%
– #30 most prevalent country of origin
#29. Africa
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 89
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.02%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.01%
National
– Number of residents: 2,577
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.02%
– #40 most prevalent country of origin
#30. Australia
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 81
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.02%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.00%
National
– Number of residents: 7,041
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.07%
– #34 most prevalent country of origin
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#31. Greece
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 75
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.01%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.00%
National
– Number of residents: 8,655
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.08%
– #31 most prevalent country of origin
#32. Japan
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 58
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.01%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.00%
National
– Number of residents: 81,590
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.78%
– #21 most prevalent country of origin
#33. India
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 50
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.01%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.00%
National
– Number of residents: 2,069
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.02%
– #42 most prevalent country of origin
#34. West Indies (excluding Cuba and Puerto Rico)
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 42
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.01%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.00%
National
– Number of residents: 14,468
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.14%
– #26 most prevalent country of origin
#35. South America
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 39
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.01%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.00%
National
– Number of residents: 4,814
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.05%
– #35 most prevalent country of origin
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#36. Europe (not specified)
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 29
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.01%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.00%
National
– Number of residents: 2,272
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.02%
– #41 most prevalent country of origin
#37. Pacific Islands (excluding the Philippine Islands)
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 25
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.00%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.00%
National
– Number of residents: 2,659
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.03%
– #38 most prevalent country of origin
#38. Mexico
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 24
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.00%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.00%
National
– Number of residents: 103,445
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.99%
– #19 most prevalent country of origin
#39. Atlantic Islands
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 24
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.00%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.00%
National
– Number of residents: 10,955
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.10%
– #29 most prevalent country of origin
#40. Cuba
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 22
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.00%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.00%
National
– Number of residents: 11,159
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.11%
– #28 most prevalent country of origin
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#41. Central America
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 22
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.00%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.00%
National
– Number of residents: 3,911
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.04%
– #36 most prevalent country of origin
#42. Portugal
Minnesota
– Number of residents: 8
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.00%
– Percentage of total state population: 0.00%
National
– Number of residents: 37,144
– Percentage of foreign-born residents: 0.36%
– #23 most prevalent country of origin
By Stacker
