- Using data from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey, we found how common various ancestries are in all 50 states.
- For instance, Irish ancestry is most concentrated in the Northeast, while Mexican and Mexican-American ancestry is most common in the states that share a border with Mexico.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
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Where Americans say their ancestors came from, in 17 maps
Americans come from a wide variety of ancestries.
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Americans come from all over the world, and American families have countless stories about their origins.
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey asks several questions about residents' economic, social, and demographic characteristics and situations. One of the questions on the survey asks respondents to report their families' ancestries.
Using individual-level data from the Minnesota Population Center's Integrated Public Use Microdata Series for the 2017 American Community Survey, we found the total number of respondents in each state reporting various ancestries as either their first or second response to that question.
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About 83% of respondents listed at least one ancestry. The following maps show the percentage of those who gave at least one answer that said they had a particular ancestry for 17 of the most common ancestries in the US.
Americans with German ancestry are common in the upper Midwest.
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Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from IPUMS
Irish ancestry is most concentrated in the Northeast.
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Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from IPUMS
A large part of the African-American and Afro-American population in the US lives in the South.
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Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from IPUMS
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Mexican and Mexican-American ancestry is most common in the states that share a border with Mexico.
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Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from IPUMS
States with a relatively high proportion of residents identifying as having English ancestors are scattered across the country.
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Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from IPUMS
Americans who simply identified their ancestry as being from the United States are common in the inland Southern states.
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Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from IPUMS
The mid-Atlantic region is home to many Americans of Italian ancestry.
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Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from IPUMS
Alaska, Oklahoma, and South Dakota have large numbers of residents with American Indian ancestry.
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Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from IPUMS
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Many Americans with Polish ancestry live in Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, and Connecticut.
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Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from IPUMS
French ancestry is most common in Louisiana and the Northeast.
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Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from IPUMS
Scottish ancestry is common in the Northeast and Utah.
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Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from IPUMS
Puerto Rican ancestry is most common in the mid-Atlantic states and Florida.
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Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from IPUMS
Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin all have many residents with Norwegian ancestry.
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Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from IPUMS
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California and Hawaii have relatively large shares of residents with Chinese ancestry.
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Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from IPUMS
South Dakota, Iowa, and Michigan have relatively large numbers of residents with Dutch ancestry.
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Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from IPUMS
Swedish ancestry is most common in the Great Plains and Mountain states.
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Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from IPUMS
New Jersey and Connecticut have large Asian Indian populations.
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Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from IPUMS
See Also:
- 11 traits you need to be an effective remote worker
- Democratic candidate Beto O'Rourke says 'hell yes' he will forcefully take back assault weapons from Americans here are 5 countries that have taken radical steps to eliminate firearm deaths
- Here are 9 technical jobs that dont require a 4-year degree and are about to see a surge of demand
SEE ALSO: 50 maps that explain how America lives, spends, and believes
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