What California’s immigrant population looked like in 1900
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What California’s immigrant population looked like in 1900
Since the first successful English colony settled in Jamestown in 1607, flows of immigrants have arrived on American shores seeking a new life. From Irish immigrants fleeing famine to Chinese immigrants settling in California during the Gold Rush, more than 86 million people legally immigrated to the United States between 1783 and 2019.
There have been four major waves of immigration to the U.S., beginning with settlers from northern and western Europe seeking land on the frontier from 1820 to 1880. The immigrants counted in the 1900 Census hailed primarily from southern and eastern Europe, drawn by the call of industrialization in America. At the advent of the era of world wars, there was a dearth of immigration, but after 1965, individuals from Asia and Latin America began to move to the U.S. in droves.
Though the national immigrant population today and in 1900 is comparable by percentage, hovering around 14% of the overall U.S. population, the raw population tells a different story. Today, the U.S. is home to 44.7 million immigrants, whereas that number was just shy of 10.5 million at the time of the 1900 Census. Stacker compiled a list of the largest sources of immigrants in California in 1900 by transcribing a previously untranscribed dataset from the U.S. Census Bureau. Countries are ranked by total residents who were born in that country.
Immigration to the U.S. was handled at the state level prior to 1890, with each state government designating its own processes and checkpoints. New York originally used Castle Garden (now Castle Clinton) as its immigration processing hub, but within a few decades realized that a massive influx of immigrants necessitated a larger venue. Ellis Island opened on Jan. 1, 1892, to the first of more than 12 million individuals who entered the U.S. through its doors.
Keep reading to find out more about the historical immigrant community in your home state or explore the data on your own on our site, GitHub, or data.world.
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#1. Germany
California
– Number of residents: 72,449
– Percent of foreign born residents: 19.73%
– Percent of total state population: 4.88%
National
– Number of residents: 2,669,164
– Percent of foreign born residents: 25.52%
– #1 most common country of origin
FPG // Getty Images
#2. Ireland
California
– Number of residents: 44,476
– Percent of foreign born residents: 12.11%
– Percent of total state population: 2.99%
National
– Number of residents: 1,619,409
– Percent of foreign born residents: 15.48%
– #2 most common country of origin
FPG // Getty Images
#3. China
California
– Number of residents: 40,262
– Percent of foreign born residents: 10.96%
– Percent of total state population: 2.71%
National
– Number of residents: 106,659
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.02%
– #16 most common country of origin
Bettmann // Getty Images
#4. England
California
– Number of residents: 35,746
– Percent of foreign born residents: 9.73%
– Percent of total state population: 2.41%
National
– Number of residents: 843,491
– Percent of foreign born residents: 8.06%
– #4 most common country of origin
Hulton Archive // Getty Images
#5. Canada
California
– Number of residents: 29,818
– Percent of foreign born residents: 8.12%
– Percent of total state population: 2.01%
National
– Number of residents: 1,183,225
– Percent of foreign born residents: 11.31%
– #3 most common country of origin
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#6. Italy
California
– Number of residents: 22,777
– Percent of foreign born residents: 6.20%
– Percent of total state population: 1.53%
National
– Number of residents: 484,703
– Percent of foreign born residents: 4.63%
– #6 most common country of origin
Minnesota Historical Society // Getty Images
#7. Sweden
California
– Number of residents: 14,549
– Percent of foreign born residents: 3.96%
– Percent of total state population: 0.98%
National
– Number of residents: 574,625
– Percent of foreign born residents: 5.49%
– #5 most common country of origin
Universal History Archive // Getty Images
#8. France
California
– Number of residents: 12,256
– Percent of foreign born residents: 3.34%
– Percent of total state population: 0.83%
National
– Number of residents: 104,534
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.00%
– #18 most common country of origin
David RUBINGER // Getty Images
#9. Portugal
California
– Number of residents: 12,068
– Percent of foreign born residents: 3.29%
– Percent of total state population: 0.81%
National
– Number of residents: 37,144
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.36%
– #23 most common country of origin
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#10. Switzerland
California
– Number of residents: 10,974
– Percent of foreign born residents: 2.99%
– Percent of total state population: 0.74%
National
– Number of residents: 115,959
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.11%
– #15 most common country of origin
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#11. Japan
California
– Number of residents: 10,264
– Percent of foreign born residents: 2.79%
– Percent of total state population: 0.69%
National
– Number of residents: 81,590
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.78%
– #21 most common country of origin
Hulton Archive // Getty Images
#12. Scotland
California
– Number of residents: 9,467
– Percent of foreign born residents: 2.58%
– Percent of total state population: 0.64%
National
– Number of residents: 234,699
– Percent of foreign born residents: 2.24%
– #11 most common country of origin
Bettmann // Getty Images
#13. Denmark
California
– Number of residents: 9,040
– Percent of foreign born residents: 2.46%
– Percent of total state population: 0.61%
National
– Number of residents: 154,616
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.48%
– #13 most common country of origin
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#14. Mexico
California
– Number of residents: 8,086
– Percent of foreign born residents: 2.20%
– Percent of total state population: 0.54%
National
– Number of residents: 103,445
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.99%
– #19 most common country of origin
Bettmann // Getty Images
#15. Austria
California
– Number of residents: 5,356
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.46%
– Percent of total state population: 0.36%
National
– Number of residents: 276,702
– Percent of foreign born residents: 2.65%
– #10 most common country of origin
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#16. Norway
California
– Number of residents: 5,060
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.38%
– Percent of total state population: 0.34%
National
– Number of residents: 338,426
– Percent of foreign born residents: 3.24%
– #9 most common country of origin
Historical // Getty Images
#17. Atlantic Islands
California
– Number of residents: 3,515
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.96%
– Percent of total state population: 0.24%
National
– Number of residents: 10,955
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.10%
– #29 most common country of origin
Samuel Hopwood // Getty Images
#18. Russia
California
– Number of residents: 3,421
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.93%
– Percent of total state population: 0.23%
National
– Number of residents: 424,372
– Percent of foreign born residents: 4.06%
– #7 most common country of origin
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#19. Finland
California
– Number of residents: 2,768
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.75%
– Percent of total state population: 0.19%
National
– Number of residents: 63,440
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.61%
– #22 most common country of origin
Universal History Archive // Getty Images
#20. Australia
California
– Number of residents: 2,269
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.62%
– Percent of total state population: 0.15%
National
– Number of residents: 7,041
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.07%
– #34 most common country of origin
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#21. Wales
California
– Number of residents: 1,949
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.53%
– Percent of total state population: 0.13%
National
– Number of residents: 93,744
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.90%
– #20 most common country of origin
Minnesota Historical Society // Getty Images
#22. Poland
California
– Number of residents: 1,320
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.36%
– Percent of total state population: 0.09%
National
– Number of residents: 383,595
– Percent of foreign born residents: 3.67%
– #8 most common country of origin
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#23. South America
California
– Number of residents: 1,137
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.31%
– Percent of total state population: 0.08%
National
– Number of residents: 4,814
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.05%
– #35 most common country of origin
Universal History Archive // Getty Images
#24. Holland
California
– Number of residents: 1,015
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.28%
– Percent of total state population: 0.07%
National
– Number of residents: 105,098
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.00%
– #17 most common country of origin
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#25. Spain
California
– Number of residents: 896
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.24%
– Percent of total state population: 0.06%
National
– Number of residents: 7,284
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.07%
– #33 most common country of origin
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#26. Hungary
California
– Number of residents: 799
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.22%
– Percent of total state population: 0.05%
National
– Number of residents: 145,815
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.39%
– #14 most common country of origin
ullstein bild Dtl. // Getty Images
#27. Pacific Islands (except Phillipine Islands)
California
– Number of residents: 794
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.22%
– Percent of total state population: 0.05%
National
– Number of residents: 2,659
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.03%
– #38 most common country of origin
FPG // Getty Images
#28. Belgium
California
– Number of residents: 785
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.21%
– Percent of total state population: 0.05%
National
– Number of residents: 29,848
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.29%
– #24 most common country of origin
Bettmann // Getty Images
#29. Turkey
California
– Number of residents: 619
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.17%
– Percent of total state population: 0.04%
National
– Number of residents: 9,949
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.10%
– #30 most common country of origin
FPG // Getty Images
#30. Bohemia
California
– Number of residents: 504
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.14%
– Percent of total state population: 0.03%
National
– Number of residents: 156,999
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.50%
– #12 most common country of origin
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#31. Central America
California
– Number of residents: 481
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.13%
– Percent of total state population: 0.03%
National
– Number of residents: 3,911
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.04%
– #36 most common country of origin
Universal History Archive // Getty Images
#32. West Indies (except Cuba and Puerto Rico)
California
– Number of residents: 372
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.10%
– Percent of total state population: 0.03%
National
– Number of residents: 14,468
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.14%
– #26 most common country of origin
Interim Archives // Getty Images
#33. Greece
California
– Number of residents: 372
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.10%
– Percent of total state population: 0.03%
National
– Number of residents: 8,655
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.08%
– #31 most common country of origin
Lewis W. Hine // Getty Images
#34. Born at Sea
California
– Number of residents: 358
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.10%
– Percent of total state population: 0.02%
National
– Number of residents: 8,310
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.08%
– #32 most common country of origin
Hulton Archive // Getty Images
#35. India
California
– Number of residents: 263
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.07%
– Percent of total state population: 0.02%
National
– Number of residents: 2,069
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.02%
– #42 most common country of origin
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#36. Other Countries
California
– Number of residents: 260
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.07%
– Percent of total state population: 0.02%
National
– Number of residents: 2,587
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.02%
– #39 most common country of origin
Print Collector // Getty Images
#37. Asia (except China, Japan, and India)
California
– Number of residents: 235
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.06%
– Percent of total state population: 0.02%
National
– Number of residents: 11,928
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.11%
– #27 most common country of origin
Bettmann // Getty Images
#38. Africa
California
– Number of residents: 168
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.05%
– Percent of total state population: 0.01%
National
– Number of residents: 2,577
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.02%
– #40 most common country of origin
Hulton Deutsch // Getty Images
#39. Cuba
California
– Number of residents: 93
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.03%
– Percent of total state population: 0.01%
National
– Number of residents: 11,159
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.11%
– #28 most common country of origin
David RUBINGER // Getty Images
#40. Roumania
California
– Number of residents: 73
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.02%
– Percent of total state population: 0.00%
National
– Number of residents: 15,043
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.14%
– #25 most common country of origin
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#41. Europe (not otherwise specified)
California
– Number of residents: 59
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.02%
– Percent of total state population: 0.00%
National
– Number of residents: 2,272
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.02%
– #41 most common country of origin
Smith Collection/Gado // Getty Images
#42. Luxemburg
California
– Number of residents: 42
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.01%
– Percent of total state population: 0.00%
National
– Number of residents: 3,049
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.03%
– #37 most common country of origin
