Current:Home > FinanceAmerica's Irish heritage: These states have the largest populations from the Emerald Isle-InfoLens
America's Irish heritage: These states have the largest populations from the Emerald Isle
View Date:2024-12-23 20:14:00
Though only 1 in 10 people in the U.S. claim Irish heritage, many Americans borrow from the Irish on Saint Patrick's Day, dressing up in green, drinking Guinness and celebrating the gorgeous and proud nation of Ireland.
Saint Patrick's Day originated as a religious holiday – honoring Saint Patrick, who introduced Christianity to Ireland in the 5th century – but it has evolved into a celebration of all things Ireland. In 1991, Congress designated March as Irish American Heritage month, but celebrations of Saint Patrick's Day date back to the 1600s.
Here's a look at how many people in the U.S. have ties to the Emerald Isle and where they have resettled since their ancestors arrived in America.
Irish in America
The U.S. Census Bureau collects data on reported heritage of the population. Here is what we know about Americans with reported Irish ancestry:
States with Irish American populations
The states with the highest rate of Irish American citizens are clustered in New England.
New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont and Rhode Island had the highest rates of residents claiming Irish ancestry, according to the Census Bureau. About 1 in 5 people living in New Hampshire tie their roots to Ireland.
Mississippi, South Dakota, Alaska, Wyoming and North Dakota did not report the number of residents with Irish heritage.
Which US county has the largest Irish population?
Honoring Irish heritage on Saint Patrick's Day
The first known Saint Patrick's Day celebration in America took place in the Spanish colony of present-day St. Augustine, Florida. Spanish colonial records mentioned a celebration for Saint Patrick in 1600, and the first known Saint Patrick’s Day parade was on March 17, 1601.
As Irish patriotism in the U.S. grew, annual parades of bagpipes, drums and dancing became the norm. In 1848, several New York Irish Aid societies united their celebrations to form one official New York City Saint Patrick’s Day Parade.
Saint Patrick's legacy grew in the U.S., particularly in areas with large groups of Irish immigrants, such as Chicago, Boston and of course New York.
Contributing: Clare Mulroy
veryGood! (9358)
Related
- Prayers and cheeseburgers? Chiefs have unlikely fuel for inexplicable run
- World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg has decided to retire, AP source says
- Canadian wildfires led to spike in asthma ER visits, especially in the Northeast
- Grand jury declines to indict officer in fatal Kentucky police shooting of armed Black man
- Bev Priestman fired as Canada women’s soccer coach after review of Olympic drone scandal
- 'All we want is revenge': How social media fuels gun violence among teens
- Flooding fills tunnels leading to Detroit airport, forces water rescues in Ohio and Las Vegas
- Fran Drescher says actors strike she’s leading is an ‘inflection point’ that goes beyond Hollywood
- Tom Brady Shares How He's Preparing for Son Jack to Be a Stud
- Lala Kent Shares Surprising Take on Raquel Leviss' Vanderpump Rules Exit
Ranking
- Worker trapped under rubble after construction accident in Kentucky
- 'And Just Like That...' finale review: Season 2 ends with bizarre Kim Cattrall cameo
- USA Gymnastics doesn't know who called Simone Biles a 'gold-medal token.' That's unacceptable.
- Uber raises minimum age for most California drivers to 25, saying insurance costs are too high
- Francesca Farago Details Health Complications That Led to Emergency C-Section of Twins
- At least 3 killed in shooting at historic Southern California biker bar
- On the Streets of Berlin, Bicycles Have Enriched City Life — and Stoked Backlash
- Artist loses bid to remove panels covering anti-slavery murals at Vermont school
Recommendation
-
Elon Musk says 'SNL' is 'so mad' Trump won as he slams Dana Carvey's impression
-
German teen stabs 8-year-old and then sets himself on fire at school, police say
-
COVID hospitalizations climb 22% this week — and the CDC predicts further increases as new variants spread
-
TikToker Alix Earle Addresses Nose Job Speculation
-
Sister Wives’ Madison Brush Details Why She Went “No Contact” With Dad Kody Brown
-
AP WAS THERE: A 1953 CIA-led coup in Iran topples prime minister, cements shah’s power
-
Spanish soccer president faces general assembly amid reports he will resign for kissing a player
-
Radio announcer Suzyn Waldman fed up with 'boring,' punchless Yankees