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What California’s immigrant population looked like in 1900


Smith Collection/Gado // Getty Images

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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Lewis W. Hine // Getty Images

#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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Bettmann // Getty Images

#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



UniversalImagesGroup // Getty Images

#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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Historical // Getty Images

#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



Alexander Alland, Jr. // Getty Images

#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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Buyenlarge // Getty Images

#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



Keystone-France // Getty Images

#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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Bettmann // Getty Images

#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



ullstein bild Dtl. // Getty Images

#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



ullstein bild // Getty Images

#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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Smith Collection/Gado // Getty Images

#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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Bettmann // Getty Images

#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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Bettmann // Getty Images

#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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Bettmann // Getty Images

#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


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