Irish Ancestry in America
People of Irish ancestry form an important group in several countries in North and South America. With an estimated size of approximately 40 million, It forms an important group in the United States (11% of the Population), Canada (14% of the population), Argentina (3% of the population), Chile, Uruguay, and Mexico.
List of Countries having significant Irish ancestry
Country | Irish Ancestry | Percentage |
United States | 33,348,049 | 11% |
Canada | 4,544,870 | 14% |
Argentina | 1,000,000 | 3% |
Chile | 120,000 | 0.70% |
Urguyay | 120,000 | 4% |
Mexico | 10,000 | 0.10% |
Source: estimates
Irish Americans
Irish Americans are Americans who have full or partial Irish ancestry. In the United States census 2020, about 32 million people identified as being fully or partly of Irish ancestry, forming the Second largest single ethnic group in the country as well as the largest population of Irish outside of Ireland.
According to the United States Ancestry Census estimates 2019, there were 31,518,129 (9.65% of the US Population) people of Irish descent in the U.S. and 2,937,156 (0.90%) people of Scotch-Irish ancestry.
Irish Ancestry Statewise
As a percentage of the population, Massachusetts is the most Irish state, with about a fifth, 21.2%, of the population followed by New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut.
List of States by Irish Ancestry Population
# | States | Percent |
1 | Alabama | 7.80% |
2 | Alaska | 10.80% |
3 | Arizona | 10.20% |
4 | Arkansas | 10.70% |
5 | California | 7.70% |
6 | Colorado | 12.20% |
7 | Connecticut | 16.60% |
8 | Delaware | 16.70% |
9 | Florida | 10.30% |
10 | Georgia | 7.90% |
11 | Hawaii | |
12 | Idaho | 10.00% |
13 | Illinois | 12.20% |
14 | Indiana | 11.60% |
15 | Iowa | 13.60% |
16 | Kansas | 12.40% |
17 | Kentucky | 12.20% |
18 | Louisiana | 7.00% |
19 | Maine | 18.00% |
20 | Maryland | 11.70% |
21 | Massachusetts | 23% |
22 | Michigan | 11.00% |
23 | Minnesota | 11.20% |
24 | Mississippi | 6.90% |
25 | Missouri | 13.20% |
26 | Montana | 14.80% |
27 | Nebraska | 13.40% |
28 | Nevada | 10.90% |
29 | New Hampshire | 21% |
30 | New Jersey | 15.90% |
31 | New Mexico | |
32 | New York | 12.90% |
33 | North Carolina | 7.50% |
34 | North Dakota | 7.70% |
35 | Ohio | 13.50% |
36 | Oklahoma | 11.50% |
37 | Oregon | 12.10% |
38 | Pennsylvania | 16.60% |
39 | Rhode Island | 18% |
40 | South Carolina | 8.80% |
41 | South Dakota | 10.40% |
42 | Tennessee | 10.60% |
43 | Texas | 7.20% |
44 | Utah | 5.90% |
45 | Vermont | 18% |
46 | Virginia | 9.80% |
47 | Washington | 11.40% |
48 | West Virginia | 14.80% |
49 | Wisconsin | 11.00% |
50 | Wyoming | 13.30% |
– | District of Columbia | 5.50% |
Source: US Census estimates 2019
Irish Canadians
Irish Canadians are Canadians who have full or partial Irish ancestry. Irish Canadians account for about 13.43% of the total population of Canada.
According to the Canadian Census 2020, there were 4,627,000 people of Irish descent in Canada.
Irish Ancestry by Province
Ontario, with 2,095,460 people of Irish ancestry, has the largest population of Irish-Canadians in Canada followed by British Columbia (675,135) and Alberta (596,750).
Percentage-wise Prince Edward Island (27.60%) has the highest percentage of Irish ancestry followed by Nova Scotia (21.60%) and Newfoundland and Labrador (20.70%)
List of Provinces by Irish Ancestry Population
# | Province | Irish Canadian | Percent (%) |
1 | Ontario | 2,095,460 | 15.80% |
2 | British Columbia | 675,135 | 14.80% |
3 | Alberta | 596,750 | 15.00% |
4 | Quebec | 446,215 | 5.60% |
5 | Nova Scotia | 195,865 | 21.60% |
6 | Manitoba | 156,145 | 12.60% |
7 | Saskatchewan | 155,725 | 14.50% |
8 | New Brunswick | 147,245 | 20.20% |
9 | Newfoundland and Labrador | 106,225 | 20.70% |
10 | Prince Edward Island | 38,510 | 27.60% |
11 | Yukon | 6,930 | 19.70% |
12 | Northwest Territories | 5,060 | 12.30% |
13 | Nunavut | 1,745 | 4.90% |
Canada | 4,627,000 | 13.46% |
Source: Canada Census 2016