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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

CountryIrish AncestryPercentage
United States33,348,04911%
Canada4,544,87014%
Argentina 1,000,0003%
Chile120,0000.70%
Urguyay120,0004%
Mexico10,0000.10%

Source: estimates

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

#StatesPercent
1Alabama 7.80%
2Alaska 10.80%
3Arizona 10.20%
4Arkansas 10.70%
5California 7.70%
6Colorado 12.20%
7Connecticut 16.60%
8Delaware 16.70%
9Florida 10.30%
10Georgia 7.90%
11Hawaii  
12Idaho 10.00%
13Illinois 12.20%
14Indiana 11.60%
15Iowa 13.60%
16Kansas 12.40%
17Kentucky 12.20%
18Louisiana 7.00%
19Maine 18.00%
20Maryland 11.70%
21Massachusetts 23%
22Michigan 11.00%
23Minnesota 11.20%
24Mississippi 6.90%
25Missouri 13.20%
26Montana 14.80%
27Nebraska 13.40%
28Nevada 10.90%
29New Hampshire 21%
30New Jersey 15.90%
31New Mexico 
32New York 12.90%
33North Carolina 7.50%
34North Dakota 7.70%
35Ohio 13.50%
36Oklahoma 11.50%
37Oregon 12.10%
38Pennsylvania 16.60%
39Rhode Island 18%
40South Carolina 8.80%
41South Dakota 10.40%
42Tennessee 10.60%
43Texas 7.20%
44Utah 5.90%
45Vermont 18%
46Virginia 9.80%
47Washington 11.40%
48West Virginia 14.80%
49Wisconsin 11.00%
50Wyoming 13.30%
District of Columbia 5.50%

Source: US Census estimates 2019

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

Irish Ancestry in America | Irish Americans