> > Home >>  Europe  > > Portugal >> Portuguese Americans

Portuguese Ancestry in America

People of Portuguese ancestry form an important group in several countries in North and South America. They are estimated around 2 million in North America and 14 million in South America

As per the US Census 2020, Portuguese ancestry is estimated at 1.5 million people. It also forms an important minority Group in Canada, Brazil, Venezuela, Peru, Chile, Jamaica, and Argentina.

Let’s have a look at countries having significant Portuguese ancestry

Portuguese in North AmericaEstimated Population% of country
United States 1,363,9640.42%
Canada 482,6101.30%
Bermuda16,25025%
Jamaica6,0000.22%
Saint Barthélemy3,30033%
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7530.75%
Portuguese in South AmericaPopulation% of country
Brazil 10,800,0005%
Venezuela 1,300,0004.53%
Peru 1,150,0003.48%
Chile 200,0001%
Argentina 40,1000.09%
Uruguay 13,0000.37%
Guyana 2,0000.27%

Portuguese Americans are Americans who have full or partial Portuguese ancestry.  In the United States census of 2020, 1.4 million people self identified as being fully or partly of Portuguese ancestry. 

According to the United States Ancestry Census estimates 2020, there were 1,363,964 (0.42% of the US Population) people of Portuguese descent in the U.S.

Portuguese Ancestry Statewise

Population wise California (333,211) has the largest number of people with Portuguese Ancestry followed by Massachusetts (272,918), Florida (89,144), Rhode Island(84,646), and New Jersey (78,295).

Percentage-wise top US states with Portuguese Ancestry are Rhode Island (8.00%), Massachusetts (3.97%), Hawaii (3.38%), New Hampshire(1.45%), and Connecticut (1.31%).

List of States by Portuguese Ancestry Population

#StatesEstimated Pop.Percent
1Alabama4,6490.10%
2Alaska1,6740.23%
3Arizona16,1800.23%
4Arkansas3,1220.10%
5California333,2110.85%
6Colorado14,3370.25%
7Connecticut46,7051.31%
8Delaware1,2530.13%
9District of Columbia1,4490.21%
10Florida89,1440.42%
11Georgia15,7610.15%
12Hawaii48,0053.38%
13Idaho7,0270.40%
14Illinois10,0860.08%
15Indiana4,7680.07%
16Iowa2,0820.07%
17Kansas2,6430.09%
18Kentucky3,9700.09%
19Louisiana3,8360.08%
20Maine7,5410.56%
21Maryland11,8290.20%
22Massachusetts272,9183.97%
23Michigan6,7540.07%
24Minnesota3,6660.07%
25Mississippi1,3570.05%
26Missouri5,8670.10%
27Montana1,8580.18%
28Nebraska1,2940.07%
29Nevada17,8190.59%
30New Hampshire19,6531.45%
31New Jersey78,2950.88%
32New Mexico3,9840.19%
33New York52,8500.27%
34North Carolina17,1740.17%
35North Dakota7110.09%
36Ohio9,3690.08%
37Oklahoma5,3510.14%
38Oregon19,1210.46%
39Pennsylvania21,9680.17%
40Rhode Island84,6468.00%
41South Carolina8,8890.17%
42South Dakota6610.08%
43Tennessee6,1670.09%
44Texas36,6550.13%
45Utah5,9090.19%
46Vermont2,7160.44%
47Virginia17,4040.20%
48Washington25,8140.34%
49West Virginia9990.06%
50Wisconsin3,3860.06%
51Wyoming1,4370.25%

Source: US Census estimates 2020

Portuguese Canadians are Canadians who have full or partial Portuguese ancestry. Portuguese Canadians account for about  1.40%  of the total population of Canada

According to the Canadian Census 2020, there were 482,610 people of Russian descent in Canada.

Portuguese Ancestry Provinces

Ontario, with 282,865 people of Portuguese ancestry, has the largest population of Portuguese -Canadians in Canada followed by Quebec (57,445 ) and British Columbia (34,660 ). Percentage-wise Ontario(2.40%) have the highest percentage of Portuguese followed by  Manitoba(1.10%) and British Columbia (0.90%).

List of Provinces by Portuguese Ancestry Population

#ProvincePopulationPercentage
1 Alberta22,3850.60%
2 British Columbia41,7650.90%
3 Manitoba14,5401.10%
4 New Brunswick1,7850.20%
5 Newfoundland and Labrador1,2150.20%
6 Northwest Territories2050.50%
7 Nova Scotia3,5800.40%
8 Nunavut1200.30%
9 Ontario324,9302.40%
10 Prince Edward Island3300.20%
11 Quebec69,8050.90%
12 Saskatchewan1,8850.20%
13 Yukon700.20%
  Canada482,6101.40%

Source: Canada Census 2016

Portuguese Brazilians are Brazilians who have full or partial Portuguese ancestry. Portuguese Brazilians account for about  5%  of the total population of Brazil.

Portuguese constitute the 2nd biggest group of foreigners living in the country (the largest being the Bolivians), with an estimated 380,000 Portuguese immigrants currently living in Brazil. According to Portuguese law, any Brazilian who has at least one Portuguese parent or grandparent is eligible to obtain Portuguese citizenship (with some restrictions, especially for grandchildren). Five million Brazilians (2.5% of the population) fall under this category. Many more people are of Portuguese descent however

There are no reliable figures for how many Brazilians descend from the Portuguese.  As per the estimates, there were 10 million people of Portuguese descent in Brazil.

Regions with significant Portuguese  populations are all of Brazil, predominantly in Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and São Paulo

Portuguese Venezuelans are Portuguese-born citizens with Venezuelan citizenship or Venezuelan-born citizens of Portuguese ancestry or citizenship. Portuguese Venezuelans account for about  5%  of the total population of Venezuela.

Portuguese are among the largest ethnic groups in the country.  Venezuela has the second largest Portuguese diaspora in America, after Brazil.  As per the estimates, there were 1.3 million people of Portuguese descent in Venezuela.

Regions with significant Portuguese  populations are Caracas, Valencia, and Maracaibo, also Barquisimeto,

Portuguese Ancestry in America | Portuguese Americans