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Florida Population by Race

Florida the third-largest U.S. state by population has a racially and ethnically diverse population. As of 2020, White (Non-Hispanic)  are the largest group in Florida followed closely by Hispanic or Latino Americans. African- Americans also have a good percentage in Florida.

also read about population of Florida

Ethnic and Racial Percentage

In 2020, the White/Anglo (Non-Hispanic)  population was the largest racial or ethnic group in Florida, comprising 51.45% of the total population.

It followed the Hispanic or Latino population, whose share is at 26.45% in 2020. 

The Black or African American population was the third-largest group at 14.52%. Two or more races combined are at 3.68% & Asian was  at 2.92%.  

The ethnic composition of the Florida population is as follows

Race and OriginActual PopulationPercentage 2020
White alone (Non-Hispanic) 11,100,50351.54%
Hispanic or Latino5,697,24026.45%
Black or African American alone3,127,05214.52%
Two or more races792,1433.68%
Asian alone629,6262.92%
Some Other Race alone137,9330.64%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone42,1690.20%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders alone11,5210.05%
Total21,538,187 

Source: US Census 2020

also read about Religion in Florida

Ancestry in Florida

As per Census Studies and estimate German, American, Irish, and English have made the largest ancestry groups in Florida. Italian, West Indian, Polish, French & Scottish ancestry are also in good numbers. 

In 2020, 8.30% of the population considered themselves to be of only American ancestry (regardless of race or ethnicity). Many of these were of English or Scotch-Irish descent; however, their families have lived in the state for so long that they choose to identify as having “American” ancestry or do not know their ancestry. In the 1980 United States Census, the largest ancestry group reported in Florida was English with 2,232,514 Floridians claiming they were of English or mostly English American ancestry. Some of their ancestry dates to the original thirteen colonies.

Source: US Census 2020

read about Top Cities in Florida

European Ancestry in Florida

Europeans account for nearly 51% of Florida’s population. German, Irish, and English Americans have made up the three largest European ancestry groups in Florida. 

As per the Census report, German Americans made up 8.60% of the population and numbered over 1.8 million members. Irish Americans made up 8.1% of the population and numbered over 1.7 million. 

English Americans made up 6.50% of the population and numbered over 1.4 million followed by Italian ancestry at 5.70% of the population and numbered over 1.2 million.

ANCESTRY Estimates Percentage
German 1,855,532 8.6%
American 1,782,382 8.3%
Irish 1,739,496 8.1%
English 1,396,706 6.5%
Italian 1,218,840 5.7%
Polish 500,238 2.3%
French  404,650 1.9%
Scottish 291,964 1.4%
Russian 184,552 0.9%
Scotch-Irish 167,088 0.8%
Dutch 157,021 0.7%
Swedish 135,366 0.6%
Norwegian 125,935 0.6%
Arab 123,160 0.6%
French Canadian 107,106 0.5%
Welsh 106,028 0.5%
Hungarian 101,364 0.5%
Greek 82,293 0.4%
Portuguese 80,094 0.4%
Ukrainian 56,146 0.3%
Czech 46,235 0.2%
Lithuanian 39,722 0.2%
Danish 38,992 0.2%
Swiss 35,855 0.2%
Slovak 33,378 0.2%
Hispanics and Latinos in Florida

Hispanics and Latinos are the second-largest groups in Florida after non-Hispanic European Americans. Around 26% of Florida’s Population claims Hispanic or Latin American ethnicity.  

The largest groups were Cuban and  Puerto Rican. Florida’s Hispanic population includes large communities of Cuban Americans in Miami and Tampa, Puerto Ricans in Orlando and Tampa, and Mexican/Central American migrant workers.

Nearly 80% of Cuban Americans live in Florida, also Florida has the second-largest Puerto Rican population after New York, as well as the fastest-growing in the nation. Besides these two groups, it also has large populations of Mexicans, Colombians, Venezuelans, and Dominicans, among numerous other groups.

#

Hispanics in Florida

Pop.  Estimates 2021 % of Total Pop.
1 Cuban 1,541,559 7.08%
2 Puerto Rican 1,176,465 5.40%
3 Mexican 785,184 3.60%
4 Colombian 435,696 2.00%
5 Venezuelan 307,448 1.41%
6 Dominican 294,560 1.35%
7 Nicaraguan 166,933 0.77%
8 Honduran 156,658 0.72%
9 Guatemalan 151,950 0.70%
10 Peruvian 129,511 0.59%
11 Spaniard 91,355 0.42%
12 Ecuadorian 84,443 0.39%
13 Salvadoran 72,972 0.34%
14 Argentinean 69,434 0.32%
African Americans in Florida

As of 2020, those of African ancestry accounted for 14.5% of Florida’s population,  a decrease of 1.5% from 2010. During the early 1900s, black people made up nearly half of the state’s population. 

In Numbers, Between 1990 and 2020, the Black population in Florida saw substantial growth, increasing from around 1.9 million to over 3.2 million. This growth was driven by both natural increase and in-migration from other states and countries.  Many Black people migrated from Southern states, such as Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, in search of better opportunities. 

There are also large numbers of blacks of West Indian, recent African, and Afro-Latino immigrant origins, especially in the Miami/South Florida area. Florida has the largest West Indian population of any state, originating from many Caribbean countries, with Haitian Americans being the most numerous.

In 2016, Florida had the highest percentage of West Indians in the United States at 4.5%, with 2.3%  from Haitian ancestry, 1.5%  Jamaican, and 0.2% Bahamian, with the other West Indian groups making up the rest.

The most significant concentrations of Florida’s African American population can be found in urban areas such as Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville. Additionally, smaller cities, towns, and rural areas across the state are home to many Black residents.

Asian Americans in Florida

Asian Americans are a sizable minority group in Florida. Americans of Asian descent formed 3% of the population. Its ethnic Asian population has grown rapidly since the late 1990s; the majority are Indians, Filipinos, Vietnamese, and ethnic Chinese.

Let’s have a look at the top Asian Americans by country

# Asian Americans  Pop. 2021 estimates % of Total Pop.
1 Indians 179,497 0.82%
2 Filipino  119,455 0.55%
3 Chinese  96,347 0.44%
4 Vietnamese  92,610 0.43%

also read about the List of counties in Florida

Race and Ethnicity in Florida 2024 | Ancestry in Florida