"Things You Wouldn't Know If We Didn't Blog Intermittently."
28 March 2021
Immigrant groups in Minnesota, 1900 - 2019
The graphic above was compiled and published in 2001. In 1900 new immigrants (born elsewhere) constituted a full quarter of the state's population. In response to a request to update the data, the StarTribune posted this graphic today:
oooo data! Assuming that having arrived 'from foreign' in 1900, folks didn't leave the state, then the the rate of 'natural increase' differs interestingly. By 1990, Irish have increased 26x, Germans 17x and Norwegians 7x. No wonder St Patrick's Day is so big in the US.
Unfortunately, the Star Tribune only updated with percentages, as I find the actual numbers also tell an interesting story. In 1900, out of a much smaller population, something like 8-10x were foreign-born.
Just want to point out that there are no New Zealanders on that list. Not one.
Now I'm not saying that that means New Zealand is better than Minnesota, I'm just saying that not even a single New Zealander has chosen to move to Minnesota. Ever !
When I say 8-10x, I meant that the total number of immigrants was 8 to 10 times larger in the 1900s. When I add up the five figures for the 1900 count, I get around 400,000. When I add up the five figures for the right-hand count, I get around 45,000. Minnesota used to be a very international society.
Maybe. I haven't accessed the primary data, but I'm pretty sure the 1900 numbers do not represent the number of new immigrants that year, but rather the number in the state at that time (a 50+ year accumulation), whereas the 1990 data are # immigrants arriving in one year.
A Laotian girl joined my 3rd-grade class in Mankato, MN, in 1980 or so. I've worked with and known a lot of immigrants as an adult, but I was too young at that time to understand why she had come to our class. I've often wondered what her story was and what happened to her and her family.
oooo data! Assuming that having arrived 'from foreign' in 1900, folks didn't leave the state, then the the rate of 'natural increase' differs interestingly. By 1990, Irish have increased 26x, Germans 17x and Norwegians 7x. No wonder St Patrick's Day is so big in the US.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, the Star Tribune only updated with percentages, as I find the actual numbers also tell an interesting story. In 1900, out of a much smaller population, something like 8-10x were foreign-born.
ReplyDelete?what is the "x" in 8-10x
DeleteJust want to point out that there are no New Zealanders on that list.
ReplyDeleteNot one.
Now I'm not saying that that means New Zealand is better than Minnesota, I'm just saying that not even a single New Zealander has chosen to move to Minnesota. Ever !
The facts speak for themselves.
I haven't had Laotian food (to my knowledge) but I bet it is better than German food.
ReplyDeleteWhen I say 8-10x, I meant that the total number of immigrants was 8 to 10 times larger in the 1900s. When I add up the five figures for the 1900 count, I get around 400,000. When I add up the five figures for the right-hand count, I get around 45,000. Minnesota used to be a very international society.
ReplyDeleteMaybe. I haven't accessed the primary data, but I'm pretty sure the 1900 numbers do not represent the number of new immigrants that year, but rather the number in the state at that time (a 50+ year accumulation), whereas the 1990 data are # immigrants arriving in one year.
DeleteA Laotian girl joined my 3rd-grade class in Mankato, MN, in 1980 or so. I've worked with and known a lot of immigrants as an adult, but I was too young at that time to understand why she had come to our class. I've often wondered what her story was and what happened to her and her family.
ReplyDelete