German Americans (German: Deutschamerikaner) are Americans of German descent. They form the largest self-reported ancestry group in the United States, outnumbering the Irish and English. They account for 50 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population. California and Texas have the largest populations of German origin, although upper Midwestern states, including North Dakota and Wisconsin, have the highest proportion of German-American populatio...
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German Americans (German: Deutschamerikaner) are Americans of German descent. They form the largest self-reported ancestry group in the United States, outnumbering the Irish and English. They account for 50 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population. California and Texas have the largest populations of German origin, although upper Midwestern states, including North Dakota and Wisconsin, have the highest proportion of German-American population.
The first Germans to arrive in the New World settled in the colony of Jamestown, Virginia, in 1608. It wasn’t until the 1680s, however, that significant numbers arrived, settling primarily in New York and Pennsylvania. Immigration continued in substantial numbers during the nineteenth century, with some eight million immigrants coming from Germany. The largest number of arrivals were between 1840 and 1900. Some arrived seeking religious or political freedom, others for economic opportunities greater than those in Europe, and others simply...
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