Anyone Know Why So Many Americans are of German Ancestry?

Question

I recently read that German was the number 1 reported ethnicity amongst Americans. In fact, there are far more people in the U.S. who are of German ancestry than any other ethnicty. After reading this, I started noticing how many Americans have German last names.

I'm Canadian and Canada, of course, is another immigrant nation, just as Australia and New Zealand are. However, here in Canada, by far the most reported ancestry is English, followed by French, and then Scottish. In America, if memory serves me right, it's German, followed by Irish and then African American, and I beleive Italian or Polish is fourth.

Was there any specific reason why so many Germans came to the United States? It's really weird that two countries (Canada and America) could have such a completely different immigrant mix.

By the way, I'm 25% each of English, French, German and Dutch, so my mix is probably more Americanesque than most Canadians.

Answer 1

During the mid 19th century there was a dramatic rise in immigration of people coming from Germany and Ireland. In the case of Ireland, the cause was the potato blight. The population in America, especially in the northeast, exploded with German and Irish immigration.

Answer 2

I have reason to doubt that statistic

It could have been a number manipulated out of available data, for instance, since the English ethinicity is made up of a great deal of Germanic blood, then by adding the American population of English ancestry to the ones tracing their family's immigration directly from regions of Germany would make for a larger number.

Still, I don't think the numbers would be high enough to say that German is the # 1 ethnicity. Regionaly, this may be true. Think of the huge German enclaves in Pennsylvania, where even third and fourth generation families still speak with a thick accent. The Amish and Mennonites can trace their origins to Germany.

The entire population of this country is of immigrant origin. Think of the massive numbers of Hispanics in the Southwest. Add to that the Cubans of the South East, and the Puerto Ricans all along the East Coast.

I wonder, if by German, your source might have also included all the Nordic, Slav and Central European origins?

Answer 3

German petty nobility brought their people here to work land they'd purchased.

Answer 4

um...the WAR?!?!?!?

Dude, after we occupied Germany, we offered them a new home...the ones that were sick of the Germany that Hitler destroyed.