One Out of Every 10 People in U.S. Are Foreigners, April 23, 1921

Tenth of Total Is Foreign Born. . . During Last Decade, Only 358,442 Foreigners Came to the United States

Washington, April 23—There are 13,703,987 foreign-born white persons in the United States as shown by the 1920 census, the Census Bureau announced tonight.

The total population of the United States is 105,710,620. Thus, it appears that slightly more than one-tenth of the populations is foreign born.

During the last decade, the foreign-born population of this country has increased by only 358,442 persons, or 2.6 per cent. The Census Bureau announces that this small increase is due to the almost complete cessation of immigration during the World war.

The increase in the previous 10-year period, regarded as normal, was 3,131,728 persons.

The largest part of the foreign-born population of this country comes from Germany, which nation has sent 1,683,298 persons to America.

Italians are second in number among the population, which is of foreign birth with 1,607,458 persons. Russia is third with 1,398,99 persons. Poland is fourth with 1,139,578 persons, and Ireland fifth with 1,035,680.

England pushes Ireland hard for the honor of sending native sons to the United States, for the Census Bureau shows that 812,414 persons now dwelling in the United States were born in England. Scotland’s sons, to the number of 254,482, have forsaken their heather hills and taken up their abode in this land of the dry. Of all the British subjects, it appears that the Welsh like the United States least, for but 67,071 persons living in this country were born in Wales.

The Scandinavian countries have sent but comparatively few to this country, Norway sending 363,599; Sweden 624,759 and Denmark 189,051.

The little country of Ruthenia has but 3,100 natives now in the United States, the smallest number of any nationality.

Belgium has sent but 62,648 native sons to America and France but 152,792, and this number includes those who were born in Alsace-Lorraine.

The other countries, who are reported by natives in the United States, are as follows: Luxemburg, 12,539; Netherlands, 131,262; Switzerland, 118,647; Austria, 574, 959; Hungary, 397,081; Czecho-Slovakia, 359,285; Jugo-Slavia, 173,063; Finland, 149,671; Lithuania, 135,139; Portugal, 67,850; Spain, 49,232; Greece, 175,701; Bulgaria, 10,468; Rumania, 103,007; Turkey Europe, 5,315; and other European countries, 11,541; Asia, 110, 586; Africa, 5,250; Australia, 10,885; Canada, French, 307,681; Canada, other 809,455; New Foundland, 13,239; Cuba and other West Indies, 28,024; Mexico, 476,676; Central America, 4,082; South America, 16,838; Atlantic Islands, 39,003; Pacific Islands, 3,629; at sea, 5,275; country not specified, 3,657.

The Census Bureau announcement is expected to bring a re-opening of the entire question of immigration restriction exclusion which has been in Congress for several months.

During the latter part of 1920 and thus far in 1921, immigrants have been swarming to the United States at the rate of nearly 1,000,000 a year. Despite this fact, however, the swarm would have to continue unrestricted for five years to boost the foreign-born population to a percentage of the total equal that of pre-war days.

The immigration restriction bill, as passed this week by the house of representatives, provides that, for one year beginning with May 3, the immigration from each country must be limited to 3 per cent of the number of that nationality in the United States as shown by the 1910 census. The ration probably will be changed to use the 1920 census announcement as a basis when the senate acts, it is expected.

The house bill would limit the total immigration to the United States to approximately 350,000 persons a year. In pre-war days, the total number of new arrivals was in the neighborhood of 1,000,000.

The rush of immigration from three of the countries, which formerly sent the United States and the largest number of new citizens, now is almost completely shut off. German and Russian immigration now is almost completely halted. The Italian government recently refused to permit any of its citizens to emigrate to the United States until this country decided on its restriction laws.

From The Charlotte News, Sunday morning, April 24, 1921. Immigrants today account for 13.7% of the U.S. population, nearly triple the share (4.8%) in 1970 when immigration laws replaced the old quota system.