What Countries Do Minnesota’s Immigrants Come From?

With immigration such a hot topic during this election season, we thought it would be interesting to see what countries most of Minnesota's immigrants come from.

According to the American Immigration Council, 8.4 percent of Minnesota's population is made up immigrants, or people born in other countries.

As neighbors, business owners, taxpayers, and workers, immigrants are an integral part of Minnesota’s diverse and thriving communities and make extensive contributions that benefit all.

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Its seems as though most of the dialogue regarding immigration this election cycle revolves around the U.S. southern border, the border wall, immigration law enforcement, and specifically immigrants from Mexico and the rest of Central America.

Top Countries of Origin for Minnesota Immigrants

1. Mexico
2. Somalia
3. India
4. Ethiopia
5. Laos

Minnesotans born in Mexico represent 12% of the states immigrant population. Somali-Minnesotans account for 7.3% of Minnesota's immigrants. Indian natives are next on the list with 6% of immigrants in Minnesota. Ethiopians make up 5.4%, and immigrants from Laos account for 5.2% of the state's immigrant population.

Other significant countries of origin for Minnesota immigrants include Cambodia, former Soviet Republics, Bosnia, Sudan, Liberia, Eritrea, and Vietnam.

Minnesota's Early Immigrants

Prior to Minnesota becoming a state in 1858, most of the area's immigrants were British and French. In the 1860s and 1870s, immigration from Europe brough new inhabitants from Norway, Sweden, Finland Germany, Czechoslovakia, France, Italy, and Poland. Chinese made their way to Minnesota from the west coast in the 1870s.

The Homestead Act of 1862 brought 75,000 people to Minnesota within three years. To earn 160 free acres, settlers had to live on and farm the land for five years.