Biggest Sources of Immigrants to California

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Biggest sources of immigrants to California

Over 14% of the United States population is composed of immigrants. But in reality, the vast majority of Americans today are here because of relatives who immigrated from other countries some time in the last several hundred years.

And while the distinctive American culture and spirit is the result of blending many diverse cultures and histories, the United States has for centuries had an up-and-down relationship with immigration.

Each era of immigration has been met with reductive ideas and resistance, whether the backlash was directed toward the Chinese, Irish, Italians, or Mexicans. Immigration laws have targeted specific groups at various times, stoking intolerance and preventing people from truly joining American society. Over time, however, as laws changed to be more equitable and immigrants found their footings, we have reaped the rewards of innovation in business, music, art, literature, dance, food, societal norms, entertainment, and sports—all while realizing a greater understanding of and respect for different cultures, religions, and ideas.

Stacker compiled a list of the biggest sources of immigrants to California using data from the "U.S. Census Bureau. Countries are ranked by the highest number of residents according to 2020 5-year estimates. Keep reading to find out more about the immigrant community in your home state.

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Patrick Foto // Shutterstock

#50. Malaysia

California
- Number of residents: 17,352
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
- Number of residents: 78,179
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #73 most common country of origin

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Yasonya // Shutterstock

#49. Netherlands

California
- Number of residents: 18,107
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
- Number of residents: 83,275
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #71 most common country of origin

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Olena Tur // Shutterstock

#48. Turkey

California
- Number of residents: 18,817
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
- Number of residents: 126,351
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #53 most common country of origin

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HandmadePictures // Shutterstock

#47. South Africa

California
- Number of residents: 18,998
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
- Number of residents: 108,650
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #58 most common country of origin

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Canva

#46. Ecuador

California
- Number of residents: 20,640
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
- Number of residents: 440,337
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
- #19 most common country of origin

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Nahlik // Shutterstock

#45. Poland

California
- Number of residents: 21,957
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
- Number of residents: 411,750
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #20 most common country of origin

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Augustin Lazaroiu // Shutterstock

#44. Romania

California
- Number of residents: 22,688
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
- Number of residents: 163,817
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #46 most common country of origin

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Taras Vyshnya // Shutterstock

#43. Australia

California
- Number of residents: 22,969
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
- Number of residents: 96,235
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #65 most common country of origin

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Artush // Shutterstock

#42. Ethiopia

California
- Number of residents: 24,861
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
- Number of residents: 260,577
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #33 most common country of origin

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ESB Professional // Shutterstock

#41. Portugal

California
- Number of residents: 25,914
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
- Number of residents: 172,739
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #45 most common country of origin

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Canva

#40. Burma

California
- Number of residents: 26,302
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 147,834
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #48 most common country of origin

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#39. Syria

California
- Number of residents: 28,980
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 102,884
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #60 most common country of origin

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#38. Nigeria

California
- Number of residents: 30,787
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 366,534
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #26 most common country of origin

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#37. Italy

California
- Number of residents: 31,491
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 326,407
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
- #30 most common country of origin

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#36. Lebanon

California
- Number of residents: 32,066
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 127,239
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #52 most common country of origin

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Canva

#35. Cuba

California
- Number of residents: 32,675
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 1,314,570
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.0%
- #7 most common country of origin

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Evgeniya Uvarova // Shutterstock

#34. Argentina

California
- Number of residents: 33,626
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 193,056
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #41 most common country of origin

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John Theodor // Shutterstock

#33. Israel

California
- Number of residents: 33,684
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 139,083
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #51 most common country of origin

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Martin Valigursky // Shutterstock

#32. Fiji

California
- Number of residents: 37,117
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 46,663
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #92 most common country of origin

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Prin Adulyatham // Shutterstock

#31. Egypt

California
- Number of residents: 39,607
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 202,049
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #40 most common country of origin

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#30. Indonesia

California
- Number of residents: 40,602
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 96,337
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #64 most common country of origin

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#29. France

California
- Number of residents: 40,776
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 181,242
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #42 most common country of origin

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#28. Iraq

California
- Number of residents: 41,445
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 229,309
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #39 most common country of origin

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Michal Knitl // Shutterstock

#27. Afghanistan

California
- Number of residents: 44,876
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 111,234
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #57 most common country of origin

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#26. Brazil

California
- Number of residents: 48,766
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 474,723
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%
- #17 most common country of origin

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Nathapon Triratanachat // Shutterstock

#25. Laos

California
- Number of residents: 49,716
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 179,004
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #44 most common country of origin

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#24. Colombia

California
- Number of residents: 49,841
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 792,579
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.8%
- #12 most common country of origin

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Saqib Rizvi // Shutterstock

#23. Pakistan

California
- Number of residents: 50,967
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 385,873
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #24 most common country of origin

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aleksander hunta // Shutterstock

#22. Cambodia

California
- Number of residents: 52,895
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 149,486
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #47 most common country of origin

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Ruslan Lytvyn // Shutterstock

#21. Ukraine

California
- Number of residents: 57,234
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 358,823
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #27 most common country of origin

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#20. Nicaragua

California
- Number of residents: 59,354
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 244,405
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #35 most common country of origin

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Marek Poplawski // Shutterstock

#19. Honduras

California
- Number of residents: 61,318
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 649,209
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
- #15 most common country of origin

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#18. Thailand

California
- Number of residents: 66,879
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 256,436
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #34 most common country of origin

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Viacheslav Lopatin // Shutterstock

#17. Russia

California
- Number of residents: 68,782
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
- Number of residents: 397,214
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #21 most common country of origin

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Christian Vinces // Shutterstock

#16. Peru

California
- Number of residents: 72,772
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
- Number of residents: 451,666
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
- #18 most common country of origin

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Canva

#15. Germany

California
- Number of residents: 75,435
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
- Number of residents: 549,073
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.2%
- #16 most common country of origin

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Sebastian Castelier // Shutterstock

#14. Armenia

California
- Number of residents: 76,453
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
- Number of residents: 92,893
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #67 most common country of origin

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Canva

#13. Hong Kong

California
- Number of residents: 103,123
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
National
- Number of residents: 232,202
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #38 most common country of origin

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Canva

#12. Japan

California
- Number of residents: 104,624
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
National
- Number of residents: 346,149
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #28 most common country of origin

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#11. Canada

California
- Number of residents: 128,977
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.2%
National
- Number of residents: 817,885
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.9%
- #11 most common country of origin

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Canva

#10. Taiwan

California
- Number of residents: 179,758
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
National
- Number of residents: 378,942
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #25 most common country of origin

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#9. Iran

California
- Number of residents: 207,975
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.0%
National
- Number of residents: 389,383
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #23 most common country of origin

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Kobby Dagan // Shutterstock

#8. Guatemala

California
- Number of residents: 277,326
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.7%
National
- Number of residents: 964,528
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.2%
- #10 most common country of origin

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Kampon // Shutterstock

#7. South Korea

California
- Number of residents: 317,873
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.0%
National
- Number of residents: 1,048,588
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.4%
- #9 most common country of origin

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#6. El Salvador

California
- Number of residents: 435,265
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.2%
National
- Number of residents: 1,370,579
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
- #5 most common country of origin

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Kriangkrai Thitimakorn // Shutterstock

#5. India

California
- Number of residents: 513,459
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.9%
National
- Number of residents: 2,618,558
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.9%
- #2 most common country of origin

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Canva

#4. Vietnam

California
- Number of residents: 523,580
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.0%
National
- Number of residents: 1,354,391
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
- #6 most common country of origin

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Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#3. China

California
- Number of residents: 677,052
- Percent of foreign born residents: 6.5%
National
- Number of residents: 2,184,189
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.9%
- #3 most common country of origin

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#2. Philippines

California
- Number of residents: 830,929
- Percent of foreign born residents: 7.9%
National
- Number of residents: 1,967,140
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.5%
- #4 most common country of origin

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Aleksandar Todorovic // Shutterstock

#1. Mexico

California
- Number of residents: 3,962,910
- Percent of foreign born residents: 37.9%
National
- Number of residents: 10,924,662
- Percent of foreign born residents: 24.8%
- #1 most common country of origin