What South Dakota's Immigrant Population Looked Like in 1900

Everett Collection // Shutterstock

What South Dakota's immigrant population looked like in 1900

Since the first successful English colony settled in Jamestown in 1607, flows of immigrants have arrived on American shores seeking a new life. From Irish immigrants fleeing famine to Chinese immigrants settling in California during the Gold Rush, more than 86 million people legally immigrated to the United States between 1783 and 2019.

There have been four major waves of immigration to the U.S., beginning with settlers from northern and western Europe seeking land on the frontier from 1820 to 1880. The immigrants counted in the 1900 Census hailed primarily from southern and eastern Europe, drawn by the call of industrialization in America. At the advent of the era of world wars, there was a dearth of immigration, but after 1965, individuals from Asia and Latin America began to move to the U.S. in droves.

Though the national immigrant population today and in 1900 is comparable by percentage, hovering around 14% of the overall U.S. population, the raw population tells a different story. Today, the U.S. is home to 44.7 million immigrants, whereas that number was just shy of 10.5 million at the time of the 1900 Census. Stacker compiled a list of the largest sources of immigrants in South Dakota in 1900 by transcribing a previously untranscribed dataset from the U.S. Census Bureau. Countries are ranked by total residents who were born in that country.

Immigration to the U.S. was handled at the state level prior to 1890, with each state government designating its own processes and checkpoints. New York originally used Castle Garden (now Castle Clinton) as its immigration processing hub, but within a few decades realized that a massive influx of immigrants necessitated a larger venue. Ellis Island opened on Jan. 1, 1892, to the first of more than 12 million individuals who entered the U.S. through its doors.

Keep reading to find out more about the historical immigrant community in your home state or explore the data on your own on our site, GitHub, or data.world.

You may also like: Lowest-earning counties in South Dakota

You may also like: Highest-rated things to do in South Dakota, according to Tripadvisor

#1. Norway

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 19,788
- Percent of foreign born residents: 22.36%
- Percent of total state population: 4.93%
National
- Number of residents: 338,426
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.24%
- #9 most common country of origin

#2. Germany

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 17,873
- Percent of foreign born residents: 20.19%
- Percent of total state population: 4.45%
National
- Number of residents: 2,669,164
- Percent of foreign born residents: 25.52%
- #1 most common country of origin

#3. Russia

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 12,305
- Percent of foreign born residents: 13.90%
- Percent of total state population: 3.06%
National
- Number of residents: 424,372
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.06%
- #7 most common country of origin

#4. Sweden

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 8,647
- Percent of foreign born residents: 9.77%
- Percent of total state population: 2.15%
National
- Number of residents: 574,625
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.49%
- #5 most common country of origin

#5. Canada

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 7,344
- Percent of foreign born residents: 8.30%
- Percent of total state population: 1.83%
National
- Number of residents: 1,183,225
- Percent of foreign born residents: 11.31%
- #3 most common country of origin

You may also like: Best counties to raise a family in South Dakota

#6. Denmark

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 5,088
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.75%
- Percent of total state population: 1.27%
National
- Number of residents: 154,616
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.48%
- #13 most common country of origin

#7. England

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 3,862
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.36%
- Percent of total state population: 0.96%
National
- Number of residents: 843,491
- Percent of foreign born residents: 8.06%
- #4 most common country of origin

#8. Ireland

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 3,208
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.62%
- Percent of total state population: 0.80%
National
- Number of residents: 1,619,409
- Percent of foreign born residents: 15.48%
- #2 most common country of origin

#9. Bohemia

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 2,320
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.62%
- Percent of total state population: 0.58%
National
- Number of residents: 156,999
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.50%
- #12 most common country of origin

#10. Holland

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 1,566
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.77%
- Percent of total state population: 0.39%
National
- Number of residents: 105,098
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.00%
- #17 most common country of origin

You may also like: Counties with the highest heart disease rates in South Dakota

#11. Finland

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 1,175
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.33%
- Percent of total state population: 0.29%
National
- Number of residents: 63,440
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.61%
- #22 most common country of origin

#12. Scotland

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 1,158
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.31%
- Percent of total state population: 0.29%
National
- Number of residents: 234,699
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.24%
- #11 most common country of origin

#13. Austria

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 926
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.05%
- Percent of total state population: 0.23%
National
- Number of residents: 276,702
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.65%
- #10 most common country of origin

#14. Switzerland

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 585
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.66%
- Percent of total state population: 0.15%
National
- Number of residents: 115,959
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.11%
- #15 most common country of origin

#15. Wales

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 549
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.62%
- Percent of total state population: 0.14%
National
- Number of residents: 93,744
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.90%
- #20 most common country of origin

You may also like: Counties with the lowest home prices in South Dakota

You may also like: Metros where renters are the most overextended in South Dakota

#16. Poland

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 472
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.53%
- Percent of total state population: 0.12%
National
- Number of residents: 383,595
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.67%
- #8 most common country of origin

#17. Hungary

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 421
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.48%
- Percent of total state population: 0.10%
National
- Number of residents: 145,815
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.39%
- #14 most common country of origin

#18. Italy

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 360
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.41%
- Percent of total state population: 0.09%
National
- Number of residents: 484,703
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.63%
- #6 most common country of origin

#19. France

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 262
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.30%
- Percent of total state population: 0.07%
National
- Number of residents: 104,534
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.00%
- #18 most common country of origin

#20. China

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 150
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.17%
- Percent of total state population: 0.04%
National
- Number of residents: 106,659
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.02%
- #16 most common country of origin

You may also like: Best counties to live in South Dakota

You may also like: Counties with the highest rates of strokes in South Dakota

#21. Belgium

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 126
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.14%
- Percent of total state population: 0.03%
National
- Number of residents: 29,848
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.29%
- #24 most common country of origin

#22. Luxemburg

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 118
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.13%
- Percent of total state population: 0.03%
National
- Number of residents: 3,049
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.03%
- #37 most common country of origin

#23. Asia (except China, Japan, and India)

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 101
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.11%
- Percent of total state population: 0.03%
National
- Number of residents: 11,928
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.11%
- #27 most common country of origin

#24. Born at Sea

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 84
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.09%
- Percent of total state population: 0.02%
National
- Number of residents: 8,310
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.08%
- #32 most common country of origin

#25. Turkey

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 48
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.05%
- Percent of total state population: 0.01%
National
- Number of residents: 9,949
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.10%
- #30 most common country of origin

You may also like: Best private high schools in South Dakota

#26. Roumania

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 40
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.05%
- Percent of total state population: 0.01%
National
- Number of residents: 15,043
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.14%
- #25 most common country of origin

#27. Europe (not otherwise specified)

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 30
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.03%
- Percent of total state population: 0.01%
National
- Number of residents: 2,272
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.02%
- #41 most common country of origin

#28. Australia

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 22
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.02%
- Percent of total state population: 0.01%
National
- Number of residents: 7,041
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.07%
- #34 most common country of origin

#29. Mexico

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 18
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.02%
- Percent of total state population: 0.00%
National
- Number of residents: 103,445
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.99%
- #19 most common country of origin

#30. Central America

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 18
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.02%
- Percent of total state population: 0.00%
National
- Number of residents: 3,911
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.04%
- #36 most common country of origin

You may also like: Counties with the worst commutes in South Dakota

You may also like: Chips, potatoes, and other groceries that dropped in price in the Midwest last month

#31. Other Countries

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 11
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.01%
- Percent of total state population: 0.00%
National
- Number of residents: 2,587
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.02%
- #39 most common country of origin

#32. West Indies (except Cuba and Puerto Rico)

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 8
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.01%
- Percent of total state population: 0.00%
National
- Number of residents: 14,468
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.14%
- #26 most common country of origin

#33. South America

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 8
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.01%
- Percent of total state population: 0.00%
National
- Number of residents: 4,814
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.05%
- #35 most common country of origin

#34. India

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 8
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.01%
- Percent of total state population: 0.00%
National
- Number of residents: 2,069
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.02%
- #42 most common country of origin

#35. Africa

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 8
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.01%
- Percent of total state population: 0.00%
National
- Number of residents: 2,577
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.02%
- #40 most common country of origin

You may also like: Counties with the most veterans in South Dakota

You may also like: Counties with the most bridges in dire need of repair in South Dakota

#36. Pacific Islands (except Phillipine Islands)

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 5
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.01%
- Percent of total state population: 0.00%
National
- Number of residents: 2,659
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.03%
- #38 most common country of origin

#37. Spain

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 3
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.00%
- Percent of total state population: 0.00%
National
- Number of residents: 7,284
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.07%
- #33 most common country of origin

#38. Greece

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 3
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.00%
- Percent of total state population: 0.00%
National
- Number of residents: 8,655
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.08%
- #31 most common country of origin

#39. Portugal

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 2
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.00%
- Percent of total state population: 0.00%
National
- Number of residents: 37,144
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.36%
- #23 most common country of origin

#40. Cuba

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 2
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.00%
- Percent of total state population: 0.00%
National
- Number of residents: 11,159
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.11%
- #28 most common country of origin

You may also like: Where refugees in South Dakota are arriving from

#41. Japan

South Dakota
- Number of residents: 1
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.00%
- Percent of total state population: 0.00%
National
- Number of residents: 81,590
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.78%
- #21 most common country of origin