Biggest sources of immigrants to California

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August 22, 2022
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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.

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

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