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
