Biggest sources of immigrants to Tennessee

Written by:
August 22, 2022
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Biggest sources of immigrants to Tennessee

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 Tennessee 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

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 922
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 78,179
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #73 most common country of origin

#49. Panama

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 960
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 101,520
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #61 most common country of origin

#48. Lebanon

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 986
- 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

#47. Jordan

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 1,017
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 83,160
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #72 most common country of origin

#46. Yemen

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 1,036
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 57,475
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #83 most common country of origin

#45. Argentina

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 1,149
- 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

#44. Saudi Arabia

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 1,178
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 76,837
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #74 most common country of origin

#43. Ghana

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 1,198
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 180,675
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #43 most common country of origin

#42. Italy

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 1,232
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 326,407
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
- #30 most common country of origin

#41. Democratic Republic of the Congo

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 1,286
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 50,221
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #88 most common country of origin

#40. Sudan

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 1,337
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 52,433
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #86 most common country of origin

#39. Cambodia

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 1,355
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 149,486
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #47 most common country of origin

#38. Poland

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 1,443
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 411,750
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #20 most common country of origin

#37. Haiti

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 1,487
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 667,432
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
- #14 most common country of origin

#36. South Africa

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 1,514
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 108,650
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #58 most common country of origin

#35. France

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 1,532
- 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

#34. Dominican Republic

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 1,632
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 1,125,208
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.6%
- #8 most common country of origin

#33. Nepal

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 1,742
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 142,749
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #50 most common country of origin

#32. Romania

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 1,847
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 163,817
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #46 most common country of origin

#31. Somalia

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 1,930
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 96,898
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #63 most common country of origin

#30. Taiwan

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 1,969
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 378,942
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #25 most common country of origin

#29. Jamaica

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 2,073
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 760,486
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
- #13 most common country of origin

#28. Burma

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 2,082
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 147,834
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #48 most common country of origin

#27. Brazil

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 2,192
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 474,723
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%
- #17 most common country of origin

#26. Pakistan

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 2,367
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
- Number of residents: 385,873
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #24 most common country of origin

#25. Peru

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 2,581
- 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

#24. Thailand

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 2,677
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
National
- Number of residents: 256,436
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #34 most common country of origin

#23. Ukraine

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 2,763
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
National
- Number of residents: 358,823
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #27 most common country of origin

#22. Russia

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 3,017
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
National
- Number of residents: 397,214
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #21 most common country of origin

#21. Iran

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 3,058
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
National
- Number of residents: 389,383
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #23 most common country of origin

#20. Colombia

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 3,249
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
National
- Number of residents: 792,579
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.8%
- #12 most common country of origin

#19. Venezuela

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 3,355
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
National
- Number of residents: 394,365
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #22 most common country of origin

#18. Nigeria

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 3,773
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%
National
- Number of residents: 366,534
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #26 most common country of origin

#17. Japan

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 3,861
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%
National
- Number of residents: 346,149
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #28 most common country of origin

#16. Laos

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 3,886
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%
National
- Number of residents: 179,004
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #44 most common country of origin

#15. Cuba

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 4,436
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.3%
National
- Number of residents: 1,314,570
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.0%
- #7 most common country of origin

#14. Ethiopia

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 4,440
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.3%
National
- Number of residents: 260,577
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #33 most common country of origin

#13. Germany

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 7,165
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.1%
National
- Number of residents: 549,073
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.2%
- #16 most common country of origin

#12. Canada

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 8,004
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.3%
National
- Number of residents: 817,885
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.9%
- #11 most common country of origin

#11. Iraq

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 8,077
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.3%
National
- Number of residents: 229,309
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #39 most common country of origin

#10. Vietnam

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 8,091
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.3%
National
- Number of residents: 1,354,391
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
- #6 most common country of origin

#9. South Korea

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 8,502
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.4%
National
- Number of residents: 1,048,588
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.4%
- #9 most common country of origin

#8. El Salvador

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 9,272
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.7%
National
- Number of residents: 1,370,579
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
- #5 most common country of origin

#7. Egypt

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 10,004
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.9%
National
- Number of residents: 202,049
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #40 most common country of origin

#6. Philippines

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 10,725
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
National
- Number of residents: 1,967,140
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.5%
- #4 most common country of origin

#5. Honduras

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 12,374
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.6%
National
- Number of residents: 649,209
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
- #15 most common country of origin

#4. China

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 13,631
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.9%
National
- Number of residents: 2,184,189
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.9%
- #3 most common country of origin

#3. Guatemala

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 15,359
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.4%
National
- Number of residents: 964,528
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.2%
- #10 most common country of origin

#2. India

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 23,182
- Percent of foreign born residents: 6.7%
National
- Number of residents: 2,618,558
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.9%
- #2 most common country of origin

#1. Mexico

Tennessee
- Number of residents: 89,257
- Percent of foreign born residents: 25.7%
National
- Number of residents: 10,924,662
- Percent of foreign born residents: 24.8%
- #1 most common country of origin

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