Biggest sources of immigrants to Memphis

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April 21, 2022
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Biggest sources of immigrants to Memphis

Nearly 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 countries most immigrants to Memphis come from, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Countries are ranked by highest number of foreign-born residents who lived in Memphis as of 2019's five-year estimates.

Keep reading to find out more about the immigrant community in your home city.

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#50. Dominica

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 158
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 34,308
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #100 most common country of origin

#49. Peru

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 164
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 451,076
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
- #18 most common country of origin

#48. Panama

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 168
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 103,299
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #58 most common country of origin

#47. Ukraine

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 172
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 345,250
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #28 most common country of origin

#46. Belize

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 176
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 48,869
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #84 most common country of origin

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#45. Thailand

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 178
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 255,345
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #32 most common country of origin

#43 (tie). Sri Lanka

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 186
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 52,439
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #83 most common country of origin

#43 (tie). South Africa

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 186
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 104,022
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #56 most common country of origin

#42. Sierra Leone

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 194
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 40,991
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #94 most common country of origin

#41. Laos

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 223
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 181,546
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #42 most common country of origin

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#40. Brazil

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 238
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 433,479
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
- #20 most common country of origin

#39. Iraq

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 241
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 225,038
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #38 most common country of origin

#38. Argentina

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 244
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 194,435
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #39 most common country of origin

#37. Italy

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 253
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%

National
- Number of residents: 332,857
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #30 most common country of origin

#36. Lebanon

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 293
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%

National
- Number of residents: 121,697
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #52 most common country of origin

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#35. France

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 303
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%

National
- Number of residents: 181,554
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #41 most common country of origin

#34. Saudi Arabia

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 308
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%

National
- Number of residents: 85,000
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #70 most common country of origin

#33. Senegal

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 333
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 26,122
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #112 most common country of origin

#32. Sudan

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 337
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 46,716
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #87 most common country of origin

#31. Dominican Republic

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 351
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 1,118,147
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.5%
- #8 most common country of origin

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#30. Jordan

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 365
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 81,155
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #71 most common country of origin

#29. Poland

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 391
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 410,841
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #21 most common country of origin

#28. Yemen

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 406
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%

National
- Number of residents: 54,152
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #82 most common country of origin

#27. Somalia

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 417
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%

National
- Number of residents: 98,966
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #60 most common country of origin

#26. Jamaica

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 461
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%

National
- Number of residents: 741,386
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
- #13 most common country of origin

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#25. Egypt

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 481
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%

National
- Number of residents: 191,452
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #40 most common country of origin

#24. Russia

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 488
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%

National
- Number of residents: 391,641
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #22 most common country of origin

#23. Cambodia

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 493
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%

National
- Number of residents: 151,066
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #46 most common country of origin

#22. Kenya

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 516
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%

National
- Number of residents: 141,751
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #48 most common country of origin

#21. Taiwan

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 534
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%

National
- Number of residents: 381,098
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #24 most common country of origin

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#20. Colombia

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 593
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%

National
- Number of residents: 761,374
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
- #12 most common country of origin

#19. Iran

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 624
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%

National
- Number of residents: 382,260
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #23 most common country of origin

#18. Japan

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 652
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%

National
- Number of residents: 345,140
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #29 most common country of origin

#17. Pakistan

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 733
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%

National
- Number of residents: 376,127
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #25 most common country of origin

#16. El Salvador

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 937
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.3%

National
- Number of residents: 1,381,008
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
- #5 most common country of origin

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#14 (tie). Cuba

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 992
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.4%

National
- Number of residents: 1,289,875
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.9%
- #7 most common country of origin

#14 (tie). Venezuela

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 992
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.4%

National
- Number of residents: 349,720
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #27 most common country of origin

#13. Germany

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,082
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%

National
- Number of residents: 560,368
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.3%
- #17 most common country of origin

#12. United Kingdom

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,114
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.6%

National
- Number of residents: 698,612
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.6%
- #14 most common country of origin

#11. Canada

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,132
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.6%

National
- Number of residents: 808,566
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.8%
- #11 most common country of origin

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#10. Nigeria

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,179
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.6%

National
- Number of residents: 350,272
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #26 most common country of origin

#9. South Korea

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,201
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%

National
- Number of residents: 1,044,634
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.4%
- #9 most common country of origin

#8. Ethiopia

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,345
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.9%

National
- Number of residents: 249,777
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #34 most common country of origin

#7. Philippines

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 2,048
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.9%

National
- Number of residents: 1,983,939
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.5%
- #4 most common country of origin

#6. Honduras

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 2,681
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.7%

National
- Number of residents: 651,123
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
- #16 most common country of origin

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#5. Guatemala

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,058
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.3%

National
- Number of residents: 979,098
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.2%
- #10 most common country of origin

#4. China

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,455
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.8%

National
- Number of residents: 2,162,395
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.9%
- #3 most common country of origin

#3. Vietnam

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,880
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.4%

National
- Number of residents: 1,336,988
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.0%
- #6 most common country of origin

#2. India

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 5,805
- Percent of foreign born residents: 8.1%

National
- Number of residents: 2,561,906
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.8%
- #2 most common country of origin

#1. Mexico

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area
- Number of residents: 22,053
- Percent of foreign born residents: 30.8%

National
- Number of residents: 11,250,541
- Percent of foreign born residents: 25.6%
- #1 most common country of origin

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