Approximately 41 million people immigrated to the United States of America between the years 1820 and 1957. During this time period, the United States expanded across North America, growing from 23 to 48 states, and the population grew from approximately 10 million people in 1820, to almost 180 million people by 1957. Economically, the U.S. developed from being an agriculturally focused economy in the 1820s, to having the highest GDP of any single country in the 1950s. Much of this expansion was due to the high numbers of agricultural workers who migrated from Europe, as technological advances in agriculture had lowered the labor demand. The majority of these migrants settled in urban centers, and this fueled the growth of the industrial sector.

American industrialization and European rural unemployment fuel migration The first major wave of migration came in the 1850s, and was fueled largely by Irish and German migrants, who were fleeing famine or agricultural depression at the time. The second boom came in the 1870s, as the country recovered from the American Civil War, and the Second Industrial Revolution took off. The final boom of the nineteenth century came in the 1880s, as poor harvests and industrialization in Europe led to mass emigration. Improvements in steam ship technology and lower fares led to increased migration from Eastern and Southern Europe at the turn of the century (particularly from Italy). War and depression reduces migration Migration to the U.S. peaked at the beginning of the 20th century, before it fluctuated greatly at the beginning of the 20th century. This was not only due to the disruptions to life in Europe caused by the world wars, but also the economic disruption of the Great Depression in the 1930s. The only period between 1914 and 1950 where migration was high was during the 1920s. However, the migration rate rose again in the late 1940s, particularly from Latin America and Asia. The historically high levels of migration from Europe has meant that the most common ethnicity in the U.S. has been non-Hispanic White since the early-colonial period, however increased migration from Latin America, Asia and Africa, and higher fertility rates among ethnic minorities, have seen the Whites' share of the total population fall in recent years (although it is still over three times larger than any other group.

In 2022, an estimated 10.99 million unauthorized immigrants were living in the United States. This is an increase from about 3.5 million unauthorized immigrants who lived in the United States in 1990.

United States US: Net Migration data was reported at 4,500,000.000 Person in 2017. This stayed constant from the previous number of 4,500,000.000 Person for 2012. United States US: Net Migration data is updated yearly, averaging 4,213,405.500 Person from Dec 1962 (Median) to 2017, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8,612,074.000 Person in 1997 and a record low of 1,549,465.000 Person in 1967. United States US: Net Migration data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Net migration is the net total of migrants during the period, that is, the total number of immigrants less the annual number of emigrants, including both citizens and noncitizens. Data are five-year estimates.; ; United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Sum;

United States Immigrants Admitted: All Countries data was reported at 1,127,167.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,183,505.000 Person for 2016. United States Immigrants Admitted: All Countries data is updated yearly, averaging 451,510.000 Person from Sep 1900 (Median) to 2017, with 118 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,827,167.000 Person in 1991 and a record low of 23,068.000 Person in 1933. United States Immigrants Admitted: All Countries data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Department of Homeland Security. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G087: Immigration.

Historical dataset showing U.S. immigration statistics by year from 1960 to 2015.

As of 2023, 27.3 percent of California's population were born in a country other than the United States. New Jersey, New York, Florida, and Nevada rounded out the top five states with the largest population of foreign born residents in that year. For the country as a whole, 14.3 percent of residents were foreign born.

This data collection contains information on the characteristics of aliens who became legal permanent residents of the United States in fiscal year 1977 (October 1976 through September 1977). Data are presented for two types of immigrants. The first category, New Arrivals, arrived from outside the United States with valid immigrant visas issued by the United States Department of State. Those in the second category, adjustments, were already in the United States with temporary status and were adjusted to legal permanent residence through petition to the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service. Variables include port of entry, month and year of admission, class of admission, and state and area to which immigrants were admitted. Demographic information such as age, sex, marital status, occupation, country of birth, country of last permanent residence, and nationality is also provided.

This data collection contains information on the characteristics of aliens who became legal permanent residents of the United States in fiscal year 1999 (October 1998 through September 1999). Data are presented for two types of immigrants. The first category, New Arrivals, arrived from outside the United States with valid immigration visas issued by the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service. The second category, Adjustments, were already in the United States with temporary status and were adjusted to legal permanent residence through petition to the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service. Variables include port of entry, month and year of admission, class of admission, and state and area to which the immigrants were admitted. Demographic information such as age, sex, marital status, occupation, country of birth, country of last permanent residence, and nationality is also provided.

Graph and download economic data for Population Level - Foreign Born (LNU00073395) from Jan 2007 to Jun 2025 about foreign, civilian, population, and USA.

United States Immigrants Admitted: South America data was reported at 79,076.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 79,608.000 Person for 2016. United States Immigrants Admitted: South America data is updated yearly, averaging 72,183.000 Person from Sep 1986 (Median) to 2017, with 32 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 137,971.000 Person in 2006 and a record low of 41,007.000 Person in 1988. United States Immigrants Admitted: South America data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Department of Homeland Security. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.G087: Immigration.

This graph shows the support of Americans on the immigration law that had passed Senate in June 2013. As of July 2013, about 46 percent of Americans supported the immigration law that included a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants now living in the United States and stricter border control.

This data collection contains information on the characteristics of aliens who became legal permanent residents of the United States in fiscal year 1982 (October 1981 through September 1982). Data are presented for two types of immigrants. The first category, New Arrivals, arrived from outside the United States with valid immigrant visas issued by the United States Department of State. Those in the second category, Adjustments, were already in the United States with temporary status and were adjusted to legal permanent residence through petition to the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service. Variables include port of entry, month and year of admission, class of admission, and state and area to which immigrants were admitted. Demographic information such as age, sex, marital status, occupation, country of birth, country of last permanent residence, and nationality is also provided.

Immigrants Admitted: Philippines data was reported at 53,287.000 Person in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 56,478.000 Person for 2015. Immigrants Admitted: Philippines data is updated yearly, averaging 54,446.000 Person from Sep 1986 (Median) to 2016, with 31 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 74,606.000 Person in 2006 and a record low of 30,943.000 Person in 1999. Immigrants Admitted: Philippines data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Department of Homeland Security. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.G086: Immigration.

Public use data set on new legal immigrants to the U.S. that can address scientific and policy questions about migration behavior and the impacts of migration. A survey pilot project, the NIS-P, was carried out in 1996 to inform the fielding and design of the full NIS. Baseline interviews were ultimately conducted with 1,127 adult immigrants. Sample members were interviewed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months, with half of the sample also interviewed at three months. The first full cohort, NIS-2003, is based on a nationally representative sample of the electronic administrative records compiled for new immigrants by the US government. NIS-2003 sampled immigrants in the period May-November 2003. The geographic sampling design takes advantage of the natural clustering of immigrants. It includes all top 85 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) and all top 38 counties, plus a random sample of other MSAs and counties. Interviews were conducted in respondents'' preferred languages. The baseline was multi-modal: 60% of adult interviews were administered by telephone; 40% were in-person. The baseline round was in the field from June 2003 to June 2004, and includes in the Adult Sample 8,573 respondents, 4,336 spouses, and 1,072 children aged 8-12. A follow-up was planned for 2007. Several modules of the NIS were designed to replicate sections of the continuing surveys of the US population that provide a natural comparison group. Questionnaire topics include Health (self-reports of conditions, symptoms, functional status, smoking and drinking history) and use/source/costs of health care services, depression, pain; background; (2) Background: Childhood history and living conditions, education, migration history, marital history, military history, fertility history, language skills, employment history in the US and foreign countries, social networks, religion; Family: Rosters of all children; for each, demographic attributes, education, current work status, migration, marital status and children; for some, summary indicators of childhood and current health, language ability; Economic: Sources and amounts of income, including wages, pensions, and government subsidies; type, value of assets and debts, financial assistance given/received to/from respondent from/to relatives, friends, employer, type of housing and ownership of consumable durables. * Dates of Study: 2003-2007 * Study Features: Longitudinal * Sample Size: 13,981

United States Immigrants Admitted: Russia data was reported at 9,297.000 Person in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 8,799.000 Person for 2015. United States Immigrants Admitted: Russia data is updated yearly, averaging 12,079.000 Person from Sep 1992 (Median) to 2016, with 25 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 20,771.000 Person in 2002 and a record low of 6,718.000 Person in 2010. United States Immigrants Admitted: Russia data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Department of Homeland Security. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.G086: Immigration.

Ireland Number of Immigrants: Male: USA data was reported at 3.700 Person th in 2018. This stayed constant from the previous number of 3.700 Person th for 2017. Ireland Number of Immigrants: Male: USA data is updated yearly, averaging 2.600 Person th from Apr 1987 (Median) to 2018, with 32 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.900 Person th in 2013 and a record low of 0.800 Person th in 2010. Ireland Number of Immigrants: Male: USA data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Central Statistics Office of Ireland. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Ireland – Table IE.G004: Number of Immigrants and Emigrants.

This table contains 36 series, with data for years 1953 - 1976 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years), and was last released on 2012-02-16. This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Unit of measure (1 items: Persons ...) Geography (1 items: Canada ...) Origin of migrants (2 items: Overseas and the United States; Overseas ...) Intended occupations and dependents (18 items: Total immigration; Workers; managerial and administrative; Workers; professional; Total workers ...).

This graph shows the distribution of nationalities among documented immigrants who arrived in the United States between 1820 and 1870. As we can see, over seven million people arrived in the US in this 50 year period, with the majority coming from Ireland, Germany and Britain. The largest groups, by far, were Irish and German, who together made up roughly two thirds of all immigrants to the US during this time. The reasons for this were because of the Irish Potato famine from 1845 to 1849, which resulted in the death or emigration of twenty to twenty five percent of the total Irish population, and a number of internal factors in Germany such as economic migration for farmers affected by industrialization, political/religious asylum, and in order to avoid conscription. One noteworthy exclusion from the information is of those transported to US as slaves, whose information was not recorded in this statistic (although the slave trade was abolished in 1808, the practice continued in the decades that followed).

United States Immigrants Admitted: Trinidad and Tobago data was reported at 3,469.000 Person in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 3,212.000 Person for 2015. United States Immigrants Admitted: Trinidad and Tobago data is updated yearly, averaging 5,435.000 Person from Sep 1986 (Median) to 2016, with 31 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8,854.000 Person in 2006 and a record low of 2,891.000 Person in 1986. United States Immigrants Admitted: Trinidad and Tobago data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Department of Homeland Security. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.G086: Immigration.