| Ben Roethlisberger, Herbert Hoover, J. Edgar Hoover, Michelle Pfeiffer, Meryl Streep, Renée Zellweger, George Lucas, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Jean Piccard, John Sutter |
| Total population |
|---|
| 997,233 [1] 0.3% of the U.S. population |
| Regions with significant populations |
| Pennsylvania, Ohio, California, New York, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, Appalachia and Georgia |
| Languages |
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American English, German (especially Swiss German), French, Italian, Romansch |
| Religion |
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various e.g. Roman Catholic, United Church of Christ, Reformed Church in the United States |
| Related ethnic groups |
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Swiss people, Swiss Brazilian, Swiss Chilean, German Americans, German diaspora |
Swiss Americans are Americans of Swiss descent.
There are several ethno-linguistic subgroups among Swiss Americans, including Swiss German-speaking, Swiss French-speaking, and Swiss Italian-speaking. Reportedly, these people are sometimes mistaken for non-Swiss German Americans, French Americans, and Italian Americans, probably largely because of their cultural-linguistic origin.
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The first Swiss person in what is now known as the territory of the United States was Theobald (Diebold) von Erlach (1541 - 1565). [2] The history of the Amish church began with a schism in Switzerland within a group of Swiss and Alsatian Anabaptists in 1693 led by Jakob Ammann, a native of Erlenbach im Simmental.
The late 18th and early 19th century saw a flow of Swiss farmers forming colonies especially in Russia and in the United States.
Before the year 1820 some estimated 25,000 to 30,000 Swiss entered British North America. Most of them settled in regions of today's Pennsylvania as well as North and South Carolina. In the next years until 1860 about as many Swiss arrived, making their homes mainly in the Midwestern states such as Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin. 50,000 came between 1860 and 1880, some 82,000 between 1881 and 1890, and estimated 90,000 more during the next three decades.
In spite of Swiss settlements like Highland (Illinois), New Glarus (Wisconsin), Gruetli (Tennessee) and Bernstadt (Kentucky) were emerging fast, most Swiss preferred rural villages of the Midwest and the Pacific Coast where especially the Italian Swiss were taking part in California's winegrowing culture, or then took up residence in more industrial and urban regions such as New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chicago, St. Louis or San Francisco. As the lifestyle and political institutions of the United States were compliant with those of their homeland most Swiss had no problems starting a new life in their part of the New World and became attached to both countries. [3]
Along with the Swiss Immigrants came their traditions. By the late 1800s sufficient numbers of Swiss had arrived that Swiss Vereins (Clubs) were established to provide camaraderie and sharing of customs and traditions of the Heimat (Homeland). The William Tell Verein of Oakland and the Sacramento Helvetia Verein founded in the 1890s were examples of clubs formed during this period. Much later, the West Coast Swiss Wrestling Association was established to preserve the swiss tradition of Schwingen (Swiss wrestling) on the Pacific coast of the United States.
Swiss immigration diminished after 1930 because of the Great Depression and World War II. 23,700 Swiss arrived until 1960, 29,100 more between 1961 and 1990. Many of them being professionals or employees in American branches of Swiss companies, returned after some time to Switzerland. [4]
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According to the 2000 United States Census,[5] the 15 cities with the largest populations of Swiss Americans are as follows:
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According to the 2007 American Community Survey,[6] the states with the largest populations of Swiss Americans are as follows:
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According to the 2000 United States Census [5] the highest percentage of Swiss Americans in any town, village or other, are the following:
only cities, towns and villages with at least 500 people included |
According to the 2000 United States Census [5] the states with the highest percentage of people of Swiss ancestry are the following: |
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