The annual celebration of St. Patrick’s Day may make everyone feel a “little” Irish this month.  In fact, nearly 12% of the total U.S. population can trace their roots to Irish ancestry.
During the 1600 and 1700’s approximately 200,000 Irish came to America.  From 1820 to 1860 nearly two million Irish immigrated to the U.S., 75% of them after the Great Irish Potato Famine.  In the 1840’s, almost half of America’s immigrants came from Ireland.  After 1860, Irish immigration continued with another 1,916,547 arriving by 1900, mainly to reunite with their families.
Here are some fun facts:

  • An Irishman was the first of Christopher Columbus’s crew to step foot on American soil;
  • At least 14 U.S. President’s have confirmed Irish Ancestry;
  • The first American General to die during the Revolutionary War was Irish;
  • Three of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were Irish;
  • The White House was designed by an Irishman;
  • The majority of the workforce on the Erie Canal project were Irish and were paid 80 cents per day, room and board, and a ration of whiskey;
  • On January 1, 1892, Annie Moore, a teenager from County Cork, Ireland, was the first immigrant processed at Ellis Island and;
  • An Irish-American was the first woman to walk in space.

Berardi Immigration Law is a full service immigration law firm and we would be happy to assist you with your U.S. immigration matters.  Please contact us at 1-877-721-6100 or send us an e-mail by clicking here .
Page summary:  Irish immigrants have made substantial contributions to the U.S.