As of 2009, 868,361 Minnesotans claim Norwegian ancestry — equivalent to 16.5% of Minnesota’s population and 18.7% of the total Norwegian American population.
Is Minnesota Norwegian?
According to the Minnesota State Demographic Center, 810,300 Minnesotan residents claim Norwegian ancestry. Other sources claim more than a million. Whatever the true number, there is no denying that Minnesota is a hotbed of Scandinavian heritage.
Is Minnesota Swedish or Norwegian?
Minnesota has more residents of Swedish and Norwegian ancestry than any other state. Minnesota’s Scandinavian roots are a big part of the state’s national identity, from the Vikings football team to the Norwegian bachelor farmers of Lake Wobegon.
Why does Minnesota have so many Norwegians?
Driven to emigrate by overpopulation, unfulfilled nationalism, and a fractured economy, hundreds of thousands of Norwegians came to Minnesota between 1851 and 1920, making the Twin Cities the unofficial capital of Norwegian America.
Is Minnesota a Nordic?
Home to the largest population of Norwegians and Swedes outside of Scandinavia (not to mention an NFL team named the Vikings), the state’s strong Nordic roots are evident and celebrated year-round.
Where in the US is most like Norway?
Minnesota has, as many will know, strong cultural ties with Scandinavian countries like Norway, where the Arctic is very much a part of the national identity.
How much of Minnesota is Norwegian?
A Norwegian Minnesotan (colloquially sometimes known as a Minnewegian) is a Norwegian American in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2009, 868,361 Minnesotans claim Norwegian ancestry — equivalent to 16.5% of Minnesota’s population and 18.7% of the total Norwegian American population.
Which US state has the most Norwegians?
30.8% of the population in the U.S. state of North Dakota is of Norwegian ancestry.
Percent of Norwegian Americans.
| State | Norwegian American | Percent Norwegian American |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 4,642,526 | 1.5% |
| Minnesota | 868,361 | 16.5% |
| Wisconsin | 466,469 | 8.2% |
What is the most common last name in Norway?
The statistics: Most popular Norwegian surnames
- Hansen (53,011)
- Johansen (50,088)
- Olsen (49,303)
- Larsen (37,869)
- Andersen (37,025)
- Pedersen (35,145)
- Nilsen (34,734)
- Kristiansen (23,397)
What state has the most Scandinavians?
Minnesota
Scandinavian Americans by state
| State Rank | State | Percent Scandinavian Americans |
|---|---|---|
| – | United States | 3.8% |
| 1 | Minnesota | 32.1% |
| 2 | California | 3.6% |
| 3 | Washington | 12.5% |
How did Vikings end up in Minnesota?
The inscription on the Kensington Runestone claimed that Vikings led by Paul Knutson had come to the prairies of western Minnesota in 1362 in search of the Vineland colony established by Leif Erickson, whom some Minnesotans believe also visited the state.
What is the ancestry of Minnesota?
Ancestry. Over 85.0% of Minnesota’s residents are of European descent, with the largest reported ancestries being German (38.6%), Norwegian (17.0%), Irish (11.9%), Swedish (9.8%), and English (5.4).
How much of Minnesota is Scandinavian?
32%
Minnesota. With more than 1.5 million people (32% of the population) claiming Scandinavian heritage, Minnesota is a hotbed of Scandinavian traditions. That’s especially true for Norwegian culture and heritage. The first Norwegian settlement in the state was Norwegian Ridge, in what is now Spring Grove.
What considered Norwegian?
Norwegians (Norwegian: nordmenn) are a North Germanic ethnic group and nation native to Norway, where they form the vast majority of the population. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language.
Are there more Norwegians in Minnesota than Norway?
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Minnesota is the unofficial Norwegian capital of the United States: More Norwegians live in Minnesota than in any other state.
What is the most European city in America?
New Orleans, Louisiana
Settled by the French, turned over to the Spaniards, then passing back through French hands before landing in America’s lap, New Orleans might be the most outwardly European city in the nation.
Which US state is most like Europe?
Five U.S. cities that feel like Europe
- Boston, Massachusetts – feels like England and Italy.
- Leavenworth, Washington – feels like Germany.
- Holland, Michigan – feels like Amsterdam.
- New Orleans, Louisiana – feels like France.
- Solvang, California – Feels like Denmark.
Where did Norwegians settle America?
These immigrants, mostly rural families, made their way to the newly-opened lands of the Midwest, settling in Minnesota and Wisconsin, then moving west to Iowa, the Dakotas and sometimes the Pacific Coast.
Why did Scandinavian immigrants choose Minnesota?
One of the main factors to the United States was the availability of jobs. With the lack of land in Sweden, those who were farmers or farmhands were looking for agricultural jobs. The United States had lots of land to farm.
Why did so many Swedes move to Minnesota?
Over a quarter of a million Swedes came to Minnesota between 1850 and 1930, drawn primarily by economic opportunities not available to them at home. Once Swedish immigrant settlements were established in the state, they acted as magnets, creating migration chains that drew others.
Why do Norwegians have two last names?
Some people did go back to their farm surname when they got older though. Because of this practice, in many Norwegian records a surname is crossed through with another surname written after it in reference to the 1875law.