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Biggest sources of immigrants to California
Over 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 biggest sources of immigrants to California using data from the


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#50. Malaysia
California
– Number of residents: 17,352
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
– Number of residents: 78,179
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
– #73 most common country of origin

Yasonya // Shutterstock
#49. Netherlands
California
– Number of residents: 18,107
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
– Number of residents: 83,275
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
– #71 most common country of origin

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#48. Turkey
California
– Number of residents: 18,817
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
– Number of residents: 126,351
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
– #53 most common country of origin

HandmadePictures // Shutterstock
#47. South Africa
California
– Number of residents: 18,998
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
– Number of residents: 108,650
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
– #58 most common country of origin

Canva
#46. Ecuador
California
– Number of residents: 20,640
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
– Number of residents: 440,337
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
– #19 most common country of origin

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#45. Poland
California
– Number of residents: 21,957
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
– Number of residents: 411,750
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
– #20 most common country of origin

Augustin Lazaroiu // Shutterstock
#44. Romania
California
– Number of residents: 22,688
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
– Number of residents: 163,817
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
– #46 most common country of origin

Taras Vyshnya // Shutterstock
#43. Australia
California
– Number of residents: 22,969
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
– Number of residents: 96,235
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
– #65 most common country of origin

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#42. Ethiopia
California
– Number of residents: 24,861
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
– Number of residents: 260,577
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
– #33 most common country of origin

ESB Professional // Shutterstock
#41. Portugal
California
– Number of residents: 25,914
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
– Number of residents: 172,739
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
– #45 most common country of origin

Canva
#40. Burma
California
– Number of residents: 26,302
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
– Number of residents: 147,834
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
– #48 most common country of origin

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#39. Syria
California
– Number of residents: 28,980
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
– Number of residents: 102,884
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
– #60 most common country of origin

Canva
#38. Nigeria
California
– Number of residents: 30,787
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
– Number of residents: 366,534
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
– #26 most common country of origin

Canva
#37. Italy
California
– Number of residents: 31,491
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
– Number of residents: 326,407
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
– #30 most common country of origin

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#36. Lebanon
California
– Number of residents: 32,066
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
– Number of residents: 127,239
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
– #52 most common country of origin

Canva
#35. Cuba
California
– Number of residents: 32,675
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
– Number of residents: 1,314,570
– Percent of foreign born residents: 3.0%
– #7 most common country of origin

Evgeniya Uvarova // Shutterstock
#34. Argentina
California
– Number of residents: 33,626
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
– Number of residents: 193,056
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
– #41 most common country of origin

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#33. Israel
California
– Number of residents: 33,684
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
– Number of residents: 139,083
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
– #51 most common country of origin

Martin Valigursky // Shutterstock
#32. Fiji
California
– Number of residents: 37,117
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
– Number of residents: 46,663
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
– #92 most common country of origin

Prin Adulyatham // Shutterstock
#31. Egypt
California
– Number of residents: 39,607
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
– Number of residents: 202,049
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
– #40 most common country of origin

Creativa Images // Shutterstock
#30. Indonesia
California
– Number of residents: 40,602
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
– Number of residents: 96,337
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
– #64 most common country of origin

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#29. France
California
– Number of residents: 40,776
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
– Number of residents: 181,242
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
– #42 most common country of origin

Focus and Blur // Shutterstock
#28. Iraq
California
– Number of residents: 41,445
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
– Number of residents: 229,309
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
– #39 most common country of origin

Michal Knitl // Shutterstock
#27. Afghanistan
California
– Number of residents: 44,876
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
– Number of residents: 111,234
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
– #57 most common country of origin

Catarina Belova // Shutterstock
#26. Brazil
California
– Number of residents: 48,766
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
– Number of residents: 474,723
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%
– #17 most common country of origin

Nathapon Triratanachat // Shutterstock
#25. Laos
California
– Number of residents: 49,716
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
– Number of residents: 179,004
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
– #44 most common country of origin

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#24. Colombia
California
– Number of residents: 49,841
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
– Number of residents: 792,579
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.8%
– #12 most common country of origin

Saqib Rizvi // Shutterstock
#23. Pakistan
California
– Number of residents: 50,967
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
– Number of residents: 385,873
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
– #24 most common country of origin

aleksander hunta // Shutterstock
#22. Cambodia
California
– Number of residents: 52,895
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
– Number of residents: 149,486
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
– #47 most common country of origin

Ruslan Lytvyn // Shutterstock
#21. Ukraine
California
– Number of residents: 57,234
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
– Number of residents: 358,823
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
– #27 most common country of origin

Elena Simona Craciun // Shutterstock
#20. Nicaragua
California
– Number of residents: 59,354
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
– Number of residents: 244,405
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
– #35 most common country of origin

Marek Poplawski // Shutterstock
#19. Honduras
California
– Number of residents: 61,318
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
– Number of residents: 649,209
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
– #15 most common country of origin

Jack Bkk // Shutterstock
#18. Thailand
California
– Number of residents: 66,879
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
– Number of residents: 256,436
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
– #34 most common country of origin

Viacheslav Lopatin // Shutterstock
#17. Russia
California
– Number of residents: 68,782
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
– Number of residents: 397,214
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
– #21 most common country of origin

Christian Vinces // Shutterstock
#16. Peru
California
– Number of residents: 72,772
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
– Number of residents: 451,666
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
– #18 most common country of origin

Canva
#15. Germany
California
– Number of residents: 75,435
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
– Number of residents: 549,073
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.2%
– #16 most common country of origin

Sebastian Castelier // Shutterstock
#14. Armenia
California
– Number of residents: 76,453
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
– Number of residents: 92,893
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
– #67 most common country of origin

Canva
#13. Hong Kong
California
– Number of residents: 103,123
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
National
– Number of residents: 232,202
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
– #38 most common country of origin

Canva
#12. Japan
California
– Number of residents: 104,624
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
National
– Number of residents: 346,149
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
– #28 most common country of origin

Canva
#11. Canada
California
– Number of residents: 128,977
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.2%
National
– Number of residents: 817,885
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.9%
– #11 most common country of origin

Canva
#10. Taiwan
California
– Number of residents: 179,758
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
National
– Number of residents: 378,942
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
– #25 most common country of origin

Andrew V Marcus // Shutterstock
#9. Iran
California
– Number of residents: 207,975
– Percent of foreign born residents: 2.0%
National
– Number of residents: 389,383
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
– #23 most common country of origin

Kobby Dagan // Shutterstock
#8. Guatemala
California
– Number of residents: 277,326
– Percent of foreign born residents: 2.7%
National
– Number of residents: 964,528
– Percent of foreign born residents: 2.2%
– #10 most common country of origin

Kampon // Shutterstock
#7. South Korea
California
– Number of residents: 317,873
– Percent of foreign born residents: 3.0%
National
– Number of residents: 1,048,588
– Percent of foreign born residents: 2.4%
– #9 most common country of origin

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#6. El Salvador
California
– Number of residents: 435,265
– Percent of foreign born residents: 4.2%
National
– Number of residents: 1,370,579
– Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
– #5 most common country of origin

Kriangkrai Thitimakorn // Shutterstock
#5. India
California
– Number of residents: 513,459
– Percent of foreign born residents: 4.9%
National
– Number of residents: 2,618,558
– Percent of foreign born residents: 5.9%
– #2 most common country of origin

Canva
#4. Vietnam
California
– Number of residents: 523,580
– Percent of foreign born residents: 5.0%
National
– Number of residents: 1,354,391
– Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
– #6 most common country of origin

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
#3. China
California
– Number of residents: 677,052
– Percent of foreign born residents: 6.5%
National
– Number of residents: 2,184,189
– Percent of foreign born residents: 4.9%
– #3 most common country of origin

Joseph Oropel // Shutterstock
#2. Philippines
California
– Number of residents: 830,929
– Percent of foreign born residents: 7.9%
National
– Number of residents: 1,967,140
– Percent of foreign born residents: 4.5%
– #4 most common country of origin

Aleksandar Todorovic // Shutterstock
#1. Mexico
California
– Number of residents: 3,962,910
– Percent of foreign born residents: 37.9%
National
– Number of residents: 10,924,662
– Percent of foreign born residents: 24.8%
– #1 most common country of origin