Survey: 460,000 U.S. residents identify as having Armenian ancestry

PanARMENIAN.Net - The American Community Survey (ACS) has revealed that 0.14% of the U.S. population – more than 462,000 people – identify as having Armenian ancestry.

In its annual American Community Survey, the U.S. Census Bureau asks Americans to identify their ancestry. Ancestry refers to a person’s lineage or ethnic origin. Ethnic composition varies heavily across the United States and is often a reflection of centuries-old migration patterns. Every state has a unique ethnic community whose history can in many cases be traced back hundreds of years.

0.65% of California residents – or 252,679 people in total and the most of any state – identify as having Armenian ancestry, which means 54.68% all U.S. residents identifying as having Armenian ancestry live in California, 24/7 Wall St. reports citing the survey.

The first Armenians settled in California in 1874, just 24 years after the state joined the Union. The area is notable for its large agricultural output and ethnic diversity among its farmers. More Armenians migrated to the area in the 1920s, following the 1915 Armenian Genocide.