Skip to Content

Biggest sources of immigrants to California


en:User:Paul.h // Wikimedia

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



Patrick Foto // Shutterstock

#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



Olena Tur // Shutterstock

#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



Nahlik // Shutterstock

#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



Artush // Shutterstock

#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



hanohiki // Shutterstock

#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



diplomedia // Shutterstock

#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



John Theodor // Shutterstock

#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



Tupungato // Shutterstock

#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



Alexander Canas Arango // Shutterstock

#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



Kellys Portillo/APHOTOGRAFIA //Getty Images

#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


Article Topic Follows: stacker-California

Jump to comments ↓

Author Profile Photo

Stacker

Stacker is a news organization committed to telling engaging, research-driven stories. For more information, click here.

BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION

News Channel 3-12 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.

Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here

If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here.

Skip to content