English American

English American
Notable English Americans: George Washington · Buddy Holly · Elizabeth Taylor
Total population
English 24,509,692 Americans 8.7% of US population estimated up to 19.5% of total US population [1] 28,290,369 2006 American Community Survey[2]
Regions with significant populations
Throughout the United States
Language(s)
American English
Religion(s)
Christian: Mostly Protestant
Related ethnic groups
British Americans (Scottish Americans,Scots-Irish Americans,Welsh Americans), English people

English Americans (occasionally known as Anglo-Americans) are citizens of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in England. In the 2000 U.S census, English was the 3rd most commonly stated European ancestry group.

The earliest English settlers in America inhabited the Protestant Colony and Dominion of Virginia, founded by the Tudors. The Catholic Province of Maryland was founded by the Stuarts, in between the two halves of Virginia. The later Quaker Province of Pennsylvania was founded for the professed purpose of Christian friendship, influential under the Hanoverians.

The English in a later era, without state support, as with most immigrant groups, sought economic prosperity and began emigrating in large numbers, particularly in the 19th century ^[3]. English people make up between 8.7% and 19.5% of the US population, and the English language is spoken by 82% of the US population as their only language (with 96% of the population speaking it fluently/ very well to well).

Number of English Americans

Census Data

Map showing the population density who declared "American" ancestry . Largest concentrations are notably in areas of significant colonial British settlement.

In the 2000 Census, 24.5 million Americans reported English ancestry, 8.7% of the total U.S. population. This estimate may be a serious undercount by 30 million given the fact in the 1980 census 50 million claimed to be of English ancestry. 23,748,772 Americans claimed wholly English ancestry and another 25,849,263 claimed English along with another ethnic ancestry. ^[4] 80 million people in the 2000 census list their ancestry as 'other' and 20 million as 'American.' In 1860 an estimated 11 million or almost 35% of the population of the United States was wholly or partly of English ancestry. The population has increased by almost ten times the numbers in 1860. As with any ethnicity, Americans of English descent may choose to identify themselves as American if their ancestry has been in America for many generations, or for the same reason may be unaware of their lineage.

Distribution

English Americans are found in large numbers throughout America, particularly in the Northeast and West. According to the 2000 US census, the 10 states with the largest populations of English Americans are

• California (2,521,355 - 7.4% of state population)
• Florida (1,468,576 - 9.2%)
• Texas (1,462,984 - 7%)
• New York (1,140,036 - 6%)
• Ohio (1,046,671 - 9.2%)
• Pennsylvania (966,253 - 7.9%)
• Michigan (988,625 - 9.9%)
• Illinois (831,820 - 6.7)
• Virginia (788,849 - 11.1)
• North Carolina (767,749 - 9.5%)

The 10 States with the highest percentages of self reported English ancestry are:

• Utah (29.0%)
• Maine (21.5%)
• Vermont (18.4%)
• Idaho (18.1%)
• New Hampshire (18.0%)
• Wyoming (15.9%)
• Oregon (13.2%)
• Montana (12.7)
• Delaware (12.1)
• Colorado, Rhode Island, Washington (12.0% each)

English was the highest reported European ancestry in the States of Maine, Utah, and Vermont, and was joint highest along with German in North and South Carolina.

Maps

On the left, a map showing the population density of Americans who declared English ancestry in the census. Dark blue and purple colours indicate a higher density: highest in the east and west (see also Maps of American ancestries). Center, a map showing the population of English Americans by state. On the right, a map showing the percentages of English Americans by state.

History

Early Settlement and Colonization

See also: English colonization of the Americas

The red and pink areas of the map show show land over which the British claimed authority in 1775

English settlement in America began with Jamestown in the Virginia Colony in 1607. With the permission of James I, three ships (the Susan Constant, The Discovery, and The God Speed) sailed from England and landed at Cape Henry in April, under the captainship of Christopher Newport,^[5] who had been hired by the London Company to lead expeditions to what is now America.^[6]

The second successful colony was Plymouth Colony, founded in 1620 by people who would later become known as the Pilgrims. Fleeing religious persecution in the East Midlands in England, they first went to Holland, but feared losing their English identity^[7]. Because of this, they chose to relocate to the New World, with their voyage being financed by English investors.^[8] In September 1620, 102 passengers set sail aboard the Mayflower, eventually settling at Plymouth Colony in November.^[9] This story has become a central theme in the United States cultural identity.

A number of English colonies were established under a system of proprietary governors, who were appointed under mercantile charters to English joint stock companies to found and run settlements.

England also took over the Dutch colony of New Netherland (including the New Amsterdam settlement), renaming it the Province of New York in 1664^[10]. With New Netherland, the English came to control the former New Sweden (in what is now Delaware), which the Dutch had conquered from Sweden earlier^[11]. This became part of Pennsylvania. Many people believe that America was discovered by, and takes its name from, Amerigo Vespucci. However, this is unlikely as newly-discovered lands were normally named after their discoverer's surname. Therefore, had America been discovered by Vespucci, it would more likely have been called "Vespuccia" or something of that ilk. It is much more likely that America was named after an englishman of welsh heritage named Richard Amerike, whose surname was "derived from ap Meuric, Welsh for the son of Maurice".

English immigration after 1776

An estimated 3.5 million English emigrated to the USA after 1776. English settlers provided a steady and substantial influx throughout the nineteenth century. The first wave of increasing English immigration began in the late 1820s and was sustained by unrest in England until it peaked in 1842 and declined slightly for nearly a decade. Most of these were small farmers and tenant farmers from depressed areas in rural counties in southern and western England and urban laborers who fled from the depressions and from the social and industrial changes of the late 1820s-1840s. While some English immigrants were drawn by dreams of creating model utopian societies in America, most others were attracted by the lure of new lands, textile factories, railroads, and the expansion of mining. During the last years of 1860s, annual English immigration increased to over 60,000 and continued to rise to over 75,000 per year in 1872, before experiencing a decline. The final and most sustained wave of immigration began in 1879 and lasted until the depression of 1893. During this period English annual immigration averaged more than 80,000, with peaks in 1882 and 1888. The building of America's transcontinental railroads, the settlement of the great plains, and industrialization attracted skilled and professional emigrants from England. Also, cheaper steamship fares enabled unskilled urban workers to come to America, and unskilled and semiskilled laborers, miners, and building trades workers made up the majority of these new English immigrants. While most settled in America, a number of skilled craftsmen remained itinerant, returning to England after a season of two of work. Groups of English immigrants came to America as missionaries for the Salvation Army and to work with the activities of the Evangelical and Mormon Churches. The depression of 1893 sharply decreased English immigration, and it stayed low for much of the twentieth century.This decline reversed itself in the decade of World War II when over 100,000 English (18 percent of all European immigrants) came from England. In this group was a large contingent of war brides who came between 1945 and 1948. In these years four women emigrated from England for every man. In the 1950's, English immigration increased to over 150,000.and rose to 170,000 in the 1960's[1] While differences developed, it is not surprising that English immigrants had little difficulty in assimilating to American life. The American resentment against the policies of the English government was rarely transferred to English settlers who came to America in the first decades of the nineteenth century. During all of American history English immigrants and their descendants were prominent on every level of government and in every aspect of American life. Eight of the first ten American presidents and more than that proportion of the 42 presidents, as well as the majority of sitting congressmen and congresswomen, are descended from English ancestors. The acronym WASP, for white Anglo-Saxon Protestant, is used to describe the dominant political and cultural demographic.

Political Involvement

Colonial Period

"The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles", by Capt. John Smith

John Trumbull's famous painting, Declaration of Independence. Two Red Ensigns, one British flag, and one English flag can be seen upon the wall.

As the earliest colonists of America, the English and their descendents often held positions of power and made or helped make laws ^[1], often because many had been involved in government back in England^[2]. In the original 13 colonies, most laws contained elements found in the English common law system.^[3]

The Founding Fathers

The lineage of most of the Founding Fathers was English. Such persons include Samuel Adams^[4]. Others signatories of the Declaration of Independence, such as Robert Morris were English born ^[5]. Of the "Committee of Five" (the group delegated to draft the Declaration of Independence), Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin ^[6] had English roots.

Presidents of English Descent

A significant number of U.S Presidents have been of English ancestry. These include:

1. George Washington ^[7], 1st President 1789-1797
2. John Adams ^[8], 2nd President 1797-1801
3. Thomas Jefferson ^[9] 3rd president 1801-1809
4. James Madison ^[10], 4th President 1809-1817
5. John Quincy Adams ^[11], 6th President 1825-1829
6. William Henry Harrison ^[12], 9th President 1841
7. John Tyler ^[13], 10th President 1841-1845
8. Zachary Taylor ^[14], 12th President 1849-1850
9. Millard Fillmore ^[15], 13th President 1850-1853
10. Franklin Pierce ^[16], 14th President, 1853-1857
11. Abraham Lincoln ^[17], 16th President 1861-1865
12. Andrew Johnson ^[18], 17th President 1865-1869
13. Rutherford B. Hayes^[19], 19th President 1877-1881
14. James Garfield ^[20], 20th President 1881
15. Chester A. Arthur^[21], 21st President 1881-1885
16. Grover Cleveland ^[22], 22nd President 1885-1889, 1893-1897
17. Benjamin Harrison ^[23], 23rd President 1889-1893
18. Theodore Roosevelt ^[24], 26th President, 1901-1909
19. William H. Taft ^[25], 27th President 1901-1909
20. Harry S. Truman ^[26], 33rd President 1945-1953
21. Lyndon B. Johnson ^[27] 36th President 1963-1969
22. Gerald Ford ^[28], 38th President 1974-1977
23. Jimmy Carter ^[29]39th president 1977-1981
24. Ronald Reagan^[30], 40th President 1981-1989
25. George H.W. Bush ^[31], 41st President 1989-1993
26. George W. Bush, 43rd President 2001-

English influence in the United States

The English have contributed greatly to American life. Today, English is the most commonly spoken language in the U.S^[32], where it is estimated that one third of all native speakers of English live. Much of American culture also shows influences from English culture. For example, popular American sports such as baseball and American football have their origins in sports played in England in the 19th century^[33][34]. Another area of cultural influence, the American national anthem takes its melody from the 18th century English song To Anacreon in Heaven ^[35][36].

There are also many places named after those in England or in some way related to England. These include New York (after York^[37]), New Hampshire (after Hampshire^[38]), Manchester^[39], Boston^[40], Southampton^[41], and the region of New England. New Jersey was named after the isle of Jersey in the English Channel^[42]. In addition, some places were named after the English royal family. Virginia and West Virginia were given these names in honor of Queen Elizabeth I of England^[43](popularly known in England as the "Virgin Queen"), and Maryland was named so for King Charles I (who himself had the Carolinas named for him)'s wife Queen Henrietta Maria (Queen Mary). ^[44]

The American legal system also has its roots in English law.^[45] For example, elements of the Magna Carta were incorporated into the United States constitution^[46]. English law prior to the revolution is still part of the law of the United States, and provides the basis for many American legal traditions and policies. After the revolution, English law was again adopted by the now independent American States.^[47]

Notables

See List of Americans of English decent

John Quincy Adams	Bob Hope	George W. Bush	Elizabeth Taylor
Oliver Hardy	James Madison	Justin Timberlake	Mischa Barton
Bing Crosby	Britney Spears	Benjamin Franklin	Sienna Miller

See also

• British American
• Anglo America
• Anglo-American relations
• Anglosphere
• Anglo-Utahns
• Boston Brahmin
• English colonization of the Americas
• Immigration to the United States
• English place names in the United States
• Maps of American ancestries
• The Pilgrims
• White Anglo-Saxon Protestant
• Yankee

References

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