Norwegian American norskamerikaner
Notable Norwegian Americans: ·Marilyn Monroe · Eliot Ness
Total population
Norwegian 4,477,725 Americans Scandinavian 425,099 Americans 1.6% of the US population Image File history File links Gentlemen_Prefer_Blondes_Movie_Trailer_Screenshot_(16). ... Image File history File links Eliotness. ... Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson on June 1, 1926 – August 5, 1962), was a Golden Globe Award-winning American actress, singer, model and pop icon. ... Eliot Ness Eliot P. Ness (April 19, 1903 – May 16, 1957) was an American Prohibition agent, famous for his efforts to enforce Prohibition in Chicago, Illinois as the leader of a legendary team nicknamed The Untouchables. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Norway. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ...
Regions with significant populations
Throughout much of the Midwestern United States; also in parts of the Pacific Northwest
Language(s)
English, Norwegian
Religion(s)
Predominantly Lutheran; also Church of Norway, other Protestant denominations
Related ethnic groups
Scandinavian Americans

Norwegian Americans or (Norwegian norskamerikaner) are an ethnic group in the United States. They are the descendants of Norwegian immigrants who came to the United States primarily in the latter half of the 19th century and the first few decades of the 20th century. There are more than 5 million^[1] Norwegian-Americans according to the most recent U.S. census, and most live in the Upper Midwest. This article is about the Midwestern region in the United States. ... The Pacific Northwest from space The Pacific Northwest, abbreviated PNW, or PacNW is a region in the northwest of North America. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... The Lutheran movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity by the original definition. ... The Church of Norway (Den norske kirke in Bokmål or Den norske kyrkja in Nynorsk), also known as the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Norway, is the state church of Norway, to which 83%[1] of Norwegians are members. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... See: Danish American Norwegian American Swedish American Finnish American Icelandic American Category: ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ...

Norwegians in the United States

History

Viking exploration

Norsemen from Greenland and Iceland were the first Europeans to reach North America in what is today Newfoundland, Canada, when the Icelander Leifr Eiríksson reached North America via Norse settlements in Greenland around the year 1000, nearly five centuries before Columbus. It is generally accepted that the Norse settlers in Greenland founded the capital settlement of Vinland at L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland, Canada and that their territory encompassed the whole of the island of Newfoundland in Canada.^{[citation needed]} Just how much they explored further past the Canadian Maritime Provinces (known as Skrælingeland in Old Norse; later Acadia and then Nova Scotia) in Canada has been a matter of debate for the past hundred years amongst romantic and ethnic nationalists as well as some lay historians. Some widely disputed evidence suggests that Norwegians may have made many settlements much further into the North American mainland than was believed before. (See Kensington Runestone.) Statue of Leif in front of Hallgrímskirkja, in Reykjavík, Iceland. ... Norseman redirects here; for the town of the same name see Norseman, Western Australia. ... Europe in 1000 The year 1000 of the Gregorian Calendar was the last year of the 10th century as well as the last year of the first millennium. ... Christopher Columbus (1451 – May 20, 1506) was a navigator and colonialist who is one of the first Europeans to discover the Americas, after the Vikings. ... Norseman redirects here; for the town of the same name see Norseman, Western Australia. ... Not to be confused with capitol. ... For the historical novel by George Mackay Brown, which depicts Leif Eiríkssons voyage, see Vinland (novel). ... LAnse aux Meadows (from the French LAnse-aux-Méduses or Jellyfish Cove) is a site on the northernmost tip of the island of Newfoundland, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, where the remains of a Viking village were discovered in 1960 by the Norwegian explorer Helge Ingstad and... Newfoundland —   IPA: [nuw fÉ™n lænd] (French: , Irish: ) is a large island off the east coast of North America, and the most populous part of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. ... The Maritimes or Maritime provinces are a region of Canada on the Atlantic coast, consisting of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. ... Maps showing the different cultures in Greenland, Labrador, Newfoundland and the Canadian arctic islands in the years 900, 1100, 1300 and 1500. ... Old Norse or Danish tongue is the Germanic language once spoken by the inhabitants of the Nordic countries (for instance during the Viking Age). ... Flag History  - Established 1604  - English conquest 1713 Acadia (1754) Acadia (in the French language lAcadie) was the name given to a colonial territory in northeastern North America that included parts of eastern Quebec, the Maritime provinces, and modern-day New England, stretching as far south as Philadelphia. ... Motto: Munit Haec et Altera Vincit(Latin) One defends and the other conquers Capital Halifax Largest city Halifax Regional Municipality Official languages English, Canadian Gaelic Government - Lieutenant-Governor Mayann E. Francis - Premier Rodney MacDonald (PC) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 11 - Senate seats 10 Confederation July 1, 1867... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Ethnic nationalism is the form of nationalism in which the state derives political legitimacy from historical cultural or hereditary groupings (ethnicities); the underlying assumption is that ethnicities should be politically distinct. ... The Kensington runestone is a roughly rectangular slab of greywacke covered in runes on its face and side. ...

Norwegian immigrants wearing their traditional outfit (bunad).

U.S. postage stamp honoring the hundredth anniversary of the Restauration.

Download high resolution version (1341x2012, 341 KB)Two Norwegian immigrants wearing traditional outfits This image is in the public domain in the United States and possibly other jurisdictions. ... Download high resolution version (1341x2012, 341 KB)Two Norwegian immigrants wearing traditional outfits This image is in the public domain in the United States and possibly other jurisdictions. ... Mens bunad from Nord Gudbrandsdalen and womens bunad from Oppdal A bunad is a traditional Norwegian costume, typically of rural origin. ... Image File history File links Stamp_US_1925_5c_Norse-American. ... Image File history File links Stamp_US_1925_5c_Norse-American. ...

Post-Columbian settlement

There was a Norwegian presence in New Amsterdam (New York after 1664) in the early part of 17th century. One of the first Norweigian settlers was Albert Andriessen Bradt who arrived in New Amsterdam in 1637.[2] Approximately 60 persons had settled in the Manhattan area before the British take-over in 1664. How many Norwegians that settled in New Netherlands (the area up the Hudson River to Fort Oranje - now Albany) is not known. Holland (and especially Amsterdam and Hoorn) had strong commercial ties with coastal Norway during the 17th century (the lumber trade) and many Norwegians emigrated to Amsterdam. Some of them settled in Dutch colonies, but never in large numbers. (For further reading, see f.e J.H. Innes - "New Amsterdam and its people".) There were also Norwegian settlers in Pennsylvania in the first half of the 18th century, and in upstate New York in the latter half of the same century. New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... For other uses, see Manhattan (disambiguation). ... The Hudson River, called Muh-he-kun-ne-tuk in Mahican or as the Lenape Native Americans called it in Unami, Muhheakantuck, is a river that runs through the eastern portion of New York State and, along its southern terminus, demarcates the border between the states of New York and... Fort Orange (also Fort Oranje or Fort Oranije) was the first permanent Dutch settlement in New York. ... For other uses, see Albany. ... Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 km²)  - Width 280 miles (455 km)  - Length 160 miles (255 km)  - % water 2. ... This article is about the state. ...

Organized immigration

Cleng Peerson

Organized Norwegian immigration to North America began in 1825, when several dozen Norwegians left Stavanger bound for North America on the sloop Restauration (often called the "Norwegian Mayflower") under the leadership of Cleng Peerson. The emigrants were primarily Quakers, though personal and economic motivations may have played a role. The ship landed in New York City, where it was at first impounded for exceeding its passenger limit. After intervention from President John Quincy Adams, the passengers moved on to settle in Kendall, New York with the help of Andreas Stangeland, witnessing the opening of the Erie Canal en route. Most of these immigrants moved on from Kendall, settling in Illinois and Wisconsin. Cleng Peerson became a traveling emissary for Norwegian immigrants and died in a Norse Settlement near Cranfills Gap, Texas, in 1865. Image File history File links Cleng. ... Image File history File links Cleng. ... Year 1825 (MDCCCXXV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... County District Jæren Municipality NO-1103 Administrative centre Stavanger Mayor (1995-) Leif Johan Sevland (H) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 406 71 km² 68 km² 0. ... A sloop-rigged J-24 sailboat A sloop (From Dutch sloep) in sailing, is a vessel with a fore-and-aft rig. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Mayflower (disambiguation). ... Cleng Peerson (17 May 1782 or 1783 – 16 December 1865) led the first group of Norwegians to emigrate to the United States, traveling on the sloop Restauration. ... The Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as Quakers, or Friends, is a religious community founded in England in the 17th century. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... John Quincy Adams (July 11, 1767 – February 23, 1848) was a diplomat, politician, and the sixth President of the United States (March 4, 1825 – March 4, 1829). ... Kendall is a town located in Orleans County, New York. ... The Erie Canal (currently part of the New York State Canal System) is a canal in New York State, United States, that runs from the Hudson River to Lake Erie, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... Official language(s) None Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Area  Ranked 23rd  - Total 65,498 sq mi (169,790 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 310 miles (500 km)  - % water 17  - Latitude 42° 30′ N to 47° 05′ N  - Longitude 86° 46′ W to 92° 53′ W Population  Ranked... Cleng Peerson (17 May 1782 or 1783 – 16 December 1865) led the first group of Norwegians to emigrate to the United States, traveling on the sloop Restauration. ... Cranfills Gap is a city located in Bosque County, Texas. ... Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... 1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ...

While there were about 65 Norwegian individuals who emigrated via ports in Sweden and elsewhere in the intervening years, the next emigrant ship did not leave Norway for the New World until 1836, when the ships Den Norske Klippe and Norden departed. In 1837, a group of immigrants from Tinn emigrated via Gothenburg to the Fox River Settlement, near present-day Sheridan, Illinois. But it was the writings of Ole Rynning, who traveled to the US on the Ægir in 1837 that energized Norwegian immigration. Year 1836 (MDCCCXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Queen Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom (1837 - 1901) 1837 (MDCCCXXXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... County Telemark District Øst-Telemark Municipality NO-0826 Administrative centre Rjukan Mayor (2005) Erik Haatvedt (Ap) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 28 2,045 km² 1,854 km² 0. ... Sheridan is a village located in La Salle County, Illinois. ...

The good majority of Norwegian immigrants, close to 500,000 came to the USA via Canada, and the Canadian port of Quebec. The British Government repealed the navigation laws in 1849 in Canada and from 1850 on, Canada became the port of choice as Norwegian ships carried passengers to Canada and took lumber back to Norway. The Canadian route offered many advantages to the emigrant over travelling to the USA directly. "They moved on from Quebec both by rail and by steamer for another thousand or more miles (1600km) for a steerage fare of slightly less than $9.00. Steamers from Quebec, Canada brought them to Toronto, Canada then the immigrants often traveled by rail for 93 miles to Collingwood, Ontario, Canada on Lake Huron, from where steamers transported them across Lake Michigan to Chicago, Milwaukee and Green Bay. (USA)" (pp. 13-14). Not until the turn of the century did Norwegians accept Canada as a land of the second chance. This was also true of the many American-Norwegians who moved to Canada seeking homesteads and new economic opportunities. By 1921 one-third of all Norwegians in Canada had been born in the US.

To a great extent, early emigration from Norway was borne out of religious persecution, especially for Quakers and a local religious group, haugianere. The Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as Quakers, or Friends, is a religious community founded in England in the 17th century. ... Hans Nielsen Hauge (1771-1824) was a revivalist Norwegian lay preacher who spoke up against the Church establishment in Norway. ...

Norwegian immigration through the years was predominantly motivated by economic concerns. Compounded by crop failures, Norwegian agricultural resources were unable to keep up with population growth, and the Homestead Act promised fertile, flat land. As a result, settlement trended westward with each passing year. Early Norwegian settlements were in Pennsylvania and Illinois, but moved westward into Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the Dakotas. The Homestead Act was a United States Federal law that gave freehold title to 160 acres (one quarter section or about 65 hectares) of undeveloped land in the American West. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 8. ...

Additionally, craftsmen also emigrated to a larger, more diverse market. Until recently, there was a Norwegian area in Sunset Park, Brooklyn originally populated by Norwegian craftsmen. Sunset Park is a neighborhood in the southern Brooklyn section of Brooklyn, New York, USA. The neighborhood is located south of Park Slope and Windsor Terrace, separated by Green-Wood Cemetery and the Prospect Expressway/NY-27, while 65th Street and the Gowanus Expressway/I-278 mark the end of...

Between 1825 and 1925, more than 800,000 Norwegians immigrated to North America—about one-third of Norway's population with the majority immigrating to the USA, and lesser numbers immigrating to the Dominion of Canada. With the exception of Ireland, no single country contributed a larger percentage of its population to the United States than Norway. Year 1825 (MDCCCXXV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Year 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Today

• There are more than 4.5 million people of Norwegian ancestry in the United States today.^[1] Of these, approximately three million claim 'Norwegian' as their sole or primary ancestry.
• A little more than 2% of whites in the United States are of Norwegian descent. In the Upper Midwest, especially Minnesota, western Wisconsin, northern Iowa, and the Dakotas, more than 15% of whites are of Norwegian descent.
• 55% of Norwegian Americans live in the Midwest, although a large number (21%) live in the Pacific States of Washington, Oregon, and California.
• Norwegian Americans actively celebrate and maintain their heritage in many ways. Much of it centers on the Lutheran-Evangelical churches they were born into, but also culinary customs (e.g., lutefisk and lefse), costumes (bunad), and Norwegian holidays (Syttende Mai, May 17) are popular. A number of towns in the United States, particularly in the Upper Midwest, display very strong Norwegian influences.
• The Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn once had a significant Norwegian population. At one time, Bay Ridge was home to a larger population of Norwegians than Oslo, Norway^{[citation needed]}.
• Although the Norwegians were the most numerous of all the Scandinavian immigrant groups, other Scandinavians also immigrated to America during the same time period. Today, there are 11-12 million Americans of Scandinavian ancestry. Scandinavian descendants represent about 6% of the white population in the United States as a whole, and more than 25% of the white population of the Upper Midwest.
• Norwegian Americans tend to be Lutheran, although substantial minorities are Roman Catholic or belong to other Protestant denominations. See The Norwegian Lutheran Church in the United States.

Kinship and descent is one of the major concepts of cultural anthropology. ... “Whites” redirects here. ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 8. ... Official language(s) None Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Area  Ranked 23rd  - Total 65,498 sq mi (169,790 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 310 miles (500 km)  - % water 17  - Latitude 42° 30′ N to 47° 05′ N  - Longitude 86° 46′ W to 92° 53′ W Population  Ranked... Official language(s) English Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Area  Ranked 26th  - Total 56,272 sq mi (145,743 km²)  - Width 310 miles (500 km)  - Length 199 miles (320 km)  - % water 0. ... The Dakotas is a collective term used in the United States to refer to the states of North and South Dakota together. ... This article is about the Midwestern region in the United States. ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... For the capital city of the United States, see Washington, D.C.. For other uses, see Washington (disambiguation). ... Official language(s) (none)[1] Capital Salem Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 9th  - Total 98,466 sq mi (255,026 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestant Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther. ... Lutefisk (on the upper left side of the plate) as served in a Norwegian restaurant, with potatoes, mashed peas, and bacon. ... A piece of lefse topped with rakfisk and other foods Lefse is a traditional soft Norwegian flatbread made out of potato, milk or cream and flour, and cooked on a griddle. ... Mens bunad from Nord Gudbrandsdalen and womens bunad from Oppdal A bunad is a traditional Norwegian costume, typically of rural origin. ... The Norwegian Constitution Day is the National Day of Norway and is an official national holiday each year. ... is the 137th day of the year (138th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Scandinavia (disambiguation). ... The Lutheran movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity by the original definition. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Most Norwegian immigrants to the United States, particularly in the migration wave between the 1860s and early 20th century, were members of the Church of Norway, an evangelical Lutheran church established by the Constitution of Norway. ...

Norwegian Americans by state

Distribution of Norwegian Americans according to the 2000 census

The 10 states with the most Norwegian Americans: Image File history File links Norwegian1346. ... Image File history File links Norwegian1346. ... By county. ... 2000 US Census logo The Twenty-Second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13. ...

1. Minnesota – 850,742
2. Wisconsin – 454,831
3. California – 436,128
4. Washington – 367,508
5. North Dakota – 193,158
6. Illinois – 178,923
7. Iowa – 166,667
8. Oregon – 147,262
9. Texas – 118,968
10. South Dakota – 115,292

The 10 states with the top percentages of Norwegian Americans: Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 8. ... Official language(s) None Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Area  Ranked 23rd  - Total 65,498 sq mi (169,790 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 310 miles (500 km)  - % water 17  - Latitude 42° 30′ N to 47° 05′ N  - Longitude 86° 46′ W to 92° 53′ W Population  Ranked... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... For the capital city of the United States, see Washington, D.C.. For other uses, see Washington (disambiguation). ... Official language(s) English Capital Bismarck Largest city Fargo Area  Ranked 19th  - Total 70,762 sq mi (183,272 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 340 miles (545 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... Official language(s) English Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Area  Ranked 26th  - Total 56,272 sq mi (145,743 km²)  - Width 310 miles (500 km)  - Length 199 miles (320 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) (none)[1] Capital Salem Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 9th  - Total 98,466 sq mi (255,026 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Pierre Largest city Sioux Falls Area  Ranked 17th  - Total 77,116[1] sq mi (199,905 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 380 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ...

1. North Dakota – 30.1% of the state's white population is of Norwegian ancestry
2. Minnesota – 17.3%
3. South Dakota – 15.3%
4. Montana – 10.6%
5. Wisconsin – 8.5%
6. Washington – 6.2%
7. Iowa – 5.7%
8. Oregon – 4.3%
9. Wyoming – 4.3%
10. Alaska – 4.2%

Official language(s) English Capital Bismarck Largest city Fargo Area  Ranked 19th  - Total 70,762 sq mi (183,272 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 340 miles (545 km)  - % water 2. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 8. ... Official language(s) English Capital Pierre Largest city Sioux Falls Area  Ranked 17th  - Total 77,116[1] sq mi (199,905 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 380 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... Official language(s) English Capital Helena Largest city Billings Area  Ranked 4th  - Total 147,165 sq mi (381,156 km²)  - Width 255 miles (410 km)  - Length 630 miles (1,015 km)  - % water 1  - Latitude 44°26N to 49°N  - Longitude 104°2W to 116°2W Population  Ranked... Official language(s) None Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Area  Ranked 23rd  - Total 65,498 sq mi (169,790 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 310 miles (500 km)  - % water 17  - Latitude 42° 30′ N to 47° 05′ N  - Longitude 86° 46′ W to 92° 53′ W Population  Ranked... For the capital city of the United States, see Washington, D.C.. For other uses, see Washington (disambiguation). ... Official language(s) English Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Area  Ranked 26th  - Total 56,272 sq mi (145,743 km²)  - Width 310 miles (500 km)  - Length 199 miles (320 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) (none)[1] Capital Salem Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 9th  - Total 98,466 sq mi (255,026 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Cheyenne Largest city Cheyenne Area  Ranked 10th  - Total 97,818 sq mi (253,348 km²)  - Width 280 miles (450 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) None[1] Spoken language(s) English 85. ...

Use of Norwegian language in the United States

Use of the Norwegian language in the United States was at its peak between 1900 and World War I, then: Norwegian (norsk) is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is an official language. ... Ğ: For the film, see: 1900 (film). ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ...

• Over one million Americans spoke Norwegian as their primary language.
• There were dozens of Norwegian-language newspapers across the Upper Midwest.
  • Decorah Posten was one such newspaper.
  • The Northfield Independent was another notable newspaper. The Editor Was Andrew Roberg, who collected massive amounts of Norwegian births and deaths in US. The file he created is now known as The Rowberg File (Maintained at St. Olaf College, and is commonly used in family research across the USA and Norway.
  • Over 600,000 homes received at least one Norwegian newspaper in 1910.
• More than 3,000 Lutheran churches in the Upper Midwest used Norwegian as their sole language.

Use of the Norwegian language declined in the 1920s and 1930s due in large part to the rise of nationalism among the American population during and after World War I. During this period, readership of Norwegian-language publications fell, Norwegian Lutheran churches began to hold their services in English, and the younger generation of Norwegian-Americans was encouraged to speak English rather than Norwegian. When Norway itself was liberated from the Nazis in 1945, relatively few Norwegian-Americans under the age of 40 still spoke Norwegian as their primary language (although many still understood the language). As such, they were not passing the language on to their children, the next generation of Norwegian-Americans. The Decorah Posten was a notable Norwegian language newspaper, published in Decorah, Iowa, United States. ... St. ... Year 1910 (MCMX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday [1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestant Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther. ... The 1920s is sometimes referred to as the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties, usually applied to America. ... The 1930s (years from 1930–1939) were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression, also known as the World Depression. ... Nazism in history Nazi ideology Nazism and race Outside Germany Related subjects Lists Politics Portal         Nazism, or National Socialism (German: Nationalsozialismus), refers primarily to the totalitarian ideology and practices of the Nazi Party (National Socialist German Workers Party, German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP) under Adolf Hitler. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ...

Today there are 81,000 Americans who speak Norwegian as their primary language.

Many Lutheran colleges that were established by immigrants and people of Norwegian background, such as Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, and St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, continue to offer Norwegian majors in their undergraduate programs. Many major American universities, such as the University of Washington, University of Oregon, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the Indiana University offer Norwegian as a language within their Germanic language studies programs. For other places with the same name, see Luther College (disambiguation). ... Decorah is a city located in Winneshiek County, Iowa. ... The university is located near Tacoma, Washington Pacific Lutheran University is located in the Parkland suburb of Tacoma, Washington. ... Nickname: Location of Tacoma in Pierce County and Washington State Coordinates: , Country State County Pierce Government  - Mayor Bill Baarsma (D) Area  - City  62. ... St. ... Northfield is a city in Rice County, Minnesota. ... The University of Washington, founded in 1861, is a public research university in Seattle, Washington. ... The University of Oregon is a public university located in Eugene, Oregon. ... University of Wisconsin redirects here. ... Indiana University, founded in 1820, is a nine-campus university system in the state of Indiana. ...

Two Norwegian Lutheran churches in the United States continue to use Norwegian as a primary liturgical language, Mindekirken in Minneapolis and Minnekirken in Chicago. The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church of Minneapolis (Norwegian Den Norske Lutherske Mindekirke), better known as Mindekirken, is a Lutheran church in Minneapolis in the U.S. state of Minnesota. ... “Minneapolis” redirects here. ...

Literary writing in Norwegian in North America includes the works of Ole Edvart Rølvaag, whose best-known work Giants in the Earth ("I de dage") was published in both English and Norwegian versions. Rølvaag was a professor from 1906 to 1931 at St. Olaf College, where he was also head of the Norwegian studies department beginning in 1916. Ole Edvart Rølvaag Ole Edvart Rølvaag (spelled Rolvaag in the United States) (April 22, 1876 - November 5, 1931) was a Norwegian-American writer and professor, well known for his writings on the immigrant experience. ...

See also

• List of Norwegian-Americans
• Sons of Norway
• Norge, a small town with historic district near Williamsburg in James City County, Virginia. Settled by Norwegian-American people and named for their homeland.
• Poulsbo, a city in Washington founded by a Norwegian immigrant that maintains a strong Norwegian culture.
• Petersburg, Alaska, founded by the Norwegian immigrant Peter Buschmann. Known for its strong Norwegian traditions and nicknamed "Little Norway"
• Norsk Høstfest (lit. "Norwegian Autumn Festival") is an annual festival held in October in Minot, North Dakota.
• Demographics of the United States for comparative population.
• Ole and Lena, protagonists of numerous Norwegian-American jokes
• Garrison Keillor's radio variety show A Prairie Home Companion contains much humorous material from the "Norwegian American Midwest"
• Uff da, a typically Norwegian-American exclamation
• Starbuck, Minnesota, a small western town that produces the largest lefse in the world.
• Stoughton, Wisconsin, a small Midwestern city known for its Norwegian heritage.
• Norskedalen, near Coon Valley, Wisconsin, has exhibits in Wisconsin about Norwegian-Americans.
• Westby, Wisconsin, a small midwestern city known for its Norwegian heritage.
• Norwegian-Canadians - whose history is interlinked with that of Norwegian Americans.
• Nordic Heritage Museum in the Ballard district of Seattle. Ballard is noted as one of the only Norwegian/Scandinavian "cultural ghettos" in Greater Seattle, which is heavily Scandinavian in background overall.
• Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in Decorah, Iowa: the largest museum in the United States dedicated to the experiences of a single immigrant population.

Sons of Norway is a fraternal organization representing people of Norwegian heritage in the United States. ... Location in the Commonwealth of Virginia. ... James City County, Virginia as shown on 1895 map James City County (formally, the County of James City) is a county located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads region of the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Poulsbo is a waterfront city located in Kitsap County, Washington. ... Petersburg is a city in Wrangell-Petersburg Census Area, Alaska, in the United States. ... Norsk Høstfest is an annual festival held each October in Minot, North Dakota. ... Minot (IPA ,  ) is a city located in north central North Dakota in the United States. ... Population of the United States, 1790 to 2000 The demographics of the United States depict a largely urban nation, with 57 percent of its population living in places more than 100 miles away from the ocean (2003). ... Ole and Lena are characters persistent in jokes by Scandinavian-Americans, dominantly in the Upper Midwest region of the U.S., particularly in Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota where Lutherans are common. ... Garrison Keillor (born Gary Edward Keillor on August 7, 1942) is an American author, humorist, columnist, musician, satirist, and radio personality. ... This article is about the radio show. ... Uff da is an exclamation of Norwegian origin that is relatively common in the Upper Midwestern states of the United States, meaning roughly drats, oops! or ouch! especially if the ouch! is an empathetic one. ... Starbuck is a city in Pope County, Minnesota, United States. ... Stoughton is a city in Dane County, Wisconsin. ... Norskedalen Nature and Heritage Center, which means “The Norwegian Valley,” located near Coon Valley, Wisconsin, in Vernon County, Wisconsin, is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of Norwegian-American culture and heritage as well as the conservation of the natural environment of the Coulee Region. ... Coon Valley is a village located in Vernon County, Wisconsin. ... The tone or style of this article or section may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. ... A Norwegian(-)Canadian is a Canadian citizen with Norwegian background. ... The Nordic Heritage Museum is a museum in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. ... Ballard Ballard is a neighborhood in Seattle, Washington. ... Seattle redirects here. ... This article belongs in one or more categories. ... Decorah is a city located in Winneshiek County, Iowa. ...

Notes

1. ^ ^a  Incidentally, the number of Americans of Norwegian descent living in the U.S. today (4.5 million) is roughly equal to the current population of Norway (4.6 million).

2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

Secondary sources

• Kenneth Bjork, West of the Great Divide: Norwegian Migration to the Pacific Coast, 1847-1893 (Norwegian-American Historical Association, Northfield, Minn., 1958)
• Theodore C. Blegen, Norwegian Migration to the United States (2 vols., Norwegian-American Historical Association, Northfield, Minn., 1931-40), standard history
• Theodore C. Blegen, "Cleng Peerson and Norwegian Immigration", Mississippi Valley Historical Review 7 (March 1921): 303-21, story of a leading promoter and his American careerl in JSTOR
• Gjerde, Jon. The Minds of the West: Ethnocultural Evolution in the Rural Middle West, 1830-1917 (1997)
• Gjerde, Jon. From Peasants to Farmers: The Migration from Balestrand, Norway, to the Upper Middle West (1985)
• Jacobs, Henry Eyster. A History of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United States (1893),
• Munch, Peter A. "Authority and Freedom: Controversy in Norwegian-American Congregations", Norwegian-American Studies 28 (1979)
• Nelson, E. Clifford and Eugene L. Fevold, The Lutheran Church among Norwegian Americans: A History of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2 vols. (1960)
• Qualey, Carlton C. Norwegian Settlement in the United States (Northfield, Minn.: Norwegian-American Historical Association, 1938).

Located at St. ... Henry Eyster Jacobs (1844–1932) was an American educator and Lutheran theologian, born at Gettysburg, Pa. ...

Primary sources

• Theodore C. Blegen, ed., Norwegian Emigrant Songs and Ballads (Minneapolis, 1936)
• Gulliksen, Øyvind T. "Letters to Immigrants in the Midwest from the Telemark Region of Norway", Norwegian-American Studies 32 [1989]
• Nilsson, Svein. A Chronicler of Immigrant Life: Svein Nilsson's Articles in Billed-Magazin, 1868-1870, trans. and ed. C. A. Clausen [Norwegian-American Historical Association, 1982]
• Ræder, Ole Munch. America in the Forties: The Letters of Ole Munch Ræder, ed. and trans. Gunnar J. Malmin (Minneapolis: Norwegian-American Historical Association, 1929)

External links

Official:

• Norwegian Embassy official website in the United States – General information about Norway, news and events of interest to Americans

U.S. Census Bureau statistics:

• Norwegian population data
• States with the highest number of Norwegians – Page hosted by Mongabay.com
• Number of language speakers, including Norwegian

Associations/societies:

• The Norse Federation (Nordmanns-Forbundet) – Founded in 1907; seeks to strengthen cultural as well as personal ties with Norway
• Norwegian-American Foundation
• Norwegian American Historical Association
• Friends of Norway Caucus – A Congressional Caucus promoting Norwegian-American relations, founded by Norwegian-American congressmen
• Sons of Norway – An organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Norwegian heritage and culture, especially in America
• The Half-Norwegian (on the Mother's Side) American Bar Association

Museums:

• Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum – Exhibitions and collections, genealogy and Civil War databases, etc. Located in Decorah, Iowa.