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I've noticed something strange happening in the Northeast. It seems like the Irish are slowly starting to be the dominant group in some places. And many would think that places like Providence, Hartford, NYC, and Philadelphia was where Italians were the dominant European group. Anyways, the reason why I'm posting is because I've looked at population figures on the census and here's some of the figures that I'll show you:
CT 2007 (http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet...false&-format=)
Now compare how the Irish and Italian population gap is decreasing from 2% to 1.5%, with the Irish gaining about 70,000 and the Italians gaining about 50,000 in ancestries. The Italians are still the dominant European group in CT. Speaking of Ct, check out the Hartford MSA.
Hartford has a large Italian population, and at 2000, they were the dominant group. But the Irish/Italian gap was very small at around 0.2%. From 2005 to 2006, both groups alternated as the dominant group and in 2007, the Irish are now the dominant group at close to 1% of the Irish/Italian gap.Here's the figures for Hartford city proper:
From 2000 to 2006, the Italians were the dominant European group in Hartford. Then in 2007, the Italian population population shrank, while the Irish population steadily risen as the dominant European group. Why is this??? I understand that Puerto Ricans are the largest Hispanic group and West Indians are the largest black group, but the Irish are the largest European group in Hartford???
In 2000, RI was still a state which had the highest concentrations of Italian Americans in the nation, with the Irish/Italian population gap at 0.6%. Now The Irish are the dominant European group in 2007 with the gap at 0.5%. RI is a part of the Providence-Fall River-New Bedford MSA, meaning that most of RI is added to Bristol County in MA. I didn't use that census info since the Irish dominate it, anyways, but here it is:
Providence is known for a large Italian population, and while some might be leaving for the suburbs, it also seems like the Irish has gained dominance as the largest European group in that city last year. Why is this??? Wha't s wrong with Providence???
Italians are the dominant group in NY State today, with it's largest concentrations in NYC, Utica, Rochester, and LI, but the Irish/Italian gap has decreased from 1.5% to 1%. Is the state of NY about to be dominated by the Irish???
Italians are dominant in the Tri-State area, with only a 0.1% drop in the Irish/Italian gap.
As usual, there was only a slight drop in the Irish/Italian population, but it seems more like the Italians have left more than the Irish when comparing the two populations together.
And finally, check out Philadelphia:
The Irish/Italian gap has also been steady between the two groups, with the Irish being the dominant group in the Delaware Valley, but back in 1980, it was the Italians that were dominant in both Philadelphia and the immediate area, with a 1% difference in the Irish/Italian gap. I, unfortunately can't find or post any proof of this on the internet, but it was known that Italians were dominant in Philadelphia from the beginning of WW2 to maybe the 90's,until the Irish took over as the dominant European ancestry. Why did the Italian population decrease to what it's now???
Anyway, I'm looking for intelligent answers, please. If this is a huge concern for a lot of Italian-Americans, I'd like to hear it. Thank you.
Why did the Italian population decrease to what it's now???
Anyway, I'm looking for intelligent answers, please. If this is a huge concern for a lot of Italian-Americans, I'd like to hear it. Thank you.
A guesswould be intermarriage into no faith/other faiths/cultures. Italians themselves are more concerned with being identified as "European EU Card Carriers" than historically Italian with emphasis on culture/Traditional Roman Catholicism and the allegiance to the Vatican. Since Italians in Italy don't care about living their history, I'd guess Italian Americans similarly are more concerned about being assimilated as Americans firstly and foremost.
Why don't you contact the Italian American Heritage Foundation and ask them?
This isn't 1920. The Irish vs. Italian days are long gone. Many of my friends are Irish, some of my closest friends are Irish... And I'm basically pure Italian. So who cares anymore? Today, not many people are JUST Italian or JUST Irish, as every generation passes, more "mutts" are created.
What I'm trying to say is that Italians are (or were, according to the latest census tabulation) is that areas in the NE that were once predominately Italian, like Philadelphia, or Hartford and Providence, has become now predominately Irish. I also reckon that Lackawanna County in NE PA was once predominately Italian, now it's Irish. I never said that Italians just dissapeared, just that they're no longer the dominant European group in those areas, and NYC is slowly losing it too.
Italians, for the most part, have assimilated into the fabric of pax Americana..I know many who don't even speak Italian or practice any Italian customs/traditions/etc.
How? There's hardly any immigration from Ireland anymore, or anywhere in Europe for that matter. If Italians are being displaced I would think it would be from Latinos.
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