Does New Orleans feel Italian-American to you at all? (Metairie: to live, restaurants)

[puhnglaisoul]

One of New Orleans largest European ancestries is Italian ( with majority of the population being Sicilian).
I’ve studied that in some years, Italian was actually the largest European ancestry in New Orleans metropolitan area ( surpassing French ancestry).
I found that to be shocking.
I’ve even looked at New Orleans suburbs and sometimes Kenner and Metairie report their highest ancestries ( European wise) to be Italian. I found that to be surprising as I would have thought it were French.
Do you think New Orleans feels Italian American at all?

[Tyler_Jolie-Pitt]

No, not to me, but it’s a great question. The first Italians who ever came to America to live came to Louisiana.

[Suesbal]

Originally Posted by puhnglaisoul

One of New Orleans largest European ancestries is Italian ( with majority of the population being Sicilian).
I’ve studied that in some years, Italian was actually the largest European ancestry in New Orleans metropolitan area ( surpassing French ancestry).
I found that to be shocking.
I’ve even looked at New Orleans suburbs and sometimes Kenner and Metairie report their highest ancestries ( European wise) to be Italian. I found that to be surprising as I would have thought it were French.
Do you think New Orleans feels Italian American at all?

There’s no Little Italy in New Orleans or religious festivals in the streets.

[NJ Brazen_3133]

Watch the movie Vendetta with Christopher Walken. The first high profile criminal case involving the mafia took place in New Orleans.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hennessy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_...eans_lynchings

[Suesbal]

Originally Posted by NJ Brazen_3133

Watch the movie Vendetta with Christopher Walken. The first high profile criminal case involving the mafia took place in New Orleans.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hennessy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_...eans_lynchings

Based on what I’ve read about the situation, Hennessy could just as likely have been murdered by a political rival. New Orleans wasn’t a law-abiding place before the Italians came.

[puhnglaisoul]

The Italian population in New Orleans is most definitely underrated.
Most people don’t really know such ethnic population exists in New Orleans.

[Jimbo_1]

Most of New Orleans' Italian American population lives in the suburbs, especially Jefferson and St. Bernard Parishes, so it can be hard to tell just by visiting the city. That said the French Quarter was Little Italy back in the day and little remnants remain everywhere (Central Grocery being an obvious one) but sadly the growth of tourism has wiped out a lot of that history and population.

Italian American ancestry does make up nearly 20% of the New Orleans metro areas white population, nearly all Sicilian. Which while not being has high or well known as in the Northeast, it is still very palpable. Whether it be restaurants, broader cultural heritage, criminal history (Carlos Marcello), the unique growth of Italian Creole food over the century, or even just people with Italian surnames. St. Joseph's day alone is huge with altars spread throughout the area and at least 5 parades. And if you ever doubt the history or presence just go take a walk around Metairie cemetery or one of the downtown cemeteries, and seemingly half the names are Italian.

[Shark tooth necklace]

Originally Posted by puhnglaisoul

One of New Orleans largest European ancestries is Italian ( with majority of the population being Sicilian).
I’ve studied that in some years, Italian was actually the largest European ancestry in New Orleans metropolitan area ( surpassing French ancestry).
I found that to be shocking.
I’ve even looked at New Orleans suburbs and sometimes Kenner and Metairie report their highest ancestries ( European wise) to be Italian. I found that to be surprising as I would have thought it were French.
Do you think New Orleans feels Italian American at all?

Not one bit.

[puhnglaisoul]

Originally Posted by Jimbo_1

Most of New Orleans' Italian American population lives in the suburbs, especially Jefferson and St. Bernard Parishes, so it can be hard to tell just by visiting the city. That said the French Quarter was Little Italy back in the day and little remnants remain everywhere (Central Grocery being an obvious one) but sadly the growth of tourism has wiped out a lot of that history and population.

Italian American ancestry does make up nearly 20% of the New Orleans metro areas white population, nearly all Sicilian. Which while not being has high or well known as in the Northeast, it is still very palpable. Whether it be restaurants, broader cultural heritage, criminal history (Carlos Marcello), the unique growth of Italian Creole food over the century, or even just people with Italian surnames. St. Joseph's day alone is huge with altars spread throughout the area and at least 5 parades. And if you ever doubt the history or presence just go take a walk around Metairie cemetery or one of the downtown cemeteries, and seemingly half the names are Italian.

Wow. Interesting.

[Shark tooth necklace]

Originally Posted by Suesbal

There’s no Little Italy in New Orleans or religious festivals in the streets.

Lol!
But that’s not totally true about the religious festivals.