U.S. Census Office, Proportion of Foreign Born to the Aggregate Population (1898)

This choropleth map, based on the 1890 Census and published in the 1898 Statistical Atlas of the United States Based upon Results of the Eleventh Census under the direction of Henry Gannett, illustrates the proportion of immigrants relative to the total population across the United States. Darker shading indicates a higher percentage of immigrants within a given area. The map reveals especially high proportions of immigrants along the East Coast, throughout the Midwest, and on the West Coast. The high concentration of immigrants on the East Coast reflects the region’s role as the primary point of entry for the approximately 12 million immigrants who arrived in the United States during the late nineteenth century. The Midwest also shows substantial immigrant populations, particularly along the corridor of westward expansion in states such as North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas. These areas were sparsely populated and offered economic opportunities, making them attractive destinations for immigrant settlement. The West Coast likewise displays notable immigrant concentrations, influenced in part by events such as the California Gold Rush.