The U.S. Congress designated March as Irish American Heritage Month in 1991 and the president issues a proclamation commemorating the occasion each year.

Originally a religious holiday to honor St. Patrick who introduced Christianity to Ireland in the fifth century, St. Patrick’s Day has evolved into a celebration of all things Irish.

The world’s first St. Patrick’s Day parade occurred on March 17, 1762, in New York City, featuring Irish soldiers who served in the English military. This parade became an annual event, with President Truman attending in 1948.

The following facts are made possible by the invaluable responses to U.S. Census Bureau surveys.

Did You Know?

30.7 million or 9.2%
The number and percentage of U.S. residents who claimed Irish ancestry in 2022.

112,251
The number of foreign-born U.S. residents who reported Ireland as their birthplace in 2022.

418,997
The number of people living in Cook County, Illinois — the nation’s county with the largest Irish American population — who claimed Irish ancestry in 2022.

11.1%
The percentage of residents in Lake County, California, who claim Irish heritage. That makes Irish the third-largest ancestry claimed by county residents, following German (15.5%) and English (11.9%).

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