Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

First- and Second-Generation Share of the Population, 1900-2015

Year 2nd generation 1st generation
1900 20.8 13.7
1910 20.1 14.6
1920 20.6 12.7
1930 20.1 11.3
1940 18.8 8.5
1950 16.2 6.9
1960 13.8 5.4
1970 12.1 4.7
1980 10.5 6.0
1990 9.7 7.9
2000 10.1 11.1
2006 10.8 12.2
2010 11.3 12.7
2015 11.9 13.9

Note: First generation immigrants are those born outside the U.S. Second generation immigrants are those born in the U.S. with at least one immigrant parent.

Source: 2000-2015 data and all second-generation data from Pew Research Center analysis of Current Population Surveys (IPUMS); historical trend from Passel and Cohn (2008) and Edmonston and Passel (1994)

Sign up for The Briefing

Weekly updates on the world of news & information