Costa Rican American
Encyclopedia
A Costa Rican American is an inhabitant of the United States
who is of Costa Rica
n descent or birth.
The American Community Survey
estimated the population of Costa Rican Americans to be 117,563 in 2007.
Since 1931 only 57,661 Costa Ricans have immigrated to the United States. Hence, the number of Costa Rican emigrants has been increasing very slowly. This is very different from the pattern of emigration from most other Central American countries. In fact, the other two countries in this region that have a continuously slow rate of emigration are Belize
and Panama
.
, Florida
, Texas
, and the New York City
/ New Jersey
area.
The areas with the largest Costa Rican populations, in according to the latter reports, are: Los Angeles
and its surrounding areas (23,625), New York City area (including parts of Connecticut
, New Jersey
, and Long Island
(12,985)), Miami and surrounding areas (in the Hialeah
) and in Fort Lauderdale) (9,987) and in the Houston and Galveston area of Texas (2,534). There is also a significant Costa Rican American population in the Chicago
, Illinois
, and Gary, Indiana
, areas (1,845). The geographical preferences of Costa Ricans se hacen evident in the statistics from the Immigration and Naturalization Service, as consistent with the findings of the 1990 census.
Costa Ricans tend to disappear in the English-speaking population or form working and friendly relationships with other Hispanics, celebrating with them when the occasion arises. The most of Costa Rican Americans maintain their heritage, but they also tend to integrate and adjust to their environment quickly, especially if they want to join a church or if they have children in the public school system. If both parents speak Spanish, chances are that the children will be raised bilingually. However, if only one parent speaks Spanish, the children will usually grow up speaking only English. Since Costa Ricans did not suffer ethnic persecution during the colonial period, nor did they have a violent war of independence, they are not as self-conscious about their ethnicity as other Hispanic groups. Therefore, they usually acculturate and assimilate rather rapidly.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
who is of Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
n descent or birth.
The American Community Survey
American Community Survey
The American Community Survey is an ongoing statistical survey by the U.S. Census Bureau, sent to approximately 250,000 addresses monthly . It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census...
estimated the population of Costa Rican Americans to be 117,563 in 2007.
History
In fact, have never been waves of migration from Costa Rica to the United States and the Immigration and Naturalization Service records indicate that very few Costa Ricans have tried to enter the country so illegally. This is because, unlike other Hispanic groups, they have not been forced to emigrate to the U.S. for political oppression or extreme economic circumstances. Most costarriquenses living in the United States have been established here for any of the following reasons: They Have Americans married people, raised by wicho Their Families in the United States, They Have Been Hired to work in the United States After Completing a degree in an American university, They Have eaten research seeking Opportunities Which are not so readily available in Their Country, Or they have come to various jobs and trades in the United States.Since 1931 only 57,661 Costa Ricans have immigrated to the United States. Hence, the number of Costa Rican emigrants has been increasing very slowly. This is very different from the pattern of emigration from most other Central American countries. In fact, the other two countries in this region that have a continuously slow rate of emigration are Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
and Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
.
Demography
The most of Costa Ricans that live in United States live in CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, and the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
/ New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
area.
The areas with the largest Costa Rican populations, in according to the latter reports, are: Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and its surrounding areas (23,625), New York City area (including parts of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, and Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
(12,985)), Miami and surrounding areas (in the Hialeah
Hialeah, Florida
Hialeah is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 226,419. As of 2009, the population estimate by the U. S...
) and in Fort Lauderdale) (9,987) and in the Houston and Galveston area of Texas (2,534). There is also a significant Costa Rican American population in the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, and Gary, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, areas (1,845). The geographical preferences of Costa Ricans se hacen evident in the statistics from the Immigration and Naturalization Service, as consistent with the findings of the 1990 census.
Costa Ricans tend to disappear in the English-speaking population or form working and friendly relationships with other Hispanics, celebrating with them when the occasion arises. The most of Costa Rican Americans maintain their heritage, but they also tend to integrate and adjust to their environment quickly, especially if they want to join a church or if they have children in the public school system. If both parents speak Spanish, chances are that the children will be raised bilingually. However, if only one parent speaks Spanish, the children will usually grow up speaking only English. Since Costa Ricans did not suffer ethnic persecution during the colonial period, nor did they have a violent war of independence, they are not as self-conscious about their ethnicity as other Hispanic groups. Therefore, they usually acculturate and assimilate rather rapidly.
Communities
The following is a list of the top 25 U.S. communities, of 500 or more people, with the highest percentages of people born in Costa Rica:- Bound Brook, New JerseyBound Brook, New JerseyBound Brook is a borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. At the United States 2010 Census, the population was 10,402.Bound Brook was originally incorporated as a town by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 24, 1869, within portions of Bridgewater Township...
14.7% - Lincolnton, North CarolinaLincolnton, North CarolinaLincolnton is a city in Lincoln County, North Carolina, United States, within the Charlotte metropolitan area. The population was 10,683 at the 2010 census. Lincolnton is located northwest of Charlotte, on the South Fork of the Catawba River, and near the junction of State Highway 27 and U.S. Route...
8.8% - Irwindale, CaliforniaIrwindale, CaliforniaIrwindale is a city in the San Gabriel Valley, in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 1,422 at the 2010 census, down from 1,446 at the 2000 census....
5.2% - Somerville, New JerseySomerville, New JerseySomerville is a borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 12,098. It is the county seat of Somerset County....
5.0% - Boger City, North CarolinaBoger City, North CarolinaBoger City is an unincorporated community in Lincoln County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 554 at the 2000 census, at which time it was erroneously listed as a census designated place.-Geography:...
3.5% - Raritan, New JerseyRaritan, New JerseyRaritan is a Borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 6,881.-Geography:Raritan is located at ....
3.3% - Summit, New JerseySummit, New JerseySummit is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. At the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 21,457. Summit had the 16th-highest per capita income in the state as of the 2000 Census....
3.2% - Springs, New YorkSprings, New YorkSprings is a census-designated place roughly corresponding to the hamlet by the same name in the town of East Hampton in Suffolk County, New York on the South Fork of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the hamlet population was 4,950...
3.1% - Dover, New JerseyDover, New JerseyDover is a town in Morris County, New Jersey on the Rockaway River. Dover is west of New York City and west of Newark, New Jersey. As of the United States Census, 2000, the town's population was 18,188.-Geography:...
1.9% - Utopia, FloridaUtopia, FloridaUtopia was a census-designated place in Broward County, Florida, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the CDP population was 714. The area is now part of a West Park neighborhood.-Geography:Utopia is located at...
1.8% - Hampton Bays, New YorkHampton Bays, New YorkHampton Bays is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 12,236 at the 2000 census.Hampton Bays is in the Town of Southampton.-Geography:...
1.8% - Maiden, North CarolinaMaiden, North CarolinaMaiden is a town in Catawba and Lincoln counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Maiden is also known as "The Biggest Little Football Town in the World"...
1.7% - Sans Souci, South CarolinaSans Souci, South CarolinaSans Souci is a census-designated place in Greenville County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 7,836 at the 2000 census...
1.7% - Manville, New JerseyManville, New JerseyManville is a Borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 10,344. Manville was named after the Johns-Manville Corporation, which maintained a large manufacturing facility in the borough for decades.Historically, many of...
1.6% - Ashland City, TennesseeAshland City, TennesseeAshland City is a town in Cheatham County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 3,641 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Cheatham County.-History:Ashland City was created in 1856 as a county seat for the newly-established Cheatham County...
1.6% - Wendover, UtahWendover, UtahWendover is a city in Tooele County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Elko Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,537 at the 2000 census, with a 2006 estimated population of 1,632....
1.6% - South Bound Brook, New JerseySouth Bound Brook, New JerseySouth Bound Brook is a Borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 4,563.What is now South Bound Brook was originally formed as a town within Franklin Township...
1.5% - Arroyo Colorado Estates, TexasArroyo Colorado Estates, TexasArroyo Colorado Estates is a census-designated place in Cameron County, Texas, United States. The population was 755 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Brownsville–Harlingen Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
1.5% - Belvedere, South CarolinaBelvedere, South CarolinaBelvedere is a census-designated place and suburb of North Augusta in Aiken County, South Carolina, United States. It is part of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area...
1.4% - Lake Clarke Shores, FloridaLake Clarke Shores, FloridaLake Clarke Shores is a town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,451 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 3,475.-History:...
1.4% - Clinton, New JerseyClinton, New JerseyClinton is a Town in Hunterdon County, New Jersey on the South Branch of the Raritan River. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 2,719....
1.4% - Biscayne Park, FloridaBiscayne Park, FloridaBiscayne Park is a village in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,269 at the 2000 census. Biscayne Park was developed in the 1920's by Arthur Griffing. The area was annexed by the city of Miami in 1925 but with the arrival of the Great Depression Miami gave up...
1.4% - Bridgehampton, New YorkBridgehampton, New YorkBridgehampton is a hamlet in the South Fork of Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 1,381 at the 2000 census....
1.4% - Sun Valley, IdahoSun Valley, IdahoSun Valley is a resort city in Blaine County in the central part of the U.S. state of Idaho, adjacent to the city of Ketchum, lying within the greater Wood River valley. Tourists from around the world enjoy its skiing, hiking, ice skating, trail riding, tennis, and cycling. The population was 1,427...
1.3% - Wainscott, New YorkWainscott, New YorkWainscott is a census-designated place that roughly corresponds to the hamlet with the same name in the town of East Hampton in Suffolk County, New York on the South Fork of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 628...
1.3%
Notable Costa Rican Americans
- JP Calderon - model
- Ringo CantilloRingo CantilloJulio “Ringo” Cantillo is a former Costa Rican-American soccer midfielder. He played seven seasons in the American Soccer League where he was the league MVP as a rookie. He won MVP honors a total of three times in the ASL. Cantillo also spent four seasons in the North American Soccer League, one...
- Franklin Chang-Diaz - NASA astronaut
- Sonia Chang-DíazSonia Chang-DíazSonia Rosa Chang-Díaz is an American Democrat politician who represents the 2nd Suffolk District in the Massachusetts Senate. She is the first Hispanic or Latino woman to hold such office.-Background:...
- Politician - Eliot A. JardinesEliot A. JardinesEliot A. Jardines was the first Assistant Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Open Source in the United States.-Early life and education:...
- Candice MichelleCandice MichelleCandice Michelle Beckman-Ehrlich better known as Candice Michelle or just Candice, is an American model, actress, and professional wrestler best known for her time with World Wrestling Entertainment....
- Rosa Mendes
- Alexander SalazarAlexander SalazarAlexander Salazar is a Costa Rican-American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.-Biography:...
- Harry Shum, Jr.Harry Shum, Jr.Harry Shum, Jr. is an American dancer, actor, and choreographer. He is best known for his role as Mike Chang on the FOX television show Glee. He has appeared in dance films such as Stomp the Yard, You Got Served, Step Up 2: The Streets and Step Up 3D...