Guatemalan American
Encyclopedia
A Guatemalan American is an American
of Guatemala
n descent.
The Guatemalan American population in the USA in 2009 was estimated by the US Census Bureau at 1,081,858 (+/-36,453). Guatemalans are the 2nd largest national subgroup of Central Americans in the USA (after the El Salvadorans).
Guatemalan-Americans tend to concentrate mainly in Greater Los Angeles
, followed by the New York metropolitan area
, Baltimore-Washington area, Greater Boston
, and San Francisco Bay Area
. Also Texas
has a very rapidly growing Guatemalan population.
, they first arrived by way of Mexico
and settled in urban areas like Chicago
, Los Angeles
, New Orleans, Houston, New York City
and San Francisco.
The intensification of the Guatemalan Civil War
during the 1970s and 1980s led to an influx of tens of thousands of Guatemalan refugees into the United States via Mexico, via both legal and illegal means. Guatemalan refugees became an important political and economic influence on seeking an end to the civil war, which finally came about in 1996. They also organized to change policies of the Mexican government in dealing with Guatemalan immigrants' legal status, their experience in Mexico, and difficulties of Guatemalans in Mexico immigrating to the US.
During the Guatemalan civil war, there was massive destruction of rural villages and farmlands. In the 1996 peace accords, there was a free exchange of civilian land to favor the rise of corporate agribusinesses with the drop of prices of local agricultural products. This heavily affected farm workers and inhabitants of the countryside and they had to immigrate into the US through Mexican territory. After September 11, 2001, Mexican officials made new laws through an initiative limiting immigration visas and other repressive measures on the southern Mexican border through Plan Sur, a binational treaty with the Guatemalan government.
The difference with Guatemalans in the US from other Latinos is that a large percentage of Guatemalans are Evangelical Protestant
s. Guatemala had seen a rise of Protestant and Evangelist
churches in the late 20th century, although the majority of Guatemalans are Roman Catholics. According to the national census in 2006, Protestants constituted about 30% of the population in Guatemala, the majority are from rural indigenous communities. Guatemalan-Americans are a contributor to the rise of Hispanic Protestants in the USA during the 2000s.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
of Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
n descent.
The Guatemalan American population in the USA in 2009 was estimated by the US Census Bureau at 1,081,858 (+/-36,453). Guatemalans are the 2nd largest national subgroup of Central Americans in the USA (after the El Salvadorans).
Guatemalan-Americans tend to concentrate mainly in Greater Los Angeles
Greater Los Angeles Area
The Greater Los Angeles Area, or the Southland, is a term used for the Combined Statistical Area sprawled over five counties in the southern part of California, namely Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County and Ventura County...
, followed by the New York metropolitan area
New York metropolitan area
The New York metropolitan area, also known as Greater New York, or the Tri-State area, is the region that composes of New York City and the surrounding region...
, Baltimore-Washington area, Greater Boston
Greater Boston
Greater Boston is the area of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts surrounding the city of Boston. Due to ambiguity in usage, the size of the area referred to can be anywhere between that of the metropolitan statistical area of Boston and that of the city's combined statistical area which includes...
, and San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
. Also 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...
has a very rapidly growing Guatemalan population.
History of Guatemalans in the USA
Guatemalans have emigrated to the USA since the 1930s and 1940s. Along with other Central Americans such as Costa RicansCosta Rican American
A Costa Rican American is an inhabitant of the United States who is of Costa Rican descent or birth.The American Community Survey estimated the population of Costa Rican Americans to be 117,563 in 2007.- History :...
, they first arrived by way of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and settled in urban areas like 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...
, 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...
, New Orleans, Houston, 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...
and San Francisco.
The intensification of the Guatemalan Civil War
Guatemalan Civil War
The Guatemalan Civil War ran from 1960-1996. The thirty-six-year civil war began as a grassroots, popular response to the rightist and military usurpation of civil government , and the President's disrespect for the human and civil rights of the majority of the population...
during the 1970s and 1980s led to an influx of tens of thousands of Guatemalan refugees into the United States via Mexico, via both legal and illegal means. Guatemalan refugees became an important political and economic influence on seeking an end to the civil war, which finally came about in 1996. They also organized to change policies of the Mexican government in dealing with Guatemalan immigrants' legal status, their experience in Mexico, and difficulties of Guatemalans in Mexico immigrating to the US.
During the Guatemalan civil war, there was massive destruction of rural villages and farmlands. In the 1996 peace accords, there was a free exchange of civilian land to favor the rise of corporate agribusinesses with the drop of prices of local agricultural products. This heavily affected farm workers and inhabitants of the countryside and they had to immigrate into the US through Mexican territory. After September 11, 2001, Mexican officials made new laws through an initiative limiting immigration visas and other repressive measures on the southern Mexican border through Plan Sur, a binational treaty with the Guatemalan government.
The difference with Guatemalans in the US from other Latinos is that a large percentage of Guatemalans are Evangelical Protestant
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
s. Guatemala had seen a rise of Protestant and Evangelist
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
churches in the late 20th century, although the majority of Guatemalans are Roman Catholics. According to the national census in 2006, Protestants constituted about 30% of the population in Guatemala, the majority are from rural indigenous communities. Guatemalan-Americans are a contributor to the rise of Hispanic Protestants in the USA during the 2000s.
US communities with high percentages of people of Guatemalan ancestry
The top 25 US communities with the highest percentages of people claiming Guatemalan ancestry are:- Georgetown, DelawareGeorgetown, DelawareGeorgetown is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2010 census figures, the population of the town is 6,422, an increase of 38.3% over the previous decade...
21.60% - Ellijay, GeorgiaEllijay, GeorgiaEllijay is a city in Gilmer County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,584 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Gilmer County.Ellijay lies where two rivers, the Ellijay and the Cartecay, come together to form the Coosawattee River...
17.17% - Brewster, New YorkBrewster, New YorkBrewster is a village within the town of Southeast in Putnam County, New York, United States. Its population was 2,162 at the 2000 census. The village is the most densely populated portion of the town...
15.03% - Stamford, ConnecticutStamford, ConnecticutStamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
12.90% - Central Falls, Rhode IslandCentral Falls, Rhode IslandCentral Falls is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 19,376 at the 2010 census. With an area of only , it is the smallest and most densely populated city in the smallest state, and the thirty-second most densely populated incorporated place in the United...
12.29% - Langley Park, MarylandLangley Park, MarylandLangley Park is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in the Washington, D.C. metro area. It is located inside the Capital Beltway, on the northwest edge of Prince George's County, Maryland, bordering Montgomery County, Maryland....
11.26% - Green Forest, ArkansasGreen Forest, ArkansasGreen Forest is a city in Carroll County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 2,717 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Green Forest is located at ....
8.35% - Chamblee, GeorgiaChamblee, GeorgiaAs of the 2010 Census Chamblee had a population of 9,892. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 45.0% white , 7.0% black or African American , 2.1% Native American , 1.8% Vietnamese, 1.6% Asian Indian, 4.6% other Asian, 33.5% from some other race and...
7.44% - Buena Vista, GeorgiaBuena Vista, GeorgiaBuena Vista is a city in Marion County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Columbus, Georgia-Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,664 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Marion County. It is the birthplace of Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Luther...
7.27% - Collinsville, AlabamaCollinsville, AlabamaCollinsville is a town in Cherokee and DeKalb Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2010 census, the population is 1,983. The town is a part of the 'Gadsden, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area'-Geography:...
7.12% - Indiantown, FloridaIndiantown, FloridaIndiantown is a census-designated place in Martin County, Florida, United States. The population was 5,588 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Port St. Lucie Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
7.10% - Both the townTownA town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
and villageVillageA village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
of Mount Kisco, New YorkMount Kisco, New YorkMount Kisco is a community that is both a village and a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The Town of Mount Kisco is coterminous with the village. The population was 10,877 at the 2010 census.- History :...
6.58% - Trion, GeorgiaTrion, GeorgiaTrion is a town in Chattooga County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,993 at the 2000 census. The estimated pop. as of 2006 is 2,001. Trion is the second largest incorporation is Chattooga County, which has a population of approximately 27,000...
6.17% - Schuyler, NebraskaSchuyler, NebraskaSchuyler is a city in Colfax County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 5,371 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Colfax County. The city is named after former Vice President of the United States, Schuyler Colfax...
5.83% - Cedartown, GeorgiaCedartown, GeorgiaCedartown is a city in Polk County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 9,750. The city is the county seat of Polk County...
5.59% - Morganton, North CarolinaMorganton, North CarolinaMorganton is a city in Burke County, North Carolina, United States. Reader's Digest included Morganton in its list of top ten places to raise a family. The town was recently profiled in The 50 Best Small Southern Towns. The population was 17,310 at the 2000 census...
5.46% - Fairview, New Jersey 5.45%
- Canton, GeorgiaCanton, GeorgiaCanton is a city in and the county seat of Cherokee County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 22,958.-Geography:Canton is located at ....
5.18% - Monterey, TennesseeMonterey, TennesseeMonterey is a town in Putnam County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 2,717 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Cookeville, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Monterey is located at ....
5.08% - Lexington, NebraskaLexington, NebraskaLexington is a city in Dawson County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 10,230 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Dawson County. Lexington is located in southern Nebraska, on the Platte River, southeast of North Platte. It sits along the route of U.S. Route 30 and the Union...
4.89% - Lake Worth, FloridaLake Worth, FloridaLake Worth is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, which takes its name from the body of water along its eastern border, originally called "Lake Worth", and now generally known as the Lake Worth Lagoon. The lake itself was named for General William J. Worth, who led U.S. forces during the last...
4.87% - Immokalee, FloridaImmokalee, FloridaImmokalee is a census-designated place in Collier County, Florida, United States. The population was 19,763 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Naples–Marco Island Metropolitan Statistical Area. The settlement was originally known as Gopher Ridge...
4.36% - Tice, FloridaTice, FloridaTice is a census-designated place in Lee County, Florida, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the CDP population was 4,538. It is part of the Cape Coral–Fort Myers Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
4.21% - Carthage, MissouriCarthage, MissouriCarthage is a city in Jasper County, Missouri, United States. The population was 14,378 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Jasper County and is nicknamed "America's Maple Leaf City."...
4.06% - Siler City, North CarolinaSiler City, North CarolinaSiler City is a town in Chatham County, North Carolina, United States. The population is right at 8,747 within corporate limits and 14,005 within corporate limits and ETJ...
3.96% - Jamesport, New YorkJamesport, New YorkJamesport is a census-designated place that roughly corresponds to the hamlet by the same name in the town of Riverhead in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The CDP's population was 1,526 at the 2000 census. Jamesport is known for its quaint downtown area including antique shops and...
3.87%
U.S. communities with the most residents born in Guatemala
Top 25 U.S. communities with the most residents born in Guatemala are:- Georgetown, DE 25.1%
- East Ellijay, GA 17.7%
- Ellijay, GA 16.8%
- Brewster, NY 16.3%
- Indiantown, FL 14.8%
- Langley Park, MD 13.4%
- Central Falls, RI 11.75%
- Chamblee, GA 10.3%
- Providence, RI 10.2%
- Mount Kisco, NY 8.9%
- Green Forest, AR 8.3%
- Lexington, NE 8.1%
- Buena Vista, GA 7.9%
- Saluda, SC 7.5%
- Collinsville, AL 7.3%
- Canton, GA 7.1%
- Page Park, FL 7.0%
- Quioque, NYQuioque, New YorkQuiogue is a census-designated place in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 800 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Quiogue is located at ....
6.6% - Fairview, NJ 6.6%
- Jennings, FL 6.3%
- Morganton, NC 6.2%
- Immokalee, FL 5.6%
- Monterey, TN 5.4%
- San Rafael, CA 5.4%
- Robbins, NC 5.3%
- Indio, CA 5.1%
- Coachella, CA 5.0%