Trinidadian and Tobagonian Americans

Last updated
Trinidadian and Tobagonian Americans
Total population
218,783 (2019) [1]
Regions with significant populations
New York, Florida and New Jersey; with smaller numbers in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Texas, Maryland, Minnesota, California, and Massachusetts
Languages
English (American English, Trinidadian English, Trinidadian English Creole, Tobagonian English Creole), Trinidadian Hindustani, Antillean French Creole, Chinese, Arabic, Spanish
Religion
Christianity  · Hinduism  · Islam  · Baháʼí  · Orisha-Shango (Yoruba) · Rastafari  · Buddhism  · Chinese folk religion  · Judaism  · Others
Related ethnic groups
Trinidadians and Tobagonians, Caribbean Americans, Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian, Afro-Trinidadians and Tobagonians, Chinese Trinidadian and Tobagonian, European Trinidadian and Tobagonian, Indian Americans, South Asian Americans, Indo-Caribbean Americans, Guyanese Americans, Surinamese Americans, African Americans, Chinese Americans, European Americans

Trinidadian and Tobagonian Americans (also known as Trinbagonian Americans) are people with Trinidadian and Tobagonian ancestry or immigrants who were born in Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad and Tobago is home to people of many different national, ethnic and religious origins. As a result, people of Trinidadian and Tobagonian descent do not equate their nationality with ethnicity. The largest proportion of Trinidadians lives in the New York metropolitan area, with other large communities located in South Florida, Central Florida, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Texas, Minnesota, Georgia, and Massachusetts. There are more than 223,639 Trinbagonian Americans living in the United States. [2]

Contents

Historical immigration

First wave of Trinidadians and Tobagonians in America

Trinidadians, largely Afro-Trinidadians, began immigrating to the United States in the 19th century. [3]

Trinidadian and Tobagonian immigration to the United States, which dates back to the 17th century, was spasmodic and is best studied in relation to the major waves of Caribbean immigration. The first documented account of black immigration to the United States from the Caribbean dates back to 1619, when a small group of voluntary indentured workers arrived in Jamestown, Virginia, on a Dutch frigate. The immigrants worked as free people until 1629 when a Portuguese vessel arrived with the first shipload of blacks captured off the west coast of Africa. In the 1640s Virginia and other states began instituting laws that took away the freedom of blacks and redefined them as chattel or personal property. Trinidad, like many other islands in the British West Indies, served as a clearinghouse for slaves en route to North America. The region also acted as a "seasoning camp" where newly arrived blacks were "broken-in" psychologically and physically to a life of slavery, as well as a place where they acquired biological resistance to deadly European diseases. [4]

Second wave

From 1966 to 1970, 23,367 Trinidadian and Tobagonian immigrants, primarily from the educated elite and rural poor classes, legally migrated to the United States. From 1971 to 1975, the figure climbed to 33,278. It dropped to 28,498 from 1976 to 1980, and only half that amount between 1981 and 1984, when the Reagan administration began placing greater restrictions on U.S. immigration policy. Less than 2,300 Trinidadian and Tobagonian immigrants arrived in 1984 and that number scarcely increased during President Reagan's second term of office. A few European-Trinidadians migrated during the latter half of the 20th century, primarily because they were losing their grip on political power in the Republic with the rise of nationalism and independence. The majority of those immigrants came to the United States because Britain had restricted immigration from the Commonwealth islands to the British Isles. A larger number migrated in the late 1980s when oil prices fell, sending the Republic into a deep recession. Trinidadians and Tobagonians are now the second largest group of English-speaking West Indian immigrants in the United States. [5]

US communities with high percentages of people of Trinidadian and Tobagonian ancestry

The top US communities with the highest percentage of people claiming Trinidadian-Tobagonian ancestry are: [6]

  1. Lakeview, New York and Naranja, Florida 2.70%
  2. South Floral Park, New York 2.50%
  3. Mount Rainier, Maryland 2.30%
  4. Orange, New Jersey and Blue Hills, Connecticut 2.20%
  5. Brooklyn, New York 2.10%
  6. Chillum, Maryland 2.00%
  7. Roosevelt, New York 1.90%
  8. Landover Hills, Maryland and Cheverly, Maryland 1.60%
  9. Langley Park, Maryland 1.50%
  10. Riverdale Park, Maryland 1.40%
  11. North Amityville, New York, Surfside, Florida and Gordon Heights, New York 1.30%
  12. Neptune City, New Jersey, Wheatley Heights, New York and Miramar, Florida 1.20%
  13. Cottage City, Maryland, Hempstead, New York, North Valley Stream, New York, Uniondale, New York, North Lauderdale, Florida, Harrington Park, New Jersey and Beltsville, Maryland 1.10%
  14. Bloomfield, Connecticut and Central Islip, New York 1.00%

U.S. communities with high percentages of residents born in Trinidad & Tobago

Top 101 U.S. communities with the highest percentage of residents born in Trinidad & Tobago are: [7]

  1. McIntyre, GA 3.8%
  2. Lakeview, NY 3.0%
  3. South Floral Park, NY 2.7%
  4. Palmetto Estates, FL 2.6%
  5. Chula Vista, FL 2.4%
  6. Orange, NJ 2.4%
  7. Boulevard Gardens, FL 2.3%
  8. Gun Club Estates, FL 2.2%
  9. Naranja, FL 2.2%
  10. Mount Rainier, MD 2.1%
  11. Brooklyn, NY 2.1%
  12. Cheverly, MD 2.1%
  13. Kendall Green, FL 2.0%
  14. Orlo Vista, FL 2.0%
  15. Blue Hills, CT 2.0%

See also

Related Research Articles

The history of Trinidad and Tobago begins with the settlements of the islands by Indigenous First Peoples. Trinidad was visited by Christopher Columbus on his third voyage in 1498,, and claimed in the name of Spain. Trinidad was administered by Spanish hands until 1797, but it was largely settled by French colonists. Tobago changed hands between the British, French, Dutch, and Courlanders, but eventually ended up in British hands following the second Treaty of Paris (1814). In 1889, the two islands were incorporated into a single political entity. Trinidad and Tobago obtained its independence from the British Empire in 1962 and became a republic in 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demographics of Trinidad and Tobago</span>

This article is about the demography of the population of Trinidad and Tobago including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian</span> Ethnic group

Indo-Trinidadians and Tobagonians or Indian-Trinidadians and Tobagonians are people of Indian origin who are nationals of Trinidad and Tobago whose ancestors came from India and the wider subcontinent beginning in 1845 during the period of colonization.

Afro-Trinidadians and Tobagonians are people from Trinidad and Tobago who are of Sub-Saharan African descent, mostly from West Africa. Social interpretations of race in Trinidad and Tobago are often used to dictate who is of West African descent. Mulatto-Creole, Dougla, Blasian, Zambo, Maroon, Pardo, Quadroon, Octoroon or Hexadecaroon (Quintroon) were all racial terms used to measure the amount of West African ancestry someone possessed in Trinidad and Tobago and throughout North American, Latin American and Caribbean history.

Dougla people are Caribbean people who are of mixed African and Indian descent. The word Dougla is used throughout the Dutch and English-speaking Caribbean.

Trinidadian and Tobagonian English (TE) or Trinidadian and Tobagonian Standard English is a dialect of English used in Trinidad and Tobago. TE co-exists with both non-standard varieties of English as well as other dialects, namely Trinidadian Creole in Trinidad and Tobagonian Creole in Tobago.

Indo-Caribbean Americans or Indian-Caribbean Americans, are Americans who trace their ancestry ultimately to India, though whose recent ancestors lived in the Caribbean, where they migrated beginning in 1838 as indentured laborers. There are large populations of Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonians and Indo-Guyanese along with a smaller population of Indo-Surinamese, Indo-Jamaicans and other Indo-Caribbeans in the United States, especially in the New York metropolitan area and Florida. The Washington metropolitan area, Texas, and Minnesota also have small numbers of Indo-Guyanese and Indo-Trinidadians. Indo-Caribbean Americans are a subgroup of Caribbean Americans as well as Indian Americans, which are a subgroup of South Asian Americans, which itself is a subgroup of Asian Americans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trinidad and Tobago</span> Country in the Caribbean

Trinidad and Tobago, officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago and numerous much smaller islands, it is situated 11 kilometres off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and 130 kilometres south of Grenada. It shares maritime boundaries with Barbados to the east, Grenada to the northwest and Venezuela to the south and west. Trinidad and Tobago is generally considered to be part of the West Indies. The island country's capital is Port of Spain, while its largest and most populous city is San Fernando.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caribbean Hindustani</span> Indo-Aryan language spoken in the Caribbean

Caribbean Hindustani is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by Indo-Caribbeans and the Indo-Caribbean diaspora. It is a koiné language mainly based on the Bhojpuri and Awadhi dialects. These Hindustani dialects were the most spoken dialects by the Indians who came as immigrants to the Caribbean from India as indentured laborers. It is closely related to Fiji Hindi and the Bhojpuri-Hindustani spoken in Mauritius and South Africa.

Jamaican Americans are an ethnic group of Caribbean Americans who have full or partial Jamaican ancestry. The largest proportions of Jamaican Americans live in South Florida and New York City, both of which have been home to large Jamaican communities since the 1950s and 60s. There are also communities of Jamaican Americans residing in Connecticut, Georgia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Massachusetts, and California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Indian Americans</span> Americans of West Indian (Caribbean) birth or descent

Caribbean Americans or West Indian Americans are Americans who trace their ancestry to the Caribbean. Caribbean Americans are a multi-ethnic and multi-racial group that trace their ancestry further in time mostly to Africa, as well as Asia, the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, and to Europe. As of 2016, about 13 million — about 4% of the total U.S. population — have Caribbean ancestry.

Argentine Americans are Americans whose full or partial origin hails from Argentina.

Chinese Trinidadians and Tobagonians are Trinidadians and Tobagonians of Han Chinese ancestry. The group includes people from Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Overseas Chinese who have immigrated to Trinidad and Tobago and their descendants, including those who have emigrated to other countries. The term is usually applied both to people of mixed and unmixed Chinese ancestry, although the former usually appear as mixed race in census figures. Chinese settlement began in 1806. Between 1853 and 1866 2,645 Chinese immigrants arrived in Trinidad as indentured labour for the sugar and cacao plantations. Immigration peaked in the first half of the twentieth century, but was dramatically lowered after the Chinese Communist Revolution in 1949. After peaking at 8,361 in 1960, the unmixed Chinese population in Trinidad declined to 3,800 in 2000, however slightly increased to 3,984 in 2011.

Chinese Caribbeans are people of Han Chinese ethnic origin living in the Caribbean. There are small but significant populations of Chinese and their descendants in all countries of the Greater Antilles. They are all part of the large Chinese diaspora known as Overseas Chinese.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of Trinidad and Tobago</span> Overview of and topical guide to Trinidad and Tobago

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Trinidad and Tobago:

The Punjabi diaspora refers to the descendants of ethnic Punjabis who emigrated out of the Punjab region in the northern part of the South Asia to the rest of the world. Punjabis are one of the largest ethnic groups in both the Pakistani and Indian diasporas. The Punjabi diaspora numbers around the world has been given between 2.5 and 10 million, mainly concentrated in Britain, Canada, United States, Western Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.

Guyanese Americans are American people with Guyanese ancestry or immigrants who were born in Guyana. Guyana is home to people of many different national, ethnic and religious origins. As of 2019, there are 231,649 Guyanese Americans currently living in the United States. The majority of Guyanese live in New York City – some 140,000 – making them the fifth-largest foreign-born population in the city.

White Trinidadians and Tobagonians are Trinidadians of European descent. However, while the term "White Trinidadian" is used to refer collectively to all Caucasians who are Trinidadian, whether by birth or naturalization, the term "local-white" is used to refer more specifically to Trinidad-born Caucasians and, in particular, those who trace their roots back to Trinidad's early settlers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trinidadians and Tobagonians</span> People identified with the country of Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidadians and Tobagonians, colloquially known as Trinis or Trinbagonians, are the people who are identified with the country of Trinidad and Tobago. The country is home to people of many different national, ethnic and religious origins. As a result, Trinidadians do not equate their nationality with race and ethnicity, but with citizenship, identification with the islands as whole, or either Trinidad or Tobago specifically. Although citizens make up the majority of Trinidadians, there is a substantial number of Trinidadian expatriates, dual citizens and descendants living worldwide, chiefly elsewhere in the Anglosphere.

The city of Baltimore, Maryland includes a large and growing Caribbean-American population. The Caribbean-American community is centered in West Baltimore. The largest non-Hispanic Caribbean populations in Baltimore are Jamaicans, Trinidadians and Tobagonians, and Haitians. Baltimore also has significant Hispanic populations from the Spanish West Indies, particularly Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, and Cubans. Northwest Baltimore is the center of the West Indian population of Baltimore, while Caribbean Hispanics in the city tend to live among other Latinos in neighborhoods such as Greektown, Upper Fell's Point, and Highlandtown. Jamaicans and Trinidadians are the first and second largest West Indian groups in the city, respectively. The neighborhoods of Park Heights and Pimlico in northwest Baltimore are home to large West Indian populations, particularly Jamaican-Americans.

References

  1. ↑ "Table B04006 - PEOPLE REPORTING ANCESTRY- American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  2. ↑ "Trinidadian and Tobagonian Americans | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  3. ↑ Daniels, Roger (2001). American Immigration: A Student Companion. Oxford University Press. p. 261. ISBN   978-0-19-511316-7.
  4. ↑ "(PDF) Trinidadian and Tobagonian Immigrants" . Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  5. ↑ Cortés, Carlos E. (15 August 2013). Multicultural America: A Multimedia Encyclopedia. SAGE Publications. p. 2093. ISBN   9781452276267.
  6. ↑ "Ancestry Map of Trinidadian & Tobagonian Communities". Epodunk.com. Retrieved 2008-08-04.
  7. ↑ "Top 101 cities with the most residents born in Trinidad and Tobago (population 500+)". city-data.com. Retrieved 2008-08-04.
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