Lancaster Amish affiliation facts for kids
The Lancaster Amish affiliation is the biggest group among the Old Order Amish. They are a special part of the larger Amish community. Their main and oldest settlement, started in 1760, is in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. This settlement is the oldest Amish community still active today.
Their Way of Life
The Lancaster Amish are known for following their traditions closely. They have specific rules for how they live. For example, their buggies, which are like horse-drawn carriages, always have gray tops.
Compared to some other Amish groups, the Lancaster Amish are a bit more open to using certain technologies. However, they still follow strict community rules that guide their daily lives.
| Affiliation | Tractor for fieldwork | Roto- tiller | Power lawn mower | Propane gas | Bulk milk tank | Mechanical milker | Mechanical refrigerator | Pickup balers | Inside flush toilet | Running water bath tub | Tractor for belt power | Pneumatic tools | Chain saw | Pressurized lamps | Motorized washing machines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of use by all Amish |
6 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 35 | 35 | 40 | 50 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 75 | 90 | 97 |
| Swartzentruber | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Some | No | No | Yes |
| Swiss (Adams) | No | No | Some | No | No | No | No | No | Some | No | No | Some | Some | Some | Some |
| Buchanan/Medford | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Some | No | Yes | Yes |
| Danner | No | No | No | Some | No | No | Some | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
| Geauga I | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Some | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Holmes Old Order | No | Some | Some | No* | No | No | Some | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Elkhart-LaGrange | No | Some | Some | Some | Some | Some | Some | Some | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lancaster | No | No | Some | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Nappanee, Indiana | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Kalona | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
* Natural gas allowed
Their Communities
The Lancaster Amish affiliation has grown a lot over the years. In 1991, they had 141 church districts. By 2010, this number had increased to 286. A church district is like a local church group or community.
In 2011, this group was present in 8 different states. They had 37 settlements and 291 church districts. The Lancaster Amish make up about 15 percent of all Old Order Amish people. In 2015, this meant about 45,000 people out of a total of 300,000 Old Order Amish.
