Serbian Americans facts for kids
|
|
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 189,671(ACS estimate)-1,000,000+(est.) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Languages | |
| American English and Serbian | |
| Religion | |
| Serbian Orthodox Church | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Serbian Canadians and other Slavic Americans |
Serbian Americans (Serbian: Српски Американци / Srpski Amerikanci) are people living in the United States who have Serbian family roots. They are also called American Serbs (Serbian: Амерички Срби / Američki Srbi). In 2013, about 190,000 Americans said they had Serbian ancestors. However, the real number might be larger because many people who said they were Yugoslavs could also be Serbs. This group includes Serbs who have lived in America for a long time, people who are citizens of both Serbia and the U.S., and anyone who feels they are both Serbian and American.
Contents
A Look at Serbian American History
Serbian Americans have a rich history in the United States, with some of the first Serbs arriving over 200 years ago. They have contributed to many parts of American life, from fighting in wars to building communities.
Early Serbian Settlers
One of the first Serbs to come to the United States was George Fisher in 1815. He arrived in Philadelphia and later became a judge in California. Another important early Serb was Basil Rosevic, who started a shipping company around 1800.
In the early 1800s, many Serbian sailors and fishermen from Montenegro and Herzegovina came to New Orleans to find work. In 1841, Serbs and Greek immigrants together started a Greek Orthodox church in New Orleans.
Serbs in American Wars
Serbian Americans fought in the American Civil War. Most of them lived in Louisiana and Mississippi, so they mainly fought for the Confederacy. Some Confederate military groups were even started by Serbs in Louisiana. For example, the Cognevich Company was named after Stjepan Konjevic, a Serb who came to Louisiana in the 1830s. At least 400 Serbs fought in these units during the Civil War.
Later, some Serbian Americans went back to Serbia to fight in the First Balkan War. During World War I, as many as 15,000 Serbian Americans returned to the Balkans to fight for their homeland. Serbs in the U.S. who did not fight helped in other ways. They shared information, campaigned for the creation of Yugoslavia, and sent help to the Balkans through the Red Cross. They also formed a Serbian Relief Committee to support their people.
Serbian Immigration After World War II
After World War II, many Serbs moved to the United States from Yugoslavia. This happened after Josip Broz Tito took control of the country. Since then, many Serbian American groups have been formed across the U.S. Interestingly, a number of Serbian American engineers also worked on the famous Apollo space program.
Serbian Settlers in Alaska
Serbs have lived in Alaska since the 1800s. Many came during the Klondike Gold Rush in the late 1890s, hoping to find gold and earn money. This was similar to how they had joined the California Gold Rush earlier.
Most Serbs in Alaska settled in places like Juneau, Douglas, Fairbanks, and Sitka. Some Serbs also settled in the Canadian Yukon during the gold rush.
In 1893, Serbian miners in Alaska helped build the Orthodox Church in Juneau. They built it with the native Orthodox Tlingit people, who had learned about Orthodoxy from the Russians many years before. During World War I, thousands of Serbian Americans from Alaska went back to Serbia to fight.
Today, some Serbian workers still come to Alaska each year for a few months. They work in canneries, where food and housing are provided. These workers stay in Alaska on temporary visas and speak English.
Where Do Serbian Americans Live?
It used to be hard to count how many Serbs came to the United States. This is because they were often recorded by their country of origin, like Turks, Croats, or Slovenes. In the 1910 census, for example, Serbs were listed from different regions like Austria-Hungary, Serbia, and Montenegro.
| Year | Number |
|---|---|
| 1980 |
100,941
|
| 1990 |
116,975
|
| 2000 |
140,337
|
| 2010 |
187,739
|
In 2010, about 187,738 U.S. citizens said they were of Serbian ethnicity. By 2012, this number was estimated to be around 199,080. It's also possible that some of the Americans who said they had Yugoslavian ethnicity (about 328,547 in 2010) are also Serbs.
Many Serbs have settled in major U.S. cities. These include Chicago, New York City, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Phoenix, and Jackson, California.
People Born in Serbia Living in the U.S.
The number of people born in Serbia who live in the U.S. has changed over the years. Here's a look at the numbers since 2010:
| Year | Number |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 30,715 |
| 2011 |  30,758 |
| 2012 | 35,765 |
| 2013 | 36,160 |
| 2014 |  33,628 |
| 2015 | 36,969 |
| 2016 | 37,654 |
| 2017 | 38,203 |
Images for kids
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First meeting of the NACA in 1915 (Mihajlo Pupin seated first from right)
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The St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Juneau, which was built by Serbs and Tlingit natives.
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Embassy of Serbia, Washington, D.C.
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Nikola Tesla Corner in New York City
