Ruth Herberg, daughter of Norwegian immigrants, 1910. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Velkommen! In this edition of Understanding Ancestors, we’ll be examining Norwegian immigration to the United States. As with many other north and western European countries, Norway's migration to North America began slowly during the age of exploration and colonization in the 1600 and 1700s, with most migrants settling in the northeastern colonies of New Amsterdam (New York) and Pennsylvania.
Mass Immigration to the United States
Despite this early trickle of people, much of Norwegian immigration to the U.S. came during a span of 100 years, from around 1825 to 1925. After the arrival of a small group of Norwegian religious dissidents, known as the "Sloopers," word got back to those in Norway that success could be found across the Atlantic. As Norway faced economic and agricultural difficulties from the Napoleonic Wars and industrialization, and European immigration to the U.S. surged in the late 1800s, significant numbers of Norwegians decided to try their luck in the States. Like other Scandinavian groups, Norwegians tended to settle in the Midwestern region in search of good farmland, though artisans and urban workers did move to American cities of the Northeast as well.
Stamp celebrating the 100th anniversary of Norwegian settlement in the United States. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Although they had crossed the ocean in search of economic opportunity, many Norwegians struggled to thrive in the United States and a surprising 70% returned to Norway in the early 20th century. Restrictions placed on immigration in the 1920s, along with improvements in the quality of life back home, slowed Norwegian migration to the States. In the years following World War II, Norwegian immigration to the United States increased, but began to plummet in the 1960s as the country experienced fast-paced economic growth. As the standard of living rose, fewer and fewer Norwegians wanted to become Americans.
Norwegian Culture in the United States
While Norwegians tend to view Norwegian Americans as Americans first, Norwegian Americans, like many other groups in the United States, tend to feel a strong sense of ethnic pride and enjoy celebrating aspects of Norwegian culture within their American lives. Norwegian immigrants to the U.S. often lived in areas with a high concentration of people with similar backgrounds, which allowed for cultural preservation. Cultural festivities for Norwegian Americans can include the celebration of Syttende Mai (17th of May—Constitution Day), where you might find someone wearing a bunad and eating smørbrød, and enjoying lutefisk or risengrynsgrøt around the Christmas holidays.
Like the Swedish, Norwegian immigrants expanded the Lutheran church in the United States. Norwegian Americans tend to be much more religious than those living in Norway.
Do you have Norwegian heritage? What have you done to learn more or celebrate your family background? Let us know in comments!
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Couple dressed in bunadene from Telemark, Norway. Source: Wikimedia Commons
References:
"The Norwegians." Library of Congress. Accessed October 22, 2020. https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/immigration/scandinavian/the-norwegians/
George T. Flom. "A History of Norwegian Immigration to The United States." Iowa City, IA. 1909. Accessed October 22, 2020. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/46681/46681-h/46681-h.htm