American Polonia. Wisconsin - the most Polish state?

Many people are surprised to learn that the highest percentage of Poles do not live in Illinois. NY state, Michigan or Pennsylvania, but in Wisconsin. If I recall, about 10% of the population is of Polish ancetsry. Of course, that is spread out over the entire state. The percentage is much higher in palces such as Milwaukee, Green Bay, Stevens Point and the small villages of Polonia, Pułaski, Kraków, etc.

Do you have any proof to back this up? Polish ancestry can mean a person is 1/8 Pole, which I dont believe counts.

Can anyone seriously beat Chicago, i doubt it.

Where is Krysia when you need her:)


Maybe years ago , Ive been to all these places there are a few Polish people left but most of them moved to Chicago.


Chicago has the largest population of Poles in one city, besides Warsaw PL

This is based on US census self-declaration, ie answers to the qeustion: What is your ethnic background? Remember, demographcially and culturally southern Illinois is more like the south than the midwest . When I find the data, I will post it.

This is interesting, Ive been finding alot of inconsistencies between some sites?

poloniatoday.com/immigration3.htm

2010 we take another Census

pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polonia_w_Stanach_Zjednoczonych#Analiza_danych_spisu_powszechnego_w_2000

Percentage of self-declared Polish people amongt the state's population:
Procentowy udział ludności polonijnej w ogóle populacji stanów
· 01 Wisconsin 9,3%
· 02 Michigan 8,6%
· 03 Connecticut 8,3%
· 04 Illinois 7,5%
· 05 New Jersey 6,9%

Absolute numbers of self-declared Polonians
1. Nowy Jork (986 141)
2. Illinois (932 996)
3. Michigan (854 844)
4. Pensylwania (824 146)
5. New Jersey (576 473)
6. Wisconsin (497 726)
7. Kalifornia (491 325)
8. Ohio (433 016)
9. Floryda (429 691)
10. Massachusetts (323 210)

NOTE: These figures may change after the 2010 census.

Lot of Poles in Northern Ohio and Northern Indiana .. all around the great lakes basically.

Yes, and most of them live in the cemetery.
That used to be true 100 years ago when the first Polish settled around Stevens Point, the first Polish newspaper originated here but the rest of the Poles are now in nursing homes. The town Polonia was formed because of the mass imigration of Poles. Their children don't speak any Polish. The most common words they know in Stevens Point are: "Piwa", "grzyba" and "ponchki".

There are no jobs in Wisconsin where you don't need to speak english, nobody speaks Polish here and they all moved out to Chicago, where you don't need to learn english because everywhere you go there are Poles. Milwaukee used to have several Polish stores, delis, restaurants, now they have only one. They got replaced by the Mexicans. There is an annual Polish fest in Milwaukee, but not nearly as populated as Chicago's TOP, which also sposors Polish picnics, Polish performers, Polish clubs, Polish movie festivals, etc. Milwaukee has nothing of this sort.

Stevens Point does have a sister city and a Polish club, but the few members in it are elderly people.
A few Poles are now moving into the Wisconsin Dells area, where they recently opened up a European Deli, which makes TWO POLISH STORES IN THE WHOLE STATE OF WISCONSIN!!! WOOHOOO!!

The very few Poles Wisconsin has cannot be compared to Chicago or New York

Beer, mushrooms, and ???? What's that last one?

Are you sure it's not New Jersey. That's where my Polish family mostly live. You left New Jersey out. I bet New Jersey has more people of Polish ancestory than any other state.

Probably a "tongue in cheek"spelling of pączki- doughnuts/donuts :)

yes, that's what it is. They like to pronounce it "poonchka"

Do they make cheese paczki in Wisconsin?? Oo....

Hi everyone, dont dis wisconsin to much, its true, wisconsin has alot of people of polish desent and they are good hard working people. I do like chicago alot to , hot polish girls, good polish food and drinks but the traffic sucks. Both of my parents came from poland and i can speak polish well but never learned how to read or write polish well. Being only 38 and single i wish there were more polish girls in NE Wisconsin, if any ladna polska kobiety out there who would like to a nice countryboy drop me a line Joshu

Only old ones in Wisconsin. The young ones hang out where the money is.
Good luck! :)

Krysia hit the nail square on the head.The original immigrants are all dead. There are still a few of first generation polish Americans around. But we too are dying off. Our kids no longer speak the language much less celebrate the old customs. Poles in America are a dying breed. Chicago is the last refuge to hear the Polish language on a regular basis.

If half your family comes from Poland, you are a Pole, even in America. Everyone calls you one so quit with the BSing, Nunczka.

Yeah, I think lot of Polish People lives near Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. Upper north there are beautiful mountains which Polish people loves to ski. It is similar to Poland. There are Russian people living there too. I am not exactly sure but my unclie is from Russian who have lot of his relatives living upper Wisconsin. I always thought there are lot of Polish living in near Denver, Colorado. I know few people moved from Chicago to Denver, Vail and Colorado Springs.

Let me know if I am correct.

quote=PlasticPole]If half your family comes from Poland, you are a Pole, even in America. Everyone calls you one so quit with the BSing, Nunczka.[/quote]

So what does that make the other half of your family? Dont that count? PP If I had to bet, I would bet that you cant even speak Polish

Non Poles :)
Average America Scotch/Irish mix.
It goes double for those of us with a Polish sirname. First thing we hear from people who see our names "Oh, so you're Polish!". We don't here "do you speak the Polish language". It's really easy to tell when someone has a Polish last name, they stand out, and people comment.

I am polish and from Wisconsin

Yes you are correct. Many Poles from Chicago settled down in Glenwood Springs, where there is a large natural Mineral Hot pool and they own motels there. Many hang around Denver as well.

To krysia

I had Polish neighbors whom move to Chicago, IL. to help his father's Polish resturant Long Tree Inn and other restaurants. There was families problems and his son & his family moved away from Chicago and settlled in Denver, Colorado to open Polish Restaurant. I heard his wife was killed during snow storm. I do not know how they are doing now without her.

This restaurant is very good place to eat Polish Foods.

Illinois should surely claim that accolade.

Yes, it should be.

Not really. NY and NJ state have many more Poles than Illinois.. They are just spread apart more.

Heres a couple of pics I took up in Cheesehead Land:)

Very good Sledz. I'm disappointed that you did not get a picture of a farm called 'Maciejówka" for instance...Hey, Now i can feel like going home every time i go to Wisconsin.

Have fun visiting the cemetery!

Its like going through a time warp, they dont even have Rock Stations on the Radio anywhere North of Madison, its all C&W and religous.


Thats about it besides of a handfull of old people, I know it and you know it.

I dont care what thier polls and stats say, there are way more Polish people in Chicago:)