The
map
above
shows
the
number
of
people
who
can
claim
Polish
ancestry
worldwide
by
country,
plus
Poles
who
have
more
recently
emigrated
from
Poland.
There
are
around
20
million
people
of
Polish
ancestry
living
outside
Poland
today,
compared
to
Poland’s
current
population
of
around
38
million.
Here
are
some
estimates
by
country
(note
estimates
differ
somewhat
from
the
map
above)
Country | Population |
---|---|
United States |
9,569,207 |
Germany | 3,000,000 |
Argentina | 2,000,000 |
Brazil | 1,800,000 |
Canada | 1,010,705 |
France | 1,000,000 |
United Kingdom |
815,000 |
Belarus | 300,000 |
Netherlands | 215,000 |
Australia | 209,284 |
Lithuania | 200,317 |
Ukraine | 144,130 |
Ireland | 122,585 |
Norway | 119,000 |
Sweden | 110,212 |
Belgium | 98,000 |
Italy | 87,000 |
Russia | 73,000 |
Spain | 69,353 |
Austria | 65,000 |
Latvia | 51,548 |
Chile | 45,000 |
Switzerland | 39,000 |
Czech Republic |
38,218 |
Czechia | 38,000 |
South Africa |
25,000 |
Ghana | 24,999 |
Serbia | 23,000 |
Iceland | 18,508 |
Greece | 16,000 |
Mexico | 15,000 |
Hungary | 6,900 |
Slovakia | 6,400 |
Denmark | 5,000 |
Kazakhstan | 5,000 |
Lebanon | 5,000 |
Cyprus | 5,000 |
Venezuela | 4,500 |
Finland | 3,800 |
Azerbaijan | 3,700 |
Uzbekistan | 3,600 |
Uruguay | 3,400 |
New Zealand |
2,871 |
Paraguay | 2,700 |
Romania | 2,100 |
Estonia | 1,700 |
Moldova | 1,400 |
Georgia | 1,300 |
Turkmenistan | 900 |
Bulgaria | 700 |
Croatia | 600 |
Here’s
more
about
the
8
largest
groups:
1.
United
States
-
Historical
waves:-
Late
19th–early
20th
century:
Economic
hardships
under
partitions
(by
Russia,
Prussia,
Austria-Hungary)
led
to
mass
immigration,
settling
primarily
in
industrial
cities
such
as
Chicago,
Detroit,
New
York,
Cleveland,
and
Pittsburgh. -
Post-World
War
II:
Immigration
from
displaced
persons
fleeing
communist
rule. -
1980s
and
later:
Smaller
waves
fleeing
martial
law
and
later
economic
migrants
post-1989.
-
-
Culture:
Vibrant
cultural
life
with
Polish-American
communities
preserving
customs,
language,
churches,
cuisine,
festivals,
notably
Pulaski
Day
and
celebrations
of
Polish
Constitution
Day.
2.
Germany
-
Historical
context:-
Long-standing
historical
presence
due
to
shared
borders,
partitions,
and
shifting
territories,
especially
Silesia,
Pomerania,
and
East
Prussia. -
Significant
influx
occurred
after
Poland
joined
the
EU
in
2004,
with
many
younger
Poles
migrating
for
economic
opportunities.
-
Long-standing
-
Characteristics:
Poles
in
Germany
maintain
strong
economic
and
cultural
ties
with
Poland,
frequently
traveling
back
and
forth.
3.
Brazil
-
Historical
waves:-
Primarily
late
19th
and
early
20th
centuries,
encouraged
by
the
Brazilian
government
to
colonize
the
southern
states
(Paraná,
Santa
Catarina,
and
Rio
Grande
do
Sul).
-
Primarily
-
Culture:
Strong
cultural
preservation
in
southern
Brazil,
particularly
in
Curitiba,
with
festivals,
Polish
folk
dance
groups,
Polish
cuisine,
and
traditional
villages
like
Nova
Polônia.
4.
Argentina
-
Historical
context:-
Major
immigration
waves
between
1890–1939,
settling
primarily
in
Buenos
Aires,
Misiones,
and
Córdoba. -
Many
were
economic
migrants
and
political
refugees
fleeing
Europe.
-
-
Culture:
Polish
clubs,
associations,
Catholic
parishes,
and
cultural
festivals
remain
active,
though
assimilation
has
diluted
Polish
language
usage
over
generations.
5.
Canada
-
Historical
waves:-
Early
settlement
began
in
the
late
19th
century,
mainly
agricultural
communities
in
Western
Canada
(Manitoba,
Saskatchewan,
Alberta). -
Post-WWII
immigrants
included
Polish
veterans
and
displaced
persons
escaping
communist
rule. -
Immigration
continued
steadily
through
the
late
20th
century
and
early
21st
century.
-
-
Culture:
Rich
cultural
heritage
preserved
through
Polish
community
centers,
bilingual
schools,
Catholic
churches,
newspapers,
and
events
in
Toronto,
Montreal,
Winnipeg,
Calgary,
and
Vancouver.
6.
France
-
Historical
context:-
Major
influx
during
the
interwar
period
(1920–1939),
as
Poles
migrated
to
industrial
and
mining
regions
in
northern
France,
notably
Nord-Pas-de-Calais
and
Lorraine. -
Post-WWII
waves
included
refugees
from
communism.
-
Major
-
Characteristics:
Polish
heritage
still
visible
in
French
cities
through
Polish
associations,
cultural
festivals,
churches,
and
traditional
organizations;
however,
many
descendants
have
fully
assimilated
into
French
culture.
7.
United
Kingdom
-
Historical
context:-
World
War
II-era
migrants
included
soldiers
and
refugees. -
Major
recent
wave
occurred
post-2004
when
Poland
joined
the
EU,
especially
between
2004–2010,
seeking
economic
opportunities.
-
World
-
Characteristics:
Polish
community
is
prominent,
especially
in
London,
Birmingham,
Manchester,
Edinburgh,
and
Northern
Ireland.
Active
Polish-language
media,
churches,
stores,
cultural
events,
and
significant
impact
on
local
economy
and
culture.
8.
Belarus
-
Historical
context: -
Culture:
Despite
challenges
(political
tensions,
limitations
on
Polish
schools
and
institutions),
Poles
in
Belarus
maintain
strong
cultural
identity
through
the
Catholic
Church,
education
in
Polish
language,
and
traditional
celebrations.
However,
cultural
activities
are
often
subject
to
political
constraints
from
the
Belarusian
government.
Also
see:
Other
Diaspora
Maps
in
the
series:
Go to Source
Author: Brilliant Maps