List of Italian-American neighborhoods
Italian-Americans in the United States are found in large concentrations in many metropolitan areas of the United States. In particular, states such as New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Michigan, Florida, California, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts have larger populations of Italian-Americans than other states by national average. According to a recent United Census Bureau estimate, there are 17.8 million Americans that are of Italian descent.[1] Communities of Italian Americans were established in most major industrial cities of the early 20th century, such as Baltimore, Boston (particularly in the "North End"), Philadelphia (particularly in certain neighborhoods of South Philadelphia), Pittsburgh, Providence, St. Louis, Chicago, Kansas City, Cleveland, Buffalo, Tampa and New York City, which boasts the largest Italian-American population, which live in several concentrated communities in the New York Metropolitan Area. New Orleans, Louisiana was the first site of immigration of Italians into America in the 19th century, before Italy was a unified nation-state. This was before New York Harbor and Baltimore became the preferred destinations for Italian immigrants.
In sharp contrast to the Northeast, most of the Southern states (exceptions being Florida, New Orleans, Baltimore, and a fast-growing community in Atlanta) have very few Italian-American residents. During the labor shortage in the 19th and early 20th centuries, planters in the Deep South did attract some Italian immigrants to work as sharecroppers, but they soon left the extreme anti-Italian discrimination and strict regimen of the plantations for towns or other states.
The state of California has had Italian-American residents since the 1850s. Since the 1950s, like many Americans, Italian Americans have moved to the slower-paced and rapidly growing Western states, including Arizona, Colorado, and Nevada.
Today, New York and New Jersey have the largest populations of Italian-Americans in the United States, while Rhode Island and Connecticut have the highest overall percentage in relation to their respective overall populations.
Alabama
- Daphne – Prior to the 1978 annexation of the Lake Forest subdivision, Daphne was a heavily Italian community, and pre-1978 Daphne territory remains Italian, with street names such as Guarisco. The Archdiocese of Mobile considers Christ the King Parish in Daphne as an Italian-American parish.
Arkansas
- Lake Village, a farming community in southeastern Arkansas, enticed a number of families from northern Italy to become sharecroppers in the 1890s. Following a harsh and deadly winter, about half the families left and established Tontitown.
- Little Italy in unincorporated northern Pulaski County near Little Rock, Arkansas.
- Tontitown west of Fayetteville, Arkansas.
California
Northern California
- North Beach, San Francisco – baseball legend Joe DiMaggio grew up here. The Italian Heritage Parade (formerly the Columbus Day Parade) is the oldest in the U.S. and one of the largest. North Beach is also the home of City Lights Books, which helped to give birth to the Beats literary movement.
- Excelsior District, San Francisco Italian-American Social Club is on Russia St., Calabria Brothers Deli around the corner on Mission Street.
- Spaghetti Hill, Monterey – birthplace of former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta. The Salinas Valley also has many Italian descendants.
- Santa Cruz County, California.
- Napa, California – Little Italy is the East Napa historic neighborhoods of First-Juarez-Third streets & Alta Heights. The Napa Valley wine industry owes its heritage to Italian vintners.
- Sonoma County, California the Italian Swiss Colony coop founded in 1880s by Andrea Sbarbaro.
- Sacramento metro area.
- San Jose, CA Majority of contributions were of Southern Italian heritage. San Jose's old Italian neighborhoods are Goose Town and North San Jose.
- Fresno and some Italian descendants in portions of the San Joaquin Valley.
- Temescal, Oakland was thriving with Italian immigrants since the 1960s.
Southern California
- Los Angeles, such as the neighborhood of San Pedro and historic Little Italys in pre-1970 Bunker Hill in downtown L.A and Boyle Heights. Movie Director Frank Capra, the son of Sicilian Immigrants grew up in Lincoln Heights. The San Antonio Winery is the last vestige of Italian American culture in the area. Italian-Americans in Los Angeles later would moved to West Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley and portions of the San Gabriel Valley.
- Long Beach – Naples, Long Beach – resembles Venice.
- South Bay, Los Angeles communities, due to historic fishery industry.
- Temecula also known for the wine industry started by Italian, French (a.k.a. French Valley) and Spanish immigrants.
- Palm Springs with a neighborhood known as Little Tuscany, and nearby Palm Desert has between 5%–20% of residents claiming Italian ancestry.
- San Diego – Little Italy.
Colorado
- Denver — "Little Italy" has its roots in the Highlands neighborhood of North Denver. Italian miners, railroad workers and farmers developed Colorado in the late 19th century, and northern Italians are well represented. Many restaurants and Italian run businesses remain in the neighborhood.
Connecticut
19.3% of Connecticut's population claims Italian ancestry, making it the second most Italian state in the US after Rhode Island.
- Beacon Falls
- Berlin
- Bridgeport
- Central End neighborhood along Madison Avenue
- Bristol
- Chesire
- Cos Cob
- Danbury
- Derby
- East Haven (43% of residents claim Italian ancestry)
- Fair Haven
- Guilford
- Hamden
- Hartford
- Franklin Avenue, known as Little Italy of Hartford
- Madison
- Meriden
- Middlebury, Connecticut
- Middletown
- Milford
- Naugatuck
- New Haven
- Wooster Square (Little Italy of New Haven) home of Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, Sally's Apizza, and a vast number of other purveyors of Apizza.
- North Branford
- North Haven
- Norwalk
- Orange
- Oxford
- Prospect
- Seymour
- Southbury
- Southington
- Stamford
- Torrington
- Waterbury
- West Haven
District of Columbia
Delaware
- Little Italy, Wilmington
- Shawtown, New Castle
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
- Chicago:
- Armour Square
- Little Italy[2]
- North Harlem Avenue
- Elmwood Park
- Melrose Park
- Norridge
- River Grove
- Rosemont
- Schiller Park
Indiana
- Indianapolis The Holy Rosary Neighborhood ("Indy Little Italy")[3]
- Clinton
Louisiana
- Independence – 30.7% Italian American
- Kenner
- Marrero
- New Orleans French Quarter
Maine
Massachusetts
- Boston:
- East Boston
- North End (Little Italy of Boston)
- Hyde Park (Readville)
- Brockton – birthplace of boxing champ Rocky Marciano
- East Cambridge
- Everett
- Framingham
- Gloucester
- Lawrence
- Lynn
- Melrose
- Medford
- Milford
- South Quincy in Quincy
- Revere
- Saugus
- Springfield (South-End)
- Taunton
- Waltham
- Worcester- Shrewsbury Street.
- West Springfield, Massachusetts
Maryland
- Baltimore:
- Bel Air
- College Park
- Edgewood
- Elkridge
- Essex
- Joppatowne
- Laurel
- Middle River
- Parkville
- Perry Hall
- Towson
Michigan
Minnesota
- Minneapolis – St. Paul area
- Northern Minnesota Iron Mines region: Hibbing, Duluth, Aurora
Mississippi
Missouri
- Kansas City – The northeast side is a "Little Italy" neighborhood called Columbus Park, known for its Italian culture.
- The Hill, Saint Louis – Three famous baseball figures—Yogi Berra, Harry Caray and Joe Garagiola—grew up here. The district remains one of the largest Italian neighborhoods in the United States.
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Jersey municipalities with over 25% of the population identifying themselves as of Italian ancestry (in those municipalities where at least 1,000 residents identified their ancestry):[4]
- Hammonton 45.9 (second highest percentage for a town in the United States)
- Dover Beaches South 42.8
East Hanover, New Jersey 41.3
- Totowa 37.7
- South Hackensack 36.3
- Nutley 36.0
- Woodland Park (formerly West Paterson) 34.3
- Moonachie 34.1
- Lyndhurst 33.8
- Buena 33.5
- Lodi 33.3
- Rutherford 33.2
- Ocean Gate 32.5
- Carlstadt 31.2
- Hasbrouck Heights 30.8
- West Long Branch 30.5
- Netcong 30.1
- Gibbstown 30.1
- Raritan 30.1
- Newfield 29.8
- Saddle Brook 29.8
- Cedar Grove 29.7
- Greenwich Township 29.3
- Glendora 28.7
- Belleville 28.7
- Little Falls 28.6
- Wayne 28.4
- Kenilworth 28.0
- Oceanport 27.7
- Lavallette 27.7
- North Arlington 27.4
- Longport 27.3
- Folsom 27.3
- Hawthorne 26.5
- Bloomfield 26.4
- Rochelle Park 26.1
- Washington Township 25.9
- Mystic Island 25.9
- Seaside Heights 25.7
- Blackwood 25.5
- Belford 25.3
- Riverdale 25.1
- East Rutherford 25.1
- Other places in New Jersey
- Asbury Park
- Atlantic City
- Bayonne (20.1% Italian American)
- Camden
- Clifton
- Elizabeth
- Freehold Township (22.0% Italian-American)
- Howell Township (23.8% Italian-American)
- Garfield
- Hackensack
- Hoboken – Four popular Italian American celebrities—Frank Sinatra, Buddy Valastro, Jimmy Roselli and Joe Pantoliano—grew up here.
- Jersey City, particularly The Village
- Kearny
- Margate
- Manalapan
- Neptune City
- Newark
- Ironbound, in the Italian Down Neck section. However, it has become less populated by Italian Americans since the 1970s.
- Seventh Avenue
- Orange
- Paramus
- Paterson
- Rockaway
- Rutherford
- Sea Isle City
- Fish Alley
- Secaucus
- Toms River (22.6% Italian American)
- Trenton
- Ventnor City (22.8% Italian American)
- Verona
- Vineland (22.8% Italian American)
- West New York
- Wildwood and The Wildwoods
New York
The state of New York has the largest population of Italian Americans, at 3.1 million people. The majority of Italian Americans in New York City originated from southern parts of the country.
New York City
- The Bronx
- Arthur Avenue, Bronx (Little Italy of the Bronx)
- Belmont, Bronx
- Morris Park, Bronx
- East Bronx
- Brooklyn
- Bensonhurst, Brooklyn (Little Italy of Brooklyn)
- Bath Beach, Brooklyn
- Dyker Heights, Brooklyn
- Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
- Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
- Cobble Hill, Brooklyn
- Sections of Williamsburg, Brooklyn
- Sections of Canarsie, Brooklyn
- Sections of Marine Park
- Sections of Gravesend, Brooklyn
- Sections of Sheepshead Bay
- Historically, significant populations in Red Hook, East New York, Brownsville, and Flatbush
- Manhattan
- Little Italy, Manhattan
- Italian Harlem
- Historically, significant populations in much of the Lower East Side, sections of Greenwich Village (especially south of Washington Square Park), and sections of Hell's Kitchen.
- Queens
- Staten Island: The borough has the highest proportion of Italian Americans of any county in the United States. About 200,000 residents claim Italian heritage(55%).
Long Island
- Bellmore
- Bridgehampton
- Carle Place
- Deer Park
- East Meadow
- East Rockaway
- Franklin Square
- Glen Cove
- Greenport
- Hicksville
- Huntington
- Levittown
- Lindenhurst
- Long Beach
- Lynbrook
- Massapequa
- Massapequa Park
- Mastic Beach
- Merrick
- Mineola
- North Babylon
- North Massapequa
- Oceanside
- Port Jefferson
- Selden
- Smithtown
- St. James
- West Babylon
- West Islip
- Westbury
- Sections of Bayville
- Bellerose
- Bethpage
- Farmingdale
- Floral Park
- New Hyde Park
- Valley Stream
Westchester County
Rockland County
Upstate New York
- Albany – the South End neighborhood
- Amsterdam
- Auburn
- Buffalo – the city's north side, however they are scattered all across Buffalo, including a once high concentration on the city's West Side
- Binghamton
- Canandaigua
- Canastota
- Carmel
- Chili
- Cicero
- Cortland
- Endicott – North side of the village is Little Italy
- Fulton, New York
- Frankfort
- Gates - Little Italy of Rochester NY
- Geneva
- Gloversville
- Greece
- Herkimer
- Jamestown
- Kenmore
- Kingston
- Lockport
- Lyncourt
- Mahopac
- Middletown, New York
- Monroe
- Newburgh
- New Rochelle
- Niagara Falls
- North Syracuse
- Oswego
- Poughkeepsie – primarily the Mount Carmel District
- Rochester – West Side - Gates (The Little Italy of Upstate New York)
- Rome – 30.2% Italian-American
- Rotterdam
- Schenectady
- Solvay
- Syracuse
- Little Italy – on the city's North Side
- Eastwood
- Troy – Hillary Clinton has proposed a "Little Italy" section in the city.
- Utica – 28% Italian-American, concentrated in East Utica
- Watertown
North Carolina
Ohio
- Bellevue
- Cleveland:
- Little Italy
- Collinwood
- Chesterland
- Highland Heights
- Lowellville
- Lyndhurst
- Mayfield Heights
- Mayfield Village
- Niles
- Sandusky
- Steubenville – birthplace of singer/actor Dean Martin
- Struthers
- Wickliffe
- Youngstown:
Oregon
- Portland has a "Little Italy" neighborhood.
Pennsylvania
- Aliquippa
- Ambler
- Ambridge
- Arnold, Pennsylvania
- Bangor
- Braddock
- Bridgeville
- Brockway
- Canonsburg – birthplace of singer Perry Como
- Clairton
- Clifton Heights
- Coatesville
- Collingdale
- Coraopolis
- Conshohocken
- Darby
- Downingtown
- Drexel Hill
- Dunmore
- Easton
- Ellwood City
- Erie
- Farrell
- Folcroft
- Glenolden
- Harmony Township
- Hazleton
- Homewood
- Hopewell Township
- Jessup
- Kennedy Township
- Koppel
- Midland
- New Castle (Mahoningtown)
- New Galilee
- New Kensington, Pennsylvania
- Norristown
- Old Forge – 34% of the population [5]
- Penn Hills Township
- Philadelphia – home to the second-largest Italian-American population in the United States, according to the 2000 census
- South Philadelphia – largely Italian
- Sections of Northeast Philadelphia
- Areas of Kensington
- Areas of West Kensington
- Overbrook/West Philadelphia
- Sections of Southwest Philadelphia
- Pittsburgh
- Pittston
- Ridley Township
- Roseto – 41.8% of the population
- Scranton
- Upland
- Upper Darby Township
- Rankin
- Sewickley
- Sharpsburg
- Stowe Township
- Washington
Rhode Island
19% of Rhode Island residents are Italian American, the greatest percentage of any state. 199,180 of Rhode Island's population of 1,048,319 claim Italian ancestry.
- Bristol (21.2%)
- Cranston (34.5% Italian American)
- Johnston
- North Providence
- Providence:
- Federal Hill (Little Italy of Providence)
- Charles
- Warwick (22.8%)
- West Warwick
- Westerly (34.2% Italian American)
Utah
- Utah Italians – an article about Italian Americans in Utah, including converts to Mormonism, Waldenses from Lombardy and Italo-Protestants.
Washington
West Virginia
Approximately 11% of the combined population of "Mountaineer Country", collectively the north central West Virginia cities of Clarksburg, Fairmont and Morgantown claim Italian ancestry, mostly from Italian immigrants recruited to work in mining and glass manufacturing. [6]
Wisconsin
- Historic Third Ward, Milwaukee
- Kenosha has the largest Italian community in the state
- Historically the Greenbush neighborhood of Madison was heavily Italian but older Italians are dying off and younger ones have moved to the suburbs
References
- This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.