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Virgin Islanders are West Indian people born or from the U.S Virgin Islands.

Quick Facts Total population, Languages ...
Virgin Islanders
Total population
  • U.S. Virgin Islands origin: 15,014[1]
Languages
English, Virgin Islands Creole
Religion
Predominantly Christianity
Related ethnic groups
Caribbean
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The U.S Virgin Islands is a Unincorporated territory of the United States and as a result Virgin Islanders do not go through the legal immigration procedures a typical West Indies immigrant would.

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Demographics

Americans with Virgin Islands Ancestry includes those with ancestry from both the U.S Virgin Islands and British Virgin Islands.

Many Americans of Virgin Islands descent concentrate in areas with a large overall Caribbean population, including areas like New York, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

Population by state

Relative to the population of each state

More information State/territory, 2020 census ...
State/territory 2020 census[2]  % (2020) 2010 census  % (2010)
 Alabama76N/A
 Alaska13N/A
 Arizona76N/A
 Arkansas11N/A
 California323N/A1310.1%
 Colorado107N/A
 Connecticut216N/A
 Delaware46N/A
 District of Columbia39N/A
 Florida3,639N/A5050.5%
Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia1,365N/A
 Hawaii13N/A
 Idaho2N/A
 Illinois94N/A
 Indiana41N/A
 Iowa15N/A
 Kansas11N/A
 Kentucky40N/A
 Louisiana83N/A
 Maine13N/A
 Maryland455N/A
 Massachusetts297N/A
 Michigan79N/A
 Minnesota39N/A
 Mississippi8N/A
 Missouri23N/A
 Montana5N/A
 Nebraska6N/A
 Nevada55N/A
 New Hampshire47N/A
 New Jersey403N/A
 New Mexico13N/A
 New York1,281N/A2500.2%
 North Carolina461N/A
 North Dakota00.0%
 Ohio93N/A
 Oklahoma48N/A
 Oregon25N/A
 Pennsylvania439N/A
 Puerto Rico80N/A1090.1%
 Rhode Island44N/A
 South Carolina86N/A
 South Dakota4N/A
 Tennessee69N/A
 Texas913N/A1400.1%
 Utah7N/A
 Vermont8N/A
 Virginia391N/A
 Washington115N/A
 West Virginia6N/A
 Wisconsin22N/A
 Wyoming00.0%
 United States11,670N/A2,4912.4%
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U.S. communities with Virgin Islands populations (2020 census)

  1. New York City, NY - 935
  2. Orlando, FL - 248
  3. Jacksonville, FL - 132
  4. Houston, TX - 116
  5. Boston, MA - 93
  6. Tampa, FL - 86
  7. Atlanta, GA - 82
  8. Miramar, FL - 78
  9. Philadelphia, PA - 73
  10. Charlotte, NC - 73
  11. Baytown, TX - 68
  12. Poinciana, FL - 65
  13. Los Angeles, CA - 64
  14. Sunrise, FL - 59
  15. Miami Gardens, FL - 58
  16. Killeen, TX - 56
  17. Raleigh, NC - 56
  18. Virginia Beach, VA - 52
  19. Durham, NC - 52
  20. Port St. Lucie, FL - 48
  21. Pembroke Pines, FL - 47
  22. Baltimore, MD - 41
  23. Coral Springs, FL - 40
  24. Hollywood, FL - 40
  25. North Lauderdale, FL - 39
  26. Kissimmee, FL - 37
  27. South Fulton, GA - 38
  28. Austin, TX - 34
  29. Hartford, CT - 33
  30. Apopka, FL - 33
  31. St. Cloud, FL - 33
  32. Worcester, MA - 32
  33. Miami, FL - 30
  34. Altamonte Springs, FL - 30
  35. Meadow Woods, FL - 29
  36. Norfolk, VA - 28
  37. San Diego, CA - 28
  38. Missouri City, TX - 27
  39. New Haven, CT - 27
  40. Pompano Beach, FL - 26
  41. Sandy Springs, GA - 26
  42. Buenaventura Lakes, FL - 26
  43. Daytona Beach, FL - 25
  44. Providence, RI - 24
  45. Union City, GA - 24
  46. Reading, PA - 23
  47. Homestead, FL - 23
  48. Marietta, GA - 22
  49. Atascocita, TX - 22
  50. Loganville, GA - 22
  51. Allentown, PA - 22

New York

During the 1920s, a large influx of Virgin Islanders migrated to New York City in search of jobs and economic opportunities. In 1925, the population of native islanders in the city was 8,000 alone. However, while living in Harlem, Virgin Islanders encountered deeper racial tensions than what was felt on the islands. This led to the Harlem Renaissance, in which Casper Holstein, Hubert Harrison, Ashley Totten and Frank Crosswaith joined other Caribbean migrants to advocate for equal rights in their community. New York City is historically known to be the first stop city for Virgin Islanders, and remains so today. It is also the birthplace of recent elected officials in USVI, such as former Governor Kenneth Mapp and Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett, who are both descendants of Crucian parents. The 2020 census estimated that 1,281 Virgin Islanders resided in New York state.

Florida

According to the 2020 census, Florida has the highest population of Virgin Islanders in any state throughout the country. New York and Georgia rank second and third. Recent data have shown Orange County particularly Metro Orlando (248), Pine Hills (189), Oak Ridge (27), and Apopka (33) to be the most settled region for Virgin Islanders not only in Florida but the entire United States. Other regions with a large Virgin Islander population include Ft. Lauderdale and Jacksonville. Many high school students from the Virgin Islands have attended Bethune–Cookman University in Daytona Beach, and many carnival troupes take part in the Orlando Carnival activities each May.

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Notable people

Actors

Artists

Athletes

  • Raja Bell (born 1976), basketball player; born on St. Croix
  • Tombi Bell (born 1979), basketball player, who last played for the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA; born on St. Croix
  • Aliyah Boston (born 2001), basketball player currently with the Indiana Fever of the WNBA; born on St. Thomas
  • Joe Christopher (born 1935), the first Virgin Islander to play in Major League Baseball; born in Frederiksted, St. Croix
  • Midre Cummings (born 1971), baseball player; born on St. Croix
  • Tim Duncan (born 1976), Hall of Fame basketball player who spent his entire NBA career with the San Antonio Spurs; born in Christiansted, St. Croix
  • Emile Griffith (1938–2013), boxer; born on St. Thomas
  • Elrod Hendricks (1940–2005), Major League Baseball player and coach; born in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas
  • Julian Jackson (born 1960), boxer; born on St. Thomas
  • Calvin Pickering (born 1976), baseball player; born on St. Thomas
  • Sugar Ray Seales (born 1952), 1972 Olympic gold medalist (139 lbs.) boxer; born on St. Croix

Musicians

  • Alton Adams (1889–1987), musician, first black bandmaster in the United States Navy; born in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas
  • Bennie Benjamin (1907–1989), composer, songwriter, philanthropist; born in Christiansted, St. Croix
  • Jon Lucien, jazz musician; born on Tortola, raised on St. Thomas
  • Rock City, a musical duo of composed brothers Timothy and Theron Thomas, born on St. Thomas
  • Sonny Rollins, jazz musician; born in New York, of St. Thomas (mother) and St. Croix (father) descent

Political leaders

Writers and intellectuals

News media personalities

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See also

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References

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