Maltese Americans

The first immigrants from Malta to the United States arrived during the mid-eighteenth century to the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. Many Americans assumed Malta was part of Italy. In some cases "Born Malta, Italy" was put on tombstones of Maltese because of the confusion.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Zm014NzsuMAC&dq=malta+immigration+united+states+new+orleans&pg=PT21|title=Maltese in Michigan}}

After World War I, in 1919, Maltese immigration to the US increased. In the first quarter of 1920 more than 1,300 Maltese immigrated to the United States. Detroit, Michigan, with jobs in the expanding automobile industry, drew the largest share of immigrants. It is believed that in the following years, more than 15,000 Maltese people emigrated to the United States, later getting U.S. citizenship.

A significant percentage of early Maltese immigrants intended to stay only temporarily for work, but many settled in the US permanently. In addition to Detroit, other industrial cities such as New York City, San Francisco, and Chicago attracted Maltese immigrants.{{Cite web|url=https://www.everyculture.com/multi/Le-Pa/Maltese-Americans.html|title=Maltese Americans - History, Modern era, The first maltese in america, Settlement|website=www.everyculture.com}}

After World War II the Maltese government committed to pay passage costs to Maltese people who wanted to emigrate and live at least two years abroad. This program led to increased emigration by the people of the island and made up approximately 8,000 Maltese who arrived to the United States between the years 1947 and 1977. Malta's government promoted Maltese emigration because Malta was overpopulated.

Estimates of the number of Maltese immigrants and their descendants living in the US by 1990 have been as high as 70,000. The majority of Americans of Maltese descent continued to live in the same cities where immigration had taken place, particularly Detroit (approximately 44,000 Maltese) and New York City (more than 20,000 Maltese); in the latter, most of the people of Maltese origin are concentrated in Astoria, Queens. San Francisco and Chicago also have significant populations.

The 2019 American Community Survey estimated that there were 42,058 Americans of Maltese ancestry living in the United States.{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=B04006:%20PEOPLE%20REPORTING%20ANCESTRY&t=Ancestry&d=ACS%201-Year%20Estimates%20Detailed%20Tables&tid=ACSDT1Y2019.B04006|access-date=2022-01-16|website=data.census.gov}} Of these, 14,078 have Maltese as their only ancestry.{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=B04004:%20PEOPLE%20REPORTING%20SINGLE%20ANCESTRY&t=Ancestry&d=ACS%201-Year%20Estimates%20Detailed%20Tables&tid=ACSDT1Y2019.B04004|access-date=2022-01-16|website=data.census.gov}} This includes Maltese born immigrants to the United States, their American-born descendants as well as numerous immigrants from other nations of Maltese origin. Around 6,506 of them are foreign born.{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Maltese&tid=ACSDT5YSPT2015.B05002|access-date=2022-01-16|website=data.census.gov}}

As in their country of origin, Maltese Americans predominantly practice Roman Catholicism as their religion. Many are practicing Catholics, attending church every week and actively participating in their local parishes.

• Rosemarie Aquilina,{{cite news|url=https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/opinion/columnists/judy-putnam/2018/01/12/putnam-ingham-judge-rosemarie-aquilina-publishes-new-crime-thriller/1027682001/|title=Ingham judge has creative life off the bench with new crime thriller|author=Judy Putnam|date=January 12, 2018|newspaper=Lansing State Journal}} judge
• Kyle Balda,{{cite news|title=Life amongst Minions... for Kyle Balda|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/life-amongst-minions-for-kyle-balda-31315264.html|access-date=July 30, 2015|work=The Irish Independent|date=June 22, 2015}} animator and film director
• Joseph Borg,{{cite news|last=Grima|first=John|title=Successful Maltese migrants|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20050322/letters/successful-maltese-migrants|access-date=25 January 2011|newspaper=The Times|date=22 March 2005|location=Malta}} financial regulator
• James J. Busuttil, international law scholar and company director
• Joseph Anthony Buttigieg II,South Bend Tribune [https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/southbendtribune/obituary.aspx?n=joseph-a-buttigieg&pid=191400113&fhid=7050 Obituary of Joseph Anthony Buttigieg II]. South Bend, Indiana. Retrieved January 27, 2019. literary scholar and translator
• Pete Buttigieg,{{cite web | url=http://www.jfklibrary.org/Education/Profile-in-Courage-Essay-Contest/Past-Winning-Essays/2000-Winning-Essay-by-Peter-Buttigieg.aspx | title =2000 Winning Essay by Peter Buttigieg | author =Tom McNaught | author2 =John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum | publisher =jfklibrary.org | date =May 2, 2000| author2-link =John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum }} former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, 2020 presidential candidate, US Secretary of Transportation
• Ray Buttigieg, Musician, composer, producer and poet
• Joseph Calleia,{{cite news |author= |title=Across from Malta|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E05E6DD1039E33ABC4951DFB667838F629EDE |newspaper=The New York Times |date=October 21, 1934 |access-date=2015-11-11 }} actor and singer
• Orlando E. Caruana,{{Cite web |url=http://antietam.aotw.org/moh.php?citation_id=77 |title=Orlando E Caruana |access-date=20 October 2013}} Medal of Honor winner in American Civil War
• Darrin Q. Camilleri,{{Cite web|url=https://housedems.com/camilleri|title=News From Rep. Camilleri|date=2016-12-16|website=housedems.com|language=en|access-date=2019-08-06}} member of the Michigan House of Representatives
• Alex DeBrincat,{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/blackhawks/news/verdict-prolific-debrincat-brushes-off-defenders-doubters/c-289337440|title=Verdict: Prolific DeBrincat brushes off defenders, doubters|author=Bob Verdi|date=May 8, 2017|publisher=nhl.com}} hockey player
• Aaron Falzon,{{cite web |last1=Hendel |first1=Talia |title=Q&A: Aaron Falzon's Memorable Summer with Team Malta |url=https://nusports.com/news/2018/9/5/mens-basketball-q-a-aaron-falzons-memorable-summer-with-team-malta.aspx |website=Nu sports}} basketball player
• Tevin Falzon,{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbl.org.uk/tevin-falzon-makes-switch-to-bristol-flyers/|title=✍️ Tevin Falzon makes switch to Bristol Flyers|date=July 12, 2018}} basketball player
• Danielle Fishel,{{cite tweet|user=daniellefishel |number=273910088794787842|date=28 November 2012 |title=@briannaberlen thank you! I'm 50% Maltese and 50% everything else.}} actress
• Nazzareno Formosa,[http://www.maltamigration.com/history/exodus/chapter4-8.shtml "The Maltese in New York"], Malta Migration. Retrieved on 20 July 2016. Roman-Catholic priest
• Joseph Lapira,{{Cite web |url=http://www.maltesefootballstarlets.com/joseph-lapira-another-player-maltese-roots |title=Joseph Lapira - Another Player with Maltese Roots! |access-date=2018-05-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120603062741/http://www.maltesefootballstarlets.com/joseph-lapira-another-player-maltese-roots |archive-date=2012-06-03 |url-status=dead }} professional soccer player
• Joe Sacco,Drawn & Quarterly (2004). [http://www.drawnandquarterly.com/artBio.php?artist=a3dff7dd55575b Joe Sacco: Biography]. Retrieved April 24, 2006. cartoonist and journalist
• Britney Spears,{{cite book |last=Spears |first=Lynne |date=September 16, 2008 |chapter=Chapter 2: Kentwood – From Malta to Louisiana |title=Through the Storm: A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid World |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eOiunEB5ccMC&pg=PA4 |edition=1st |location=Nashville, Tennessee |publisher=Thomas Nelson, Inc. |page=4 |isbn=978-1-4185-6735-4 |access-date=February 19, 2014 |quote=But on my mama's side, the family tree is a little more colorful and glamorous. Her father, my grandfather, was Anthony Portelli, who came from the island of Malta.}} singer
• Bryan Spears, film and television producer
• Jamie Lynn Spears, actress and singer
• Lynne Spears, author
• Jenise Spiteri, {{Cite news|url=https://maltadaily.mt/jenise-spiteri-becomes-first-ever-maltese-snowboarder-to-compete-at-the-winter-olympics/|newspaper=Malta Daily|title=Jenise Spiteri becomes first ever Maltese snowboarder to compete at the Winter Olympics|date=January 22, 2022|access-date=July 14, 2023|archive-date=July 14, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230714183106/https://maltadaily.mt/jenise-spiteri-becomes-first-ever-maltese-snowboarder-to-compete-at-the-winter-olympics/|url-status=live}} snowboarder
• Charlie Williams,{{cite web|url=http://www.vallettafc.net/charlie-williams|website=Valletta FC.net|title=Charlie Williams|access-date=27 May 2018|year=2012|publisher=Valletta FC}} professional soccer player
• Frank Zarb, businessman and politician

{{Portal|Malta|United States}}

• European Americans
• Hyphenated American
• Malta–United States relations

{{Reflist}}

• Andreassi, Diane. "Maltese Americans." Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America, edited by Thomas Riggs, (3rd ed., vol. 3, Gale, 2014), pp. 163–170. [https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3273300120/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=40ce8581 online]
• Andreassi, Diane. Maltese in Detroit (Arcadia, 2011).
• Cassar, Paul. Early Relations between Malta and the United States of America (Valletta, Malta: Midsea Books, 1976).
• Lubig, Joseph M. Maltese in Michigan (Michigan State University Press, 2011).

• [https://www.detroitmaltese.com/about Maltese American Benevolent Society] in Detroit

{{Maltese diaspora}}

{{European Americans}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:European diaspora in the United States