View source for Greek Americans

{{short description|Americans of Greek birth or descent}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2017}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group            = Greek Americans<br/>{{nobold|Ελληνοαμερικανοί}}
| image            = Greek USC2000 PHS.svg
| population       = '''1,208,000''' (0.4% of the U.S. population)<ref name="USCensus ACS 2023">{{cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT1Y2023.B04006?q=Ancestry|title=Table B04006 - People Reporting Ancestry - 2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimatestrue|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 18, 2024}}</ref><ref name="State Dept">{{cite web|url=https://www.state.gov/u-s-relations-with-greece/|title= U.S. Relations With Greece - Bilateral Relations Fact Sheet|publisher=[[United States Department of State]]|access-date=February 5, 2021}}</ref><br/><ref name=TAR2010>{{cite web|title=Total Ancestry Reported|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_10_1YR_B04003&prodType=table|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150118121537/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_10_1YR_B04003&prodType=table|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 18, 2015|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|year=2010|access-date=December 4, 2014}}</ref>
| regions          = [[New York City]]/[[North Jersey]] • [[Baltimore]] • [[Chicago]] • [[Metro Detroit]] • [[San Francisco Bay Area]] • [[Los Angeles]] • [[Tampa]]/[[Tarpon Springs]] • [[Philadelphia]] • [[Houston]] • [[Salt Lake City]]
| languages        = {{hlist| [[American English]] | [[Greek language|Greek]] }}
| religions        = [[Christianity]], predominantly [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America|Greek Orthodox]]
| related          = 
}}
{{Greeks}}
'''Greek Americans'''{{efn|{{langx|el|Ελληνοαμερικανοί}} {{translit|el|Ellinoamerikanoí}} {{IPA|el|eliˌno.ameɾikaˈɲi|}} or {{lang|el|Ελληνοαμερικάνοι}} {{translit|el|Ellinoamerikánoi}} {{IPA|el|eliˌno.ameɾiˈkaɲi|}}<ref name= "DSMG">{{cite web|url=http://www.greek-language.gr/greekLang/en/modern_greek/tools/lexica/triantafyllides/search.html?lq=ελληνοαμερικάνος|title=ελληνοαμερικάνος in ''Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής''|work=[[Triantafyllidis Dictionary|Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek]]|year=1998|publisher=Institute of Modern Greek Studies (Manolis Triantafyllidis Foundation)|access-date=February 5, 2021}}</ref>}} are [[Americans]] of full or partial [[Greeks|Greek]] ancestry. They number at least 1.2 million,<ref name="TAR2010" /> of whom 264,066 (22%) over the age of five speak [[Greek language|Greek]] [[Heritage language|at home]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last1=Dietrich |first1=Sandy |last2=Hernandez |first2=Erik |date=2022-09-01 |title=Language Use in the United States: 2019 |url=https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2022/acs/acs-50.html |website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>

The United States is home to the largest number of Greeks outside [[Greece]], followed by [[Cyprus]] and [[Greek Australians|Australia]]. Greek Americans have the highest concentrations in [[New York City metropolitan area|New York City]],<ref name=NYCGreeks>{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/12_3YR/S0201/330M100US408/popgroup~536|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212102931/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/12_3YR/S0201/330M100US408/popgroup~536|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 12, 2020|title=Selected Population Profile in the United States 2010-2012 American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=December 13, 2014}}</ref><ref name="dhs.gov">{{cite web|url=https://www.dhs.gov/yearbook-immigration-statistics-2012-legal-permanent-residents|title=Yearbook of Immigration Statistics: 2012 Supplemental Table 2|publisher=U.S. Department of Homeland Security|access-date=April 1, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dhs.gov/files/statistics/publications/LPR09.shtm|title=Yearbook of Immigration Statistics: 2009 - Supplemental Table 2|access-date=April 24, 2010}}</ref> [[Boston metropolitan area|Boston]],<ref name=BostonGreeks>{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/12_3YR/S0201/330M100US148/popgroup~536|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212084547/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/12_3YR/S0201/330M100US148/popgroup~536|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 12, 2020|title=Selected Population Profile in the United States 2010-2012 American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=December 13, 2014}}</ref> and [[Chicago metropolitan area|Chicago]],<ref name=ChicagoGreeks>{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/12_3YR/S0201/330M100US176/popgroup~536|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212084410/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/12_3YR/S0201/330M100US176/popgroup~536|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 12, 2020|title=Selected Population Profile in the United States 2010-2012 American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=December 13, 2014}}</ref> but have settled in major [[metropolitan area]]s across the United States. In 2000, [[Tarpon Springs, Florida]], was home to the largest community of Greek Americans proportionally, at just over 10%. 

Within the [[New York City]] region, [[Astoria, Queens]] contains a vibrant Greek community and an official [[Greektown]]. Officially city-designated Greektowns exist in [[Greektown, Chicago|Chicago]], [[Greektown, Detroit|Detroit]], and [[Tarpon Springs]] in the [[Tampa]] area. Greek community enclaves have been found in other metropolitan areas, such as in the [[San Francisco Bay Area]], [[Los Angeles]], [[Philadelphia]], and rural areas such as [[Campbell, Ohio]] are home to Greek enclaves. There are also strong Greek communities in [[Boston]], the [[Salt Lake Valley]], and in [[North Carolina]], especially [[Charlotte, NC|Charlotte]] and [[Asheville]] areas.

==History==

===Early history===
[[File:Greek american Migrant - late 19th--20th century.jpg|thumb|A young [[Greeks|Greek]] [[immigrant]] on [[Ellis Island]], [[New York City]], late 19th century]]
[[File:Fantis Parochial School Greek Orth 5 Av 67 St parade jeh.jpg|left|thumb|Greek parade at [[57th Street (Manhattan)|57th Street]], New York State]]
The first Greek to ever set foot in America was Johan Griego ({{Lit|John the Greek}}), in 1492. He was a member of [[Christopher Columbus]]'s first expedition.<ref name=":2">Leber, George J. (1972) "The First Greeks in the New World" In: ''[https://ahepa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/AHEPA%20History%201922%20-%201972%20By%20George%20Leber.pdf The Greeks in the New World, and Immigration to the United States]'', Order of AHEPA, Washington, D.C.</ref> At least two other Greeks followed soon  after; they were brothers who sailed with Columbus in his second (1493) and third (1498) expeditions.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Gil Fernández |first=Juan |date=2007 |title=Marineros griegos en las naves de Cristóbal Colón |url=https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=2554321 |journal=Erytheia: Revista de estudios bizantinos y neogriegos |issue=28 |pages=127–138 |issn=0213-1986}}</ref> Spanish and English historians mention three Greeks who sailed with [[Ferdinand Magellan]] in 1520 on his voyage to [[Patagonia]]. Their names are listed as: [[Nikolaos|''Nikolao'']], [[Ioannis|''Ioanni'']], and [[Matthaios|''Mattheo'']].<ref name=":2" />

Another Greek, Don Doroteo Teodoro, was a sailor who landed in Boca Ciega Bay at the Jungle Prada site in present-day [[St. Petersburg, Florida]] with the [[Narváez expedition]] in 1528.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.library.txstate.edu/swwc/cdv/book/25.html|title=Cabeza de Vaca's La Relacion|access-date=March 17, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.library.txstate.edu/swwc/cdv/book/29.html|title=Cabeza de Vaca's La Relacion|access-date=March 17, 2015}}</ref> He was instrumental in building the rafts that the expedition survivors built and sailed from present-day St. Mark's River in Florida until they were shipwrecked near Galveston Island, Texas. Teodoro had been captured by natives as they sailed along the Gulf coast shoreline toward the west, and was never seen again.<ref>{{cite book|last= Adorno |first= Rolena |author2=Pautz, Patrick |title= Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca: His Account, His Life, and the Expedition of Panfilo de Narváez |date= September 15, 1999 |publisher= [[University of Nebraska Press]] |location= Lincoln |isbn= 978-0-8032-1463-7 }}, 3 vols.</ref> He was presumably killed by the natives.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Moskos |first=Peter C. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FCIxDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA5 |title=Greek Americans: Struggle and Success |date=2017-07-05 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-351-51669-3 |pages=4–5 |language=en}}</ref> Don Doroteo Teodoro is regarded as the first Greek to have set foot on soil which is today part of the [[United States]].<ref name=":2" /> [[Pedro de Candia]] ({{Lit|Petros the Cretan}}, a Greek adventurer and soldier from [[Crete]], is known for being a lieutenant of [[Francisco Pizarro]] who conquered the empire of Peru and founded the city of [[Lima]].<ref name=":2" />

When [[Francis Drake]] reached [[Valparaiso]], Chile in 1578 he found there a Greek pilot, whose name was Ioannis. loannis acted as Drake's pilot as far as [[Lima]], Peru.<ref name=":2" /> Ten years later, [[Thomas Cavendish]] met a Greek pilot by the name of Georgio, who knew the waters of Chile. Both of these Greek pilots must have been in the area for many years in order to have sufficient knowledge of the waters to act as pilots for visiting ships.<ref name=":2" />

In 1592, Greek captain [[Juan de Fuca]] (original name: Ioannis Fokas or Apostolos Valerianos) sailed up the [[Pacific]] coast under the Spanish flag, in search of the fabled [[Northwest Passage]] between the Pacific and the [[Atlantic]]. He reported discovering a body of water, a [[strait]] which today bears his name: the [[Strait of Juan de Fuca]], which today forms part of the [[Canada–United States border]].<ref name=":2" />

There is a report that a Cretan Greek named Konopios operated a coffeehouse in [[New England]] in 1652.<ref>Melvin Hecker and Heike Fenton. eds., ''The Greeks in America 1528-1977'' (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.: Oceana Publications. Inc., 1978). p. 1.</ref> Records show that a Greek, Michael Dry (Youris), became a [[naturalized]] citizen by act of the [[General Assembly of Maryland]] in 1725. This makes Dry the first Greek positively known to reside permanently in what is today the United States.<ref name=":0" />

About 500 Greeks from [[Smyrna]], [[Crete]], and [[Mani Peninsula|Mani]] settled in [[New Smyrna Beach, Florida]] in 1768. The colony was unsuccessful, and the settlers moved to [[St. Augustine, Florida|St. Augustine]] in 1776. In November 1777, a Greek chapel was established in St. Augustine, where Greeks could pray with their own [[Rite (Christianity)|rites]].<ref name=":0" /> Almost 200 years later, the chapel was designated the [[St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine]] by the [[Greek Orthodox Church]], and it exists today as a remnant of their presence, having been built atop the site of the Avero House, itself believed to be the first site of Greek Orthodox worship in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|last=Leonard|first=M. C. Bob|url=http://floridahistory.org/british.htm|title=The Floridians: British Colonialism in Florida 1763-1783|publisher=floridahistory.org|access-date=March 24, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Leonidas C.|last=Polopolus|url=http://web.classics.ufl.edu/CGS/florida_hellenism.htm|title=A Brief History of Hellenism in Florida|publisher=University of Florida, Center for Greek Studies|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020224212339/http://web.classics.ufl.edu/CGS/florida_hellenism.htm|archive-date=February 24, 2002}}</ref>

The first noted Greek American scholar was [[John Paradise]].<ref name=":0" /> He was persuaded to immigrate to America by [[Benjamin Franklin]] and [[Thomas Jefferson]], whom he met in Europe. Paradise married into the notable Ludwell family, one of the most prominent colonial families in [[Virginia]].<ref name=":0" />

[[Evstratii Delarov]], a native of the [[Peloponnese]],<ref name=":0" /> was the first documented [[Greeks|Greek]] explorer and merchant to arrive in [[Alaska]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Frangos |first=Steve |date=2005 |title=Long-Forgotten Greek Alaskan |url=http://www.pahh.com/frangos/delarof.html |access-date=2022-06-17 |website=[[The National Herald]]}}</ref> From 1783 to 1791, he was in charge of all Russian trading operations in the [[Aleutian Islands]] and in Alaska.<ref name=":0" /> He is today considered to have been the first ''[[de facto]]'' [[Governor of Alaska]].<ref name=":0" />[[File:Michel Dragon.png|thumb|150 px|left|[[Michel Dragon]], a Greek merchant who took part in the [[American Revolutionary War]] as a lieutenant.]]
[[File:Greek-American volunteers in the Balkan Wars.jpg|thumb|Greek-American volunteers in the Balkan Wars]]

Early records show [[Michel Dragon]] (Michalis Dracos) and [[Andrea Dimitry]] (Andrea Drussakis Demetrios) settled in [[New Orleans]] around 1799. [[Michel Dragon]] was a lieutenant in the [[Spain and the American Revolutionary War|American Revolution]] and [[Andrea Dimitry]] participated in the [[War of 1812]].  [[Andrea Dimitry|Andrea]] married Michel Dragon's daughter, [[Marianne Celeste Dragon]], and established a small community in New Orleans. The marriage between them in 1799 was the first known marriage between Greeks in America.<ref name=":0" /> His son was [[List of ambassadors of the United States to Costa Rica|United States ambassador to Costa Rica]] [[List of ambassadors of the United States to Nicaragua|& Nicaragua]] [[Alexander Dimitry]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=3iQSAAAAYAAJ&dq=Andrea+Dimitry&pg=PA167 "Louise Pecquet du Bellet"] ''Some Prominent Virginia Slaves'' J.P. Bell Company Lynchburg Virginia 1907: p. 167</ref>  Another Greek refugee named [[George Marshall (gunner)|George Marshall]] also came to the United States around this period.  He was born in Rhodes in 1782. Marshall joined the United States Navy in 1809 and he wrote ''Marshall's Practical Marine Gunnery''.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=KFtGAAAAYAAJ "George Marshall"] ''Marshall's Practical Marine Gunnery'' Norfolk Published by C. Hall 1822: p. 1</ref>  Marshall had a successful naval career and became master gunner. His son George J Marshall also served in the navy. His son-in-law was [[George Sirian]]. Due to problems with the strait of Gibraltar, America was desperate for trade with Europe.  Pirates ransomed Americans which led to two Barbary wars. America eventually formed the Mediterranean Squadron.

=== 19th century ===
Many American ships traveled to the Ottoman Empire, namely Ayvalık. The [[Greek War of Independence]] began in 1821 and lasted until 1830. Americans established missionaries in Greece. The missionaries included [[Jonas King]]. Prominent American abolitionists [[Samuel Gridley Howe]] and [[Jonathan Peckham Miller]] participated in the Greek War. [[Jonathan Peckham Miller]] adopted Greek orphan [[Lucas M. Miller]]. [[Samuel Gridley Howe]] also collected a number of refugees and brought them back to Boston. Some of the refugees he brought included [[John Celivergos Zachos]] and author [[Christophorus Plato Castanis]].<ref>{{cite web
|url=  https://ahepahistory.org/biographies/index.html
|title= Biographies
|publisher=  AHEPA Bergen Knights Chapter 285
|author=  Staff Writers
|date=       March 29, 2021
|accessdate= March 29, 2021}}</ref>

New England and Boston became home to countless Greek refugees during the 1820s. Some of them were: Author [[Petros Mengous]], [[Photius Fisk]], [[Gregory Anthony Perdicaris]], [[Evangelinos Apostolides Sophocles]], [[George Colvocoresses]], [[Garafilia Mohalbi]].  There was a large Greek presence at [[Mount Pleasant Classical Institute]] and other local universities.<ref>{{cite web
|url=  http://www.mparaschos.com/Boston_Greeks/Cover.html
|title= The Greeks of Boston
|publisher=  Emerson College, Boston
|author=  Manny Paraschos
|date=       November 18, 2016
|accessdate= March 29, 2021}}</ref>  There were hundreds of Greek orphans that arrived in New England.  Some drastically contributed to the United States of America.  The [[The_Greek_Slave#Greek_Slave_Movement|Greek Slave Movement]] was initiated by Boston abolitionists.

The Greek Slave Movement started in the 1820s during the influx of young refugees to New England.  The movement contributed to countless paintings, sculptures, poems, essays, and songs. The death of Greek slave [[Garafilia Mohalbi]] was a trigger for sympathy.  She was featured in many poems and songs.  The Greek Slave Movement was so popular in American media that sculptor [[Hiram Powers]] created [[The Greek Slave]].  The Greek Slave Movement was an abolitionist tool to abolish slavery in the United States.  The theme eventually exploded some examples include: [[The Slave Market (Gérôme painting)]], [[The Slave Market (Boulanger painting)]], and the slave Market [[Otto Pilny]].<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=The Slave Market at Constantinople |url=https://www.demetrimusic.com/archive/slave.pdf |work=Vermont Gazette Volume 20 No 39 September 8, 1829 Page 1 |agency=Genealogy Bank |date= September 8, 1829 |access-date=January 13, 2021}}
</ref>  Some of the young Greek refugees became abolitionists.

[[John Celivergos Zachos]] became a prominent educator. He was also a woman's rights activist and abolitionist.  [[Photius Fisk]] was another abolitionist who fought for the anti-slavery cause.  [[Gregory Anthony Perdicaris]] was a wealthy millionaire who created the framework for gas and electric companies.  [[George Colvocoresses]] was a captain in the United States Navy.  [[Colvos Passage]] is named after him.  [[George Sirian]] was another seaman in the United States Navy.  The George Sirian Meritorious Service Award is named after him.  Harvard created an entire department for [[Evangelinos Apostolides Sophocles]]. Greek orphan [[Lucas Miltiades Miller]] became a U.S. Congressman.

In the [[American Civil War]], Greek Americans fought for both sides, [[Union Army|Union]] and [[Confederate States Army|Confederate]], with prominent Greeks such as [[George Colvocoresses]], [[John Celivergos Zachos]] and [[Photius Fisk]] taking part in the war on the side of the [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lazos |first=Chrēstos D. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2lxoAAAAMAAJ |title=Έλληνες στα Λαϊκά Απελευθερωτικά Κινήματα |date=2001 |publisher=Aiolos |isbn=978-960-521-095-3 |pages=120 |language=el}}</ref> A Greek Company within the [[List of Louisiana Confederate Civil War units#Militia|Confederate Louisiana Militia]] was formed for Greeks who fought for the [[Confederate States of America]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kalymniou |first=Dean |date=2014-12-08 |title=Greeks who whistle dixie |url=https://neoskosmos.com/en/2014/12/08/dialogue/opinion/greeks-who-whistle-dixie/ |access-date=2022-06-17 |website=[[Neos Kosmos]] |language=en}}</ref>

After the Civil War, the Greek community continued to flourish in [[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]]. By 1866, the community was numerous and prosperous enough to have a Greek [[Consul (representative)|consulate]] and the first official [[Greek Orthodox Church]] in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greekfestnola.com/churchhistory.html|title=History of the Holy Trinity Cathedral|publisher=greekfestnola.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070520215428/http://www.greekfestnola.com/churchhistory.html|archive-date=May 20, 2007}}</ref> During that period, most Greek immigrants to the [[New World]] came from [[Asia Minor]] and those [[Aegean Islands]] still under [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] rule. By 1890, there were almost 15,000 Greeks living in the U.S.

Immigration picked up again in the 1890s and early 20th century, due largely to economic opportunity in the U.S., displacement caused by the hardships of [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] rule, the [[Balkan Wars]], and [[World War I]]. Most of these immigrants had come from southern Greece, especially from the Peloponnesian provinces of Laconia and Arcadia.<ref name="Barkan1999">{{cite book|last=Barkan|first=Elliott Robert|title=A Nation of Peoples: A Sourcebook on America's Multicultural Heritage|url=https://archive.org/details/nationofpeopless00bark|url-access=registration|year=1999|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-313-29961-2|pages=[https://archive.org/details/nationofpeopless00bark/page/252 252]–253}}</ref> 450,000 Greeks arrived to the States between 1890 and 1917, most working in the cities of the [[northeastern United States]]; others labored on railroad construction and in mines of the [[western United States]]; another 70,000 arrived between 1918 and 1924. Each wave of immigration contributed to the growth of [[Hellenistic philosophy|Hellenism]] in the U.S.

Greek immigration at this time was over 90% male, contrasted with most other European immigration to the U.S., such as [[Italians|Italian]] and [[Irish people|Irish]] immigration, which averaged 50% to 60% male. Many Greek immigrants expected to work and return to their [[homeland]] after earning capital and dowries for their families. However, the loss of their homeland due to the [[Greek genocide]] and the 1923 [[population exchange between Greece and Turkey]], which displaced 1,500,000 Greeks from [[Anatolia]], [[Eastern Thrace]], and [[Pontus (region)|Pontus]] caused the initial economic immigrants to reside permanently in America. The Greeks were [[de jure]] [[denaturalized]] from their homelands and lost the right to return, and their families were made refugees. Additionally, the first widely implemented [[Immigration Act of 1924|U.S. immigration limits against non Western European immigrants]] were made in 1924, creating an impetus for immigrants to apply for citizenship, bring their families and permanently settle in the U.S. Fewer than 30,000 Greek immigrants arrived in the U.S. between 1925 and 1945, most of whom were "[[Mail-order bride|picture brides]]" for single Greek men and family members coming over to join relatives.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mpa.gr/specials/us_hellenes/micra_asia.html|script-title=el:Κατατρεγμένοι Έλληνες από τη Μ. Ασία στις ΗΠΑ|trans-title=Persecuted Greeks from Asia Minor in the USA|language=el|publisher=mpa.gr|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040807140929/http://www.mpa.gr/specials/us_hellenes/micra_asia.html|archive-date=August 7, 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Steve|last=Frangos|url=http://www.pahh.com/frangos/brides.html|title=Picture Bride Era in Greek American History|publisher=The National Herald|via=Preservation of American Hellenic History|date=March 12, 2005|access-date=March 24, 2017}}</ref>

===20th century===
[[File:Sponge auction in Tarpon Springs (9190026157).jpg|thumb|Sponge auction in [[Tarpon Springs, Florida]], in 1947. The community has the highest percentage of Greek Americans of any city in the U.S.]]

In 1909, there was a [[Greek Town riot|pogrom against the Greek population]] in South [[Omaha]].

The events of the early 1920s also provided the stimulus for the first permanent national Greek American religious and civic organizations. In 1922, as a response to the anti-Greek campaign and actions of the [[Ku Klux Klan]], the [[American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association]] was founded.<ref name="AHEPA vs. the KKK">{{cite web|last1=Gerontakis|first1=Steven|title=AHEPA vs. the KKK: Greek-Americans on the Path to Whiteness|url=http://toto.lib.unca.edu/sr_papers/history_sr/srhistory_2012/gerontakis_steven.pdf|publisher=[[University of North Carolina at Asheville]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141121050514/http://toto.lib.unca.edu/sr_papers/history_sr/srhistory_2012/gerontakis_steven.pdf|archive-date=November 21, 2014|date=November 2012}}</ref> AHEPA aimed to counter the xenophobic sentiments directed at Greek immigrants by promoting non-violence, educational outreach and the full Americanization of the Greek community.<ref name="AHEPA vs. the KKK"/> Anti-immigrant sentiment, particularly among newspapers owned by [[William Randolph Hearst]], provided the background to sensational trials in the 1920s, including the conviction of [[Alexander Pantages]], Greek immigrant and movie theater pioneer, in 1929. His 50-year prison sentence was later overturned.<ref>{{cite book|last= Lagos |first= Taso G. |title= American Zeus: The Life of Alexander Pantages, Theater Mogul |date= January 13, 2018 |publisher= [[McFarland Press]] |location= Jefferson, North Carolina |isbn= 978-1-4766-6838-3}}</ref>

Greeks again began to arrive in large numbers after 1945, fleeing the economic devastation caused by [[World War II]] and the [[Greek Civil War]]. From 1945 until 1982, approximately 211,000 Greeks immigrated to the United States. These later immigrants were less influenced by the powerful assimilation pressures of the 1920s and 1930s and revitalized Greek American identity, especially in areas such as Greek-language media.

Greek immigrants founded more than 600 [[diner]]s in the New York metropolitan area in the 1950s through the 1970s. Immigration to the United States from Greece peaked between the 1950s and 1970.<ref>{{cite news|first=Joseph|last=Berger|title=Diners in Changing Hands; Greek Ownership on the Wane|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/16/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/16Rdinersnj.html|work=[[New York Times]]|date=March 16, 2008|access-date=March 24, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Dena|last=Kleiman|title=Greek Diners, Where Anything Is Possible|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/02/27/garden/greek-diners-where-anything-is-possible.html?pagewanted=all|work=[[New York Times]]|date=February 27, 1991|access-date=May 27, 2009}}</ref> After the 1981 admission of Greece to the [[European Union]], annual U.S. immigration numbers fell to less than 2,000. In recent years, Greek immigration to the United States has been minimal; in fact, net migration has been towards Greece. Over 72,000 U.S. citizens currently live in Greece (1999); most of them are Greek Americans.

The predominant religion among Greeks and Greek Americans is [[Greek Orthodox Christianity]]. There are also a number of Americans who descend from [[Greece]]'s smaller [[Sephardic]] and [[Romaniotes|Romaniote]] [[Jew]]ish communities.

===21st century===
The [[Greek financial crisis]] triggered a resurgence of [[Greek diaspora|Greek immigration]] to New York City in 2010, which accelerated in 2015, centering on the traditional Greek enclave of [[Astoria, Queens]].<ref name=GreekResurgenceNewYork>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/06/world/greeks-in-new-york-talk-and-cheer-then-debate-future-after-referendum.html|title=Greeks in New York Talk and Cheer, Then Debate Future After Referendum|author=Annie Correal and Colleen Wright|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 5, 2015|access-date=July 5, 2015}}</ref> According to ''[[The New York Times]]'', this new wave of Greek migration was driven less by opportunities in New York City by a lack of economic options in Greece itself.<ref name=GreekResurgenceNewYork/> In December 2022, the $85 million, newly rebuilt [[St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church]] opened in [[Lower Manhattan]], 21 years after being destroyed in the [[September 11 attacks]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/24/nyregion/st-nicholas-greek-orthodox-sept-11.html|title=St. Nicolas (the Church) Has Come to Town|author=Jane Margolies|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 24, 2022|access-date=December 25, 2022}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{Bar chart
| title       = Number of Greek Americans
| label_type  = Year
| data_type   = Number
| bar_width   = 15
| width_units = em
| data_max    = 1500000
| float       = right
| label1   = 1980<ref>{{cite web|title=Rank of States for Selected Ancestry Groups with 100,00 or more persons: 1980|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/censusdata/files/pc80-s1-10/tab04.pdf|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=November 30, 2012}}</ref>
| data1    = 959,856
| label2   = 1990<ref>{{cite web|title=1990 Census of Population Detailed Ancestry Groups for States|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/cen1990/cp-s/cp-s-1-2.pdf|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=November 30, 2012|date=September 18, 1992}}</ref>
| data2    = 1,110,373
| label3   = 2000<ref>{{cite web|title=Ancestry: 2000|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_00_SF3_QTP13&prodType=table|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212213043/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_00_SF3_QTP13&prodType=table|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 12, 2020|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=November 30, 2012}}</ref>
| data3    = 1,153,307
| label4   = 2010<ref name="ancestry tally" />
| data4    = 1,316,074
| label5   = 2020<ref name="ancestry tally">{{cite web|title=Total ancestry categories tallied for people with one or more ancestry categories reported 2010 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_10_1YR_B04003&prodType=table|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150118121537/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_10_1YR_B04003&prodType=table|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 18, 2015|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=May 2, 2024}}</ref>
| data5    = 1,373,622
}}

[[File:Greek1346.gif|thumb|260px|[[Maps of American ancestries|Distribution]] of Greek Americans according to the [[United States Census, 2000|2000 census]]]]
[[Image:Top of Rock Cropped.jpg|thumb|The [[New York City Metropolitan Area]], including [[Long Island]], [[New York (state)|New York]], and [[Bergen County]], [[New Jersey]], is home to the largest Greek population in the United States.<ref name=NYCGreeks/><ref name="dhs.gov"/>]]
[[File:Archbishop Demetrios & POTUS GWBush, 2007March23.jpg|thumb|U.S. President [[George W. Bush]] welcomes Archbishop Demetrios to the White House to celebrate Greek Independence Day and to recognize the contributions of Greek-Americans to American culture in March 2007]]

===Population by state===
Population by state according to the 2011-2015 [[American Community Survey]].<ref>{{cite web |title=2011-2015 American Community Survey Selected Population Tables |url=https://www.census.gov |access-date=August 10, 2018 }}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
#{{flag|New York}} – {{nts|170,637}}
#{{flag|California}} – {{nts|134,680}}
#{{flag|Illinois}} – {{nts|99,509}}
#{{flag|Florida}} – {{nts|90,647}}
#{{flag|Massachusetts}} – {{nts|83,701}}
#{{flag|New Jersey}} – {{nts|63,940}}
#{{flag|Pennsylvania}} – {{nts|62,168}}
#{{flag|Ohio}} – {{nts|54,614}}
#{{flag|Texas}} – {{nts|47,622}}
#{{flag|Michigan}} – {{nts|42,711}}
#{{flag|Maryland}} – {{nts|33,733}}
#{{flag|Virginia}} – {{nts|33,062}}
#{{flag|Connecticut}} – {{nts|30,304}}
#{{flag|North Carolina}} – {{nts|26,877}}
#{{flagcountry|Washington (state)}} – {{nts|25,665}}
#{{flag|Indiana}} – {{nts|23,993}}
#{{flag|Arizona}} – {{nts|21,742}}
#{{flag|Colorado}} – {{nts|20,239}}
#{{flagcountry|Georgia (U.S. state)}} – {{nts|19,519}}
#{{flag|New Hampshire}} – {{nts|18,434}}
#{{flag|Wisconsin}} – {{nts|16,386}}
#{{flag|Missouri}} – {{nts|15,920}}
#{{flag|Utah}} – {{nts|14,088}}
#{{flag|Oregon}} – {{nts|13,847}}
#{{flag|South Carolina}} – {{nts|13,552}}
#{{flag|Nevada}} – {{nts|11,977}}
#{{flag|Minnesota}} – {{nts|11,782}}
#{{flag|Tennessee}} – {{nts|11,345}}
#{{flag|Alabama}} – {{nts|8,081}}
#{{flag|Rhode Island}} – {{nts|7,485}}
#{{flag|Maine}} – {{nts|7,164}}
#{{flag|Kentucky}} – {{nts|6,887}}
#{{flag|Louisiana}} – {{nts|6,636}}
#{{flag|Iowa}} – {{nts|6,415}}
#{{flag|Kansas}} – {{nts|5,315}}
#{{flag|Oklahoma}} – {{nts|5,261}}
#{{flag|West Virginia}} – {{nts|4,722}}
#{{flag|New Mexico}} – {{nts|4,110}}
#{{flag|Idaho}} – {{nts|3,869}}
#{{flag|Delaware}} – {{nts|3,851}}
#{{flag|Nebraska}} – {{nts|3,840}}
#{{flag|Arkansas}} – {{nts|3,082}}
#{{flag|Montana}} – {{nts|3,062}}
#{{flag|Mississippi}} – {{nts|3,023}}
#{{flag|Vermont}} – {{nts|2,987}}
#{{flag|Hawaii}} – {{nts|2,479}}
#{{flag|District of Columbia}} – {{nts|2,139}}
#{{flag|Alaska}} – {{nts|2,129}}
#{{flag|Wyoming}} – {{nts|1,701}}
#{{flag|South Dakota}} – {{nts|1,180}}
#{{flag|North Dakota}} – {{nts|690}}
{{div col end}}

===Largest communities===
According to the 2020 [[American Community Survey]], 1,249,194 Americans had full or partial Greek ancestry, whom 124,428 were born in Greece.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=acs&t=Ancestry&g=0100000US%243300000&y=2020&tid=ACSDT5Y2020.B04006&tp=true|title=2020 American Community Survey Selected Population Tables|website=American FactFinder|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|language=en|access-date=March 3, 2022}}</ref>

Top CSAs by Ancestry:
# [[New York-Newark-Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA CSA]]: 187,255
# [[Boston-Worcester-Manchester, MA-RI-NH CSA]]: 95,594
# [[Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI CSA]]: 89,468
# [[Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA CSA]]: 52,416
# [[Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA CSA]]: 48,597
# [[San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA CSA]]: 40,277
# [[Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD CSA]]: 36,432
# [[Metro Detroit|Detroit–Warren–Ann Arbor, MI CSA]]: 31,547
# [[Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL CSA]]: 23,725

Top CSAs by Country of Birth:
# [[New York-Newark-Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA CSA]]: 37,225
# [[Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI CSA]]: 12,070
# [[Boston-Worcester-Manchester, MA-RI-NH CSA]]: 10,843
# [[Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA CSA]]: 5,484
# [[Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA CSA]]: 5,016
# [[Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD CSA]]: 5,014
# [[San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA CSA]]: 3,424
# [[Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL CSA]]: 2,711
# [[Metro Detroit|Detroit–Warren–Ann Arbor, MI CSA]]: 2,337

Top MSAs by Ancestry:
# [[New York-Newark-Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA CSA]]: 159,180
# [[Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI]]: 87,864
# [[Boston-Worcester-Manchester, MA-RI-NH CSA]]: 65,041
# [[Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA]]: 39,163
# [[Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD]]: 30,728
# [[Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA CSA]]: 28,450
# [[Metro Detroit|Detroit–Warren–Ann Arbor, MI]]: 26,290
# [[Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL]]: 24,522
# [[San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA CSA]]: 23,266
# [[Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL CSA]]: 20,545

Top MSAs by Country of Birth:
# [[New York-Newark-Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA CSA]]: 32,801
# [[Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI]]: 12,031
# [[Boston-Worcester-Manchester, MA-RI-NH CSA]]: 7,807
# [[Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA]]: 4,512
# [[Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD]]: 4,347
# [[Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL]]: 3,969
# [[Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA CSA]]: 3,101
# [[Miami metropolitan area|Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL]]: 2,602
# [[Greater Bridgeport|Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk-Danbury, CT]]: 2,302
# [[San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA CSA]]: 2,091
# [[Metro Detroit|Detroit–Warren–Ann Arbor, MI]]: 2,076

Top States by Ancestry:
# [[New York (state)|New York]]: 143,481
# [[California]]: 129,127
# [[Illinois]]: 91,086
# [[Florida]]: 89,658
# [[Massachusetts]]: 76,317
# [[New Jersey]]: 59,665
# [[Pennsylvania]]: 59,477
# [[Ohio]]: 53,057
# [[Texas]]: 48,697
# [[Michigan]]: 44,042

Top States by Country of Birth:
# [[New York (state)|New York]]: 29,017
# [[Illinois]]: 12,031
# [[California]]: 10,742
# [[Massachusetts]]: 9,705
# [[Florida]]: 9,565
# [[New Jersey]]: 8,872
# [[Pennsylvania]]: 5,865
# [[Connecticut]]: 4,074
# [[Texas]]: 3,965
# [[Maryland]]: 3,312

===Communities by percentage of people of Greek ancestry===
The U.S. communities with the highest percentage of people claiming Greek ancestry are:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.epodunk.com/ancestry/Greek.html |title=Ancestry Map of Greek Communities |publisher=Epodunk.com |access-date=August 12, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070220022932/http://www.epodunk.com/ancestry/Greek.html |archive-date=February 20, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
# [[Tarpon Springs, Florida]] 10.4%
# [[Campbell, Ohio]] 9.30%
# [[Lincolnwood, Illinois]] 7.60%
# [[Plandome Manor, New York]] 7.50%
# [[Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey]] 7.20%
# [[Allenwood, New Jersey]] 6.60%
# [[South Barrington, Illinois]] 6.00%
# [[Palos Hills, Illinois]] 5.40%
# [[Nahant, Massachusetts]] 5.30%
# [[Alpine, New Jersey]]; [[Holiday, Florida]]; and [[Munsey Park, New York]] 5.20%
# [[East Marion, New York]] 5.00%
# [[Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan]] and [[Grosse Pointe Township, Michigan]]; [[Palos Park, Illinois]]; and [[Upper Brookville, New York]] 4.90%
# [[Harbor Isle, New York]] 4.70%
# [[Lake Dalecarlia, Indiana]] 4.50%
# [[Barnum Island, New York]] 4.40%
# [[Peabody, Massachusetts]] 4.30%
# [[Livingston Manor, New York]] and [[University Gardens, New York]] 4.20%
# [[Oak Brook, Illinois]] 4.00%
# [[Dracut, Massachusetts]] 3.90%
# [[Harwood Heights, Illinois]] and [[Oyster Bay Cove, New York]] 3.80%
# [[Fort Lee, New Jersey]]; [[Hiller, Pennsylvania]]; [[Ipswich, Massachusetts]]; [[Long Grove, Illinois]]; [[Oakhurst, New Jersey]]; and [[Yorkville, Ohio]] 3.70%
# [[Broomall, Pennsylvania]]; [[Garden City South, New York]]; [[Norwood Park, Chicago|Norwood Park, Chicago, Illinois]] ([[neighborhood]]); and [[Plandome, New York]] 3.60%
# [[Flower Hill, New York]]; [[Manhasset, New York]]; [[Monte Sereno, California]]; [[Norridge, Illinois]]; [[Palisades Park, New Jersey]]; [[Palos Township, Cook County, Illinois|Palos Township, IL]]; and [[Windham, New York]] 3.50%
# [[Morton Grove, Illinois]]; [[Terryville, New York]]; and [[Wellington, Utah]] 3.40%
# [[Banks Township, Carbon County, Pennsylvania|Banks Township, PA]] ([[Carbon County, PA]]); [[Harmony Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania|Harmony, Pennsylvania]] ([[Beaver County, PA]]); [[Plandome Heights, New York]]; and [[Watertown, Massachusetts]] 3.30%
# [[Niles, Illinois]] and [[Niles Township, Illinois]] 3.20%
# [[Groveland, Massachusetts]] 3.10%
# [[Albertson, New York]]; [[Caroline, New York]]; [[Graeagle, California]]; [[Lynnfield, Massachusetts]]; [[Marple Township, Pennsylvania]]; and [[Stanhope, New Jersey]] 3.00%
# [[Foster Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania|Foster Township, Pennsylvania]]; [[Manhasset Hills, New York]]; [[West Falmouth, Massachusetts]]; [[Winfield, Indiana]]; and [[Worth Township, Indiana]] ([[Boone County, IN]]) 2.90%
<!-- cut off after #30 -->

===Communities by percentage of those born in Greece===
[[File:Greektownnew2.jpg|thumb|[[Greektown, Detroit]]]]
The U.S. communities with the largest percentage of residents born in Greece are:{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}<br />
{| class="wikitable floatright"
|+Greek speakers in the U.S.
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Speakers
|-
| 1910{{ref|foreignborn|a|}} ||{{center|118,379}}
|-
| 1920{{ref|foreignborn|a|}} ||{{center|174,658}}
|-
| 1930{{ref|foreignborn|a|}} ||{{center|189,066}}
|-
| 1940{{ref|foreignborn|a|}} ||{{center|165,220}}
|-
| 1960{{ref|foreignborn|a|}} ||{{center|180,781}}
|-
| 1970{{ref|foreignborn|a|}} ||{{center|193,745}}
|-
| 1980<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/language/data/acs/Table2.xls|title=Appendix Table 2. Languages Spoken at Home: 1980, 1990, 2000, and 2007|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=August 6, 2012}}</ref> ||{{center|401,443}}
|-
| 1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/language/data/census/table5.txt|title=Detailed Language Spoken at Home and Ability to Speak English for Persons 5 Years and Over --50 Languages with Greatest Number of Speakers: United States 1990|year=1990|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=July 22, 2012}}</ref> ||{{center|388,260}}
|-
| 2000<ref>{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_00_SF3_QTP16&prodType=table|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212212514/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_00_SF3_QTP16&prodType=table|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 12, 2020|title=Language Spoken at Home: 2000|publisher=[[United States Bureau of the Census]]|access-date=August 8, 2012}}</ref> ||{{center|365,436}}
|-
| 2011<ref>{{cite web |title=Detailed Languages Spoken at Home by English-Speaking Ability for the Population 5 Years and Over: 2011 |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2013/acs/acs-22/acs-22.pdf |website=census.gov |publisher=[[US Census Bureau]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190908175914/https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2013/acs/acs-22/acs-22.pdf |archive-date=September 8, 2019 |page=3}}</ref> || {{center|304,928}}
|-
|2019<ref name=":1" /> ||{{center|264,066}}
|-
|colspan="2"|{{note|foreignborn|a|Foreign-born population only<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0029/tab06.html|title=Mother Tongue of the Foreign-Born Population: 1910 to 1940, 1960, and 1970|date=March 9, 1999|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=August 6, 2012}}</ref>}}
|}

{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}
# [[Horse Heaven Hills|Horse Heaven, Washington]] 3.8%
# [[Tarpon Springs, Florida]] 3.2%
# [[Palos Hills, Illinois]] 3.1%
# [[Harbor Isle, New York]] 3.1%
# [[Campbell, Ohio]] 3.1%
# [[Lincolnwood, Illinois]] 2.7%
# [[Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey]] 2.5%
# [[Bedford Park, Illinois]] 2.3%
# [[Twin Lakes, Florida]] 2.3%
# [[Holiday, Florida]] 2.1%
# [[Great Neck Gardens, New York]] 2.1%
# [[Norridge, Illinois]] 2.0%
# [[Palos Park, Illinois]] 1.9%
# [[Barnum Island, New York]] 1.9%
# [[Munsey Park, New York]] 1.8%
# [[Foxfield, Colorado]] 1.7%
# [[Cedar Glen West, New Jersey]] 1.7%
# [[Raynham Center, Massachusetts]] 1.6%
# [[Broomall, Pennsylvania]] 1.6%
# [[Flower Hill, New York]] 1.6%
# [[Alpine, New Jersey]] 1.6%
# [[Millbourne, Pennsylvania]] 1.6%
# [[Niles, Illinois]] 1.6%
# [[Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan]] 1.6%
# [[East Marion, New York]] 1.6%
# [[West Falmouth, Massachusetts]] 1.6%
# [[Golden Triangle, New Jersey]] 1.5%
# [[Palisades Park, New Jersey]] 1.5%
# [[Garden City South, New York]] 1.5%
# [[Harwood Heights, Illinois]] 1.5%
# [[Watertown, Massachusetts]] 1.5%
# [[Morton Grove, Illinois]] 1.5%
# [[East Ithaca, New York]] 1.4%
# [[Fort Lee, New Jersey]] 1.4%
# [[Saddle Rock, New York]] 1.4%
# [[Oakhurst, New Jersey]] 1.4%
# [[Plandome Manor, New York]] 1.3%
# [[White Lake, North Carolina]] 1.3%
# [[Old Brookville, New York]] 1.2%
# [[Plandome Heights, New York]] 1.2%
# [[South Barrington, Illinois]] 1.2%
# [[North Lakeville, Massachusetts]] 1.2%
# [[Terryville, New York]] 1.2%
# [[Jefferson, West Virginia]] 1.2%
# [[Ridgefield, New Jersey]] 1.2%
# [[East Norwich, New York]] 1.2%
# [[Skokie, Illinois]] 1.1%
# [[Arlington Heights, Pennsylvania]] 1.1%
# [[Pomona, New York]] 1.1%
# [[Spring House, Pennsylvania]] 1.1%
# [[Hickory Hills, Illinois]] 1.1%
# [[Cliffside Park, New Jersey]] 1.1%
# [[Friendship Village, Maryland]] 1.1%
# [[Kingsville, Maryland]] 1.1%
# [[Arlington, Massachusetts]] 1.1%
# [[Mount Prospect, Illinois]] 1.1%
# [[Midland Park, New Jersey]] 1.0%
# [[Lake Dalecarlia, Indiana]] 1.0%
# [[Pinedale, Wyoming]] 1.0%
# [[Glenview, Illinois]] 1.0%
# [[Dunn Loring, Virginia]] 1.0%
# [[West Kennebunk, Maine]] 1.0%
# [[Shokan, New York]] 1.0%
# [[Beacon Square, Florida]] 1.0%
# [[Peabody, Massachusetts]] 1.0%
# [[Dedham, Massachusetts]] 1.0%
# [[North Key Largo, Florida]] 1.0%
# [[Hillside, New York]] 1.0%
# [[Orland Park, Illinois]] 1.0%
# [[Eddystone, Pennsylvania]] 1.0%
# [[South Hempstead, New York]] 1.0%
# [[Redington Beach, Florida]] 1.0%
# [[Hillsmere Shores, Maryland]] 1.0%
<!-- cut off at 1% -->
{{div col end}}

===Greek-born population===
Greek-born population in the U.S. since 2010 (ACS 1 Tear Estimates):<ref>{{cite web|url=https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_15_1YR_B05006&prodType=table|title=American FactFinder - Results|publisher=United States Census Bureau|website=factfinder.census.gov|access-date=April 23, 2018|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200214060704/https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_15_1YR_B05006&prodType=table|archive-date=February 14, 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="col" style="width:80px;"|Year
! scope="col" style="width:160px;"|Number
|- align=center
| 2010
| 135,639
|- align=center
| 2011
| {{increase}}138,269
|- align=center
| 2012
| {{decrease}}134,956
|- align=center
| 2013
| {{increase}}137,084
|- align=center
| 2014
| {{decrease}}136,906
|- align=center
| 2015
| {{increase}}141,325
|- align=center
| 2016
| {{decrease}}135,484
|- align=center
| 2017
| {{decrease}}130,967
|- align=center
| 2018
| {{decrease}}125,699
|- align=center
| 2019
| {{decrease}}119,571
|}

==Print media==
[[File:Atlantis Greek Daily Newspaper.jpg|thumb|The front page of ''Atlantis'', Tuesday, November 14, 1972]]
The ''[[Atlantis (newspaper)|Atlantis]]'' (1894&ndash;1973) was the first successful [[Greek-language]] daily newspaper published in the [[United States]].<ref name="Balch2">Judith Felsten [http://www2.hsp.org/collections/Balch%20manuscript_guide/html/atlantis.html "Atlantis, National Daily Newspaper 1894-1973"], ''Atlantis, National Daily Newspaper 1894-1973'', The Research Library of the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies, December 1982</ref>  The newspaper was founded in 1894 by Solon J. and Demetrius J. Vlasto, descendants of the Greek noble family, [[Vlastos|Vlasto]].{{cref|i}}<ref name="Noblesse">Magny, Claude Drigon. ''Livre D'or De La Noblesse Européenne'', Ed. 2. Paris: Aubry, 1856, pg. 441.</ref> The paper was headed by a member of the Vlasto family until it closed in 1973.  Published in [[New York City]], it had a national circulation and influence.  ''Atlantis'' supported the [[royalist]] faction in Greek politics until the mid-1960s.  ''Atlantis'' editorial themes included naturalization, war relief, Greek-American business interests, and Greek religious unity.<ref name="Balch2" />

{{as of|2020}}, ''Ethnikos Kyrix'' ({{langx|el|Εθνικός Κήρυξ}}, 1915&ndash;) is the only Greek-language daily publication based in the United States. Headquartered in New York City, its articles focus on the Greek diaspora in the United States as well as current events in Greece and Cyprus. In contrast to its competitor ''Atlantis'', ''Ethnikos Kyrix'' historically supported liberal causes in Greece and America, including the progressive forces of [[Eleftherios Venizelos]] in Greece and the [[New Deal]] stateside.<ref name="Balch2"/><ref name="The Greek press in America">Northrup, Mary, [https://web.archive.org/web/20120324012012/http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/9612241614/greek-press-america "The Greek press in America"], Cobblestone, Dec 1996, Vol. 17 Issue 9, p. 17.</ref> A companion weekly edition ''The National Herald'' (1997&ndash;) is in circulation and features similar content presented in English.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenationalherald.com/about-us/|title=The National Herald &ndash; About Us|publisher=The National Herald|access-date=April 17, 2020}}</ref> The [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]] publishes the monthly ''Orthodox Observer'' (1934&ndash;) in both Greek and English for news and information regarding the Greek Orthodox Church as a whole, as well as its American parishes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goarch.org/departments/observer|title=Orthodox Observer|publisher=[[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]]|access-date=April 17, 2020}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
{{More citations needed|section|date=March 2017}}
* Greek American novelist [[Jeffrey Eugenides]] won the 2003 [[Pulitzer Prize]] for his novel ''[[Middlesex (novel)|Middlesex]]'', about a Greek American family in [[Detroit]].
* In 1967, [[Academy Award]]-winning film-director [[Elia Kazan]] published a [[novel]], [[The Arrangement: A Novel]], about a conflicted Greek American living a double life as an advertising executive and muckraking journalist. Kazan, who died in September 2003, was a Greek American.
* The popular 1970s show ''[[Kojak]]'', featured [[Telly Savalas]] as Greek American police detective Theo Kojak, and his brother [[George Savalas|George]] as detective Stavros. Kojak was originally supposed to be [[Polish people|Polish]] (hence the name), but this was changed to match Savalas' profile.
* The 2002 [[comedy]] film ''[[My Big Fat Greek Wedding]]'' portrayed the love story of a Greek American woman (portrayed by [[Greek Canadian]] [[Nia Vardalos]]) and a non-Greek American man (specifically a [[White Anglo-Saxon Protestant]]). It also examines the protagonist's troubled love/hate relationship with her cultural heritage and value system. The movie spawned an unsuccessful [[TV series]], ''[[My Big Fat Greek Life]]''. The sequel, ''[[My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2]]'', was released in March 2016.
* ''[[The Famous Teddy Z]]'' was an acclaimed but short-lived TV series about a fictional talent agent named Teddy Zakalakis, portrayed by [[Jon Cryer]].
* The TV series ''[[Full House]]'' was about a family that included Greek American [[Jesse Katsopolis|Uncle Jesse Katsopolis]], portrayed by Greek American actor [[John Stamos]]. Jesse's surname was changed from Cochran to Katsopolis after the first season because Stamos wanted to portray his Greek American heritage. Jesse's Greek dad was also a recurring character. Stamos reprises the role of Jesse in the 2016 sequel sitcom, ''[[Fuller House (TV series)|Fuller House]]''.
* The [[Olympia Cafe]] was a recurring sketch in the early years of ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''. More recently, [[Tina Fey]] has often joked about her Greek heritage on the show.
* [[Tom's Restaurant]], a Greek American owned business, has become one of the symbols of urban New York life.
* [[Elektra Natchios]] is a [[Marvel Comics]] [[superhero]], portrayed by [[Jennifer Garner]] in the 2003 movie ''[[Daredevil (film)|Daredevil]]'' and the 2005 movie ''[[Elektra (2005 film)|Elektra]]''. [[Élodie Yung]] portrays the character in the second season of the Netflix series ''[[Daredevil (TV series)|Daredevil]]'', which debuted in 2016.
* Several entertainers and other performing artists including [[Johnny Otis]], [[Tina Fey]], [[Kelly Clarkson]], [[Alexander Frey]], [[John Aniston]], [[Jennifer Aniston]], [[Melina Kanakaredes]], [[Zach Galifianakis]], [[Jason Mantzoukas]], [[Tommy Lee]], [[Demetri Martin]], [[Paul Cavonis]], [[Criss Angel]], [[Elias Koteas]], [[Amy Sedaris]], [[Andy Milonakis]], [[Art Alexakis]] and [[Billy Zane]] are of Greek descent.
* Writer, performer and radio-commentator [[David Sedaris]] satirizes growing up in a Greek American household in [[suburb]]an [[North Carolina]] in several of his essays.
* Athletes such as [[Pete Sampras]], [[Harry Agganis]], [[George Karlaftis]], [[Chris Chelios]], [[Dean Karnazes]], [[Alex Karras]], [[Alexi Lalas]], [[Dave Bautista]], [[Greg Louganis]], [[Nick Markakis]], [[Kurt Rambis]], [[Tom Pappas]] and [[Jim Londos]] are of Greek descent.
*[[New Greek TV|New Greek Television Inc.]], NGTV on Time Warner Cable a rebranding of the 25 year old Greek Television Channel of New York<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thenationalherald.com/article/56287|title=Page 56287 – The National Herald|website=thenationalherald.com |date=April 3, 2023 }}</ref>

==Greek nationality==
{{See also|Greek nationality law}}
[[File:Los Angeles Greek Festival (8011332435).jpg|thumb|Los Angeles [[Greek Festival]]]]
Any person who is [[Greeks|ethnically Greek]] born [[Greek diaspora|outside of Greece]] may become a Greek citizen through [[naturalization]] by proving that a parent or grandparent was born as a national of Greece. The Greek ancestor's [[birth certificate]] and [[marriage certificate]] are required, along with the applicant's birth certificate and the birth certificates of all [[generation]]s in between until the relation between the applicant and the person with Greek citizenship is proven.

==Organizations==
[[File:American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association headquarters.JPG|thumb|[[American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association]] headquarters in [[Washington, D.C.]]]]
[[File:The finished National Hellenic Museum.jpg|thumb|The new [[National Hellenic Museum]], Chicago]]

There are hundreds of regional, religious and professional Greek American organizations. Some of the largest and most notable include:
* The [[American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association]] (AHEPA) is the largest community organization of Greek Americans. It was founded in [[Atlanta]], Georgia in 1922 to counter the anti-Greek attacks by the [[Ku Klux Klan]] during that time period. Its current membership exceeds 28,000. 385 active chapters are located in the United States with additional chapters in Canada, and Europe. AHEPA maintains a full-time staff at the AHEPA Global Headquarters located in Washington, DC www.ahepa.org
* The [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]] is the religious organization most closely associated with the Greek American community. It was established in 1921, and is under the leadership of the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople]]. The church operates the [[Greek Orthodox Youth of America]], the largest Orthodox Christian youth group in the United States.
* The American Hellenic Institute, an [[advocacy group]] for Greek Americans, and its lobbying arm, the [[American Hellenic Institute Public Affairs Committee]].
* [[The Next Generation Initiative]], a foundation that works with prominent Greek American leaders and executives to offer educational opportunities such as [[internships]] and master classes through a network of more than 5,500 Greek American students and 2,500 professors on 200+ college campuses.
* The [[Council of Hellenes Abroad]] is a Greek government sponsored umbrella organization for Greek immigrant organizations worldwide.
* The [http://www.paideiausa.org Hellenic Society Paideia] has been promoting Hellenism and Orthodoxy since 1977 by placing Greek and Byzantium classes in high schools and universities, offering study abroad programs to Greece year round, and with various building projects throughout the country. Anywhere from 200 to 500 students travel to Greece with Paideia per year. Information specifically for the study abroad programs can be found at [http://www.hellenicstudiespaideia.org www.hellenicstudiespaideia.org] Currently "Paideia" is constructing a Classical Greek Amphitheater at the University of Connecticut and a Center for Hellenic Studies at the University of Rhode Island.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.paideiausa.org|title=paideiausa|access-date=March 17, 2015}}</ref>
* The National Hellenic Student Association (NHSA)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nhsaofamerica.org|title=NHSA|publisher=nhsaofamerica.org|access-date=March 17, 2015}}</ref> is the independent network of the Hellenic Student Associations (HSAs) across the United States. By linking all the Greek, Greek-American and Cypriot students of the American educational institutions, the organization can promote ideas and projects and enrich the Hellenic spirit on campuses nationwide.
* Many ''topika somatéa'' (local councils) or clubs representing the local regional homeland of Greeks in America. Among the scores of such clubs, larger "umbrella" organizations include the Pan Macedonian Association (one example is the Drosopigi Society, in Rochester, New York, hailing from the village of Drosopigi in Northern Greece outside of the city of Florina) the Panepirotic Federation, the Pan Cretan Association, the [[Pan-Icarian Brotherhood]], the Pan Pontian Federation of U.S.A-Canada, the Chios Societies of America & Canada, the Cyprus Federation of America, the Pan-Laconian Federation of the USA & Canada, the Pan-Messinian Federation of the USA & Canada, the Pan-Arcadian Federation of America and several associations of refugees from areas in the former Ottoman territories.
* The [[National Hellenic Museum]] in [[Greektown, Chicago]]
{{clear}}

==Notable people==
{{Further|List of Greek Americans}}

==See also==
{{Portal|United States|Greece}}
* [[Greek diaspora]]
* [[Grecian Echoes]]
* [[Greek Festival]]
* [[Greece–United States relations]]

==Notes==
{{Notes}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Callinicos, Constance. ''American Aphrodite: Becoming Female in Greek America'' (Pella, 1990).
* Georgakas, Dan. ''My Detroit: Growing Up Greek and American in Motor City'' (Pella, 2006)."
* Georgiou, Leonidas V., "[https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?ltrec=t&isbn=9780578641959&bi=/ Conversations with F.D.R. at his AHEPA Initiation: Frigates, Battleships, Espionage and a Sentimental Bond with Greece,"] (Knollwood Press, 2019).  Available through Abebooks.com.
* Jurgens, Jane. "Greek Americans." ''Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America,'' edited by Thomas Riggs, (3rd ed., vol. 2, Gale, 2014), pp.&nbsp;237–253. [https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3273300080/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=056108e5 Online]
* Jusdanis, Gregory. "Greek Americans and the diaspora." ''Diaspora: a journal of transnational studies'' 1#2 (1991): 209–223. [https://muse.jhu.edu/article/443582/summary Excerpt]
* Kunkelman, Gary. ''The Religion of Ethnicity: Belief and Belonging in a Greek-American Community'' (Garland, 1990).
* Moskos, Peter C. ''Greek Americans: struggle and success'' (Routledge, 2017).
* Orfanos, Spyros D. ''Reading Greek America: Studies in the Experience of Greeks in the United States'' (Pella, 2002).
* Rouvelas, Marilyn. ''A Guide to Greek Traditions and Customs in America'' (Attica, 1993).
* Scourby, Alice. "Three generations of Greek Americans: A study in ethnicity." ''International Migration Review'' 14.1 (1980): 43–52. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/2545060 Online]
* Schultz, Sandra L. "Adjusting Marriage Tradition: Greeks to Greek-Americans." ''Journal of Comparative Family Studies'' 12.2 (1981): 205–218.

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{externalvideo|video1=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNQVPwLVSFA 100 Years: The Greek Holocaust 1915–1922{{snd}}CelebrateGreece.com]}}
;Embassy and Consulates
*[http://www.mfa.gr/www.mfa.gr/AuthoritiesAbroad/North+America/USA/EmbassyWashington/en-US/ Embassy]
*[http://www.mfa.gr/en/greece-bilateral-relations/united-states-of-america/united-states-of-america--contact-details-for-greek-missions.html Consulates in the United States of America]

;Charitable organizations
*The Hellenic Initiative
*[http://ahepacanada.org AHEPA home page] - [[American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association]]
*[http://www.paideiausa.org The Hellenic Society "Paideia"]
*[http://www.greekamerica.org/ Greek America Foundation]
*[http://www.nationalhellenicsociety.org National Hellenic Society]
*[http://www.onassisusa.org/ Onassis Foundation (USA)]
*[http://www.htsfund.org/ Hellenic Times Scholarship Fund] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104051810/http://www.htsfund.org/ |date=November 4, 2016 }}

; Libraries and museums
*[http://www.nationalhellenicmuseum.org/ National Hellenic Museum]
*[http://library.csus.edu/tsakopoulos/  Tsakopoulos Hellenic Collection at California State University, Sacramento]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100617112625/http://www.library.csus.edu/vlavianos/index.html Basil J. Vlavianos manuscript collection at California State University, Sacramento]
*The Museum of Greek Culture at [https://web.archive.org/web/20130731160329/http://www.thecarouselmuseum.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=26:tour&catid=2:exhibits&Itemid=32 The New England Carousel Museum] constructed by [http://www.paideiausa.org The Hellenic Society Paideia] housing a Macedonia exhibit.

;Trade organizations
*[http://www.hellenicamerican.cc/ Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce]
*[http://www.greekamericanchamber.com/ Greek-American Chamber of Commerce]
*[http://www.HermesExpo.com]

;Affiliate trade organizations
*[http://www.hcbt.com Hellenic Canadian Board of Trade]
*[http://www.hcla.ca Hellenic Canadian Lawyers Association]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110725125734/http://www.camarahelenoargentina.org/ingles/instituciones-relacionadas.php Hellenic-Argentine Chamber of Industry and Commerce (C.I.C.H.A.)]

;Websites
*[http://www.hellenism.net Famous Greek-Americans] - A comprehensive list of famous Greeks and Greek Americans.

{{European Americans}}
{{Greek diaspora}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Greek diaspora in the United States| ]]
[[Category:European diaspora in the United States]]
[[Category:American people of Greek descent|*]]