 | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 48,536 alone, 0.01% of US population 78,871 including partial ancestry, 0.02% (2020 census)[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| American Samoa,Alaska (Anchorage),California (Oakland,Sacramento County,San Mateo County,Los Angeles County,Seaside),Hawaii (O'ahu),Nevada (Reno),Texas (Euless),Utah (Salt Lake County,Utah County) | |
| Languages | |
| American English,Tongan | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity,Polytheism,Mormonism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| OtherPolynesians andSamoan Americans. |
Tongan Americans areAmericans who can trace their ancestry toTonga, officially known as theKingdom of Tonga. There are approximately 57,000 Tongan Americans living in the United States, as of 2012.[2]Tongans are considered to bePacific Islanders in theUnited States census, and are the country's fourth largest Pacific Islander American group in terms of population, afterNative Hawaiians,Samoan Americans, andGuamanian/Chamorro Americans.
There are 78,871 people of Tongan descent living in the US, including those of partial ancestry, as per the 2020 US census.[1]
People of Tongan descent are often found in clusters in the metropolitan areas ofDallas, Texas,California'sSan Francisco Bay Area,Hawaii, and theSalt Lake Valley of Utah.
The Tongans have emigrated to the United States or its territories since 1916, when some people of this island immigrated toLaie, a census-designated place inHawaii, which was then an American territory but not yet a state. Later, in 1924[3] and 1936 two more Tongans emigrated to the United States, specifically to Utah, with an American Mormon who served as a missionary in Tonga (although the first of them only accompanied to mentioned Mormon, since he only migrated to the US to study there), while in 1956 the first Tongan family living in the United States was settled inSalt Lake City. However, it was not until the end ofWorld War II when many more Tongans immigrated to the United States. Most of them were missionaries, who emigrated to the United States to work in several religious and cultural centers. Many other Tongans emigrated to the United States in the 50s. Since then, the number of Tongans to emigrate to the USA increased each decade: In the 60s emigrated more of 110 Tongans to the US and in the 1970s emigrated more of 940 Tongans. The number was especially notable in the 80's and 90's. In the last decade, over 1,900 Tongans have emigrated to the United States due to limited land availability and a scarcity of jobs in their home country.[4] By 1980, 6,200 people of this origin were living in the US, and by in 1990 that number had increased to 17,600.[5] By 2000, there were 31,891 people of Tongan origin living in the United States.[6]
Tongan immigration has been favored primarily bythe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), who help them obtain visas (both studies and work) and employment and even provide opportunities to find a marriage partner when they are old enough.[5]
California has 26,000 Tongan Americans including those of mixed ethnicity, comprising 0.06% of the state's population. About 19,000 were Tongan alone: 0.05%.[7] TheSan Francisco Bay Area has the largest Tongan population in California and amongst the largest nationwide along with theSalt Lake City, Utah area, with an estimated population of 5,000 inSan Mateo County alone (0.6%), concentrated especially in the city ofEast Palo Alto (8.3%).[2] Within San Mateo County, the city ofSan Mateo (1.2%),San Bruno, andSouth San Francisco have sizable Tongan populations. Other Bay Area cities with significant Tongan populations include theEast Bay cities ofOakland (0.3% Tongan), especially in theSan Antonio area.San Leandro,Concord, andPittsburg. Smaller communities can be found inSanta Clara County, mainly inMountain View.[8] There are around 1,000 Tongans inSacramento and more throughout theSacramento Valley.
Other cities with significant but small Tongan American communities exist within Southern California. TheGreater Los Angeles Area city ofInglewood (0.4% or less),Hawthorne (0.4% or less), and theInland Empire sub-region.Long Beach, California is home to 600 Tongans, 0.1% of the city's population.[7] In the city ofLos Angeles itself, there are about 1,000 Tongans or part-Tongan people, less than 0.05% of LA's population. There are two Tongan churches inSouth Los Angeles, within theVermont Vista area, where the schools are roughly 1-2% Pacific Islander, which may mainly consist of Samoans and Tongans. There is also a Tongan church inPomona.
San Diego County has several hundred Tongans.
The state ofUtah has a large presence of Tongan Americans, and a significant Pacific Islander population in general. Utah has the highest population of Tongan Americans in the United States. There are over 18,330 Tongan Americans in Utah, including those of mixed ethnicity, making up 0.6% of the state population.[7] Tongans first started immigrating to Utah because of their attraction to the abundant amount of LDS congregations in the state. As of 2011, Utah has around 30 branches of TonganLatter-day Saint churches. About one of four people of Tongan descent living in the U.S. live in Utah.Salt Lake County has more than 9,000 Tongan Americans in residence. At least 2,000 people of Tongan descent live inSalt Lake City alone, making up one percent of the city's population.[9]West Valley City has 3,200 Tongans, making 2.4% of the city's population.
Euless, Texas, in theDallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, has a sizable Tongan community. At least ten Tongan churches are present in Euless.Trinity High School is also well known in the local area for their tradition of beginning Friday night football games with the culture's traditional war cry, theKailao.[10] As of 2020, Euless is about 2% Pacific Islander, and home to over 500 Tongans, almost 1% of the city.Bedford, Texas also has several hundred Tongan residents.
There are 500 people of Tongan descent living inPortland, Oregon (0.1% of the city's population). There are over 1,000 Tongans in theSeattle metropolitan area, mainly in theWhite Center area, which is at least 2% Tongan.
Anchorage, Alaska (0.3%);Kona, Hawaii;Lahaina, Hawaii, andReno, Nevada. Hawaii has the largest percentage or second highest, after Utah, of Tongan Americans, with 8,496 people of Tongan descent, making up 0.6% of Hawaiian residents. There are 1,000 Tongans in Honolulu, 0.3% of the city.[7]
ThePhoenix, Arizona metropolitan area, especially within the cities ofPhoenix proper andMesa are home to growing Tongan populations, as well as pan-Polynesian stores and churches. There are 1,500 Arizonan Tongans according to Zipatlas, in which this number was given during the 2010s.[11]
American Samoa also is 2% Tongan.