.svg) | |
 Population distribution of Sikh Americans by state, 2020 census | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| ~280,000–500,000 0.08% of the total American population (2020 est.) | |
| Languages | |
| American English •Punjabi and itsdialects American Spanish •Indian English •Hindi •Urdu •Sindhi | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
American Sikhs form the country'ssixth-largest religious group.[1] While theU.S. Census does not ask about religion,[2] 70,697 Americans (or0.02% of the total population) declared Sikh as their ethnicity in the2020 census.[3] TheU.S. Census Bureau cites the 2008American Religious Identification Survey's estimate of the adult Sikh American population at 78,000.[4] ThePew Research Center estimated the Sikh American adult population to be 140,000 and the total population at 200,000 in 2012 while the World Religion Database at Boston University estimated the American Sikh population to be at 280,000 in 2012.[4][5] Sikh organizations like theSikh Coalition andAmerican Sikh Congressional Caucus estimate the Sikh American population to be as high as 1,000,000, but do not provide any sources for these figures;[6][7][5] 500,000 nevertheless remains the most cited Sikh American population size.[8][15] With 1% ofAsian Americans being Sikh, and 90.7% of Sikh Americans being Asian American, the American Sikh population can be estimated at around 200,000–300,000 in 2021.[16][17][18] The largest Sikh populations in the U.S. are found inCalifornia (52%),New York (11%), andWashington (6%).[19]
Sikhism is a religion, originating frommedieval India (predominantly from thePunjab region of modern-dayIndia andPakistan) which was introduced into theUnited States during the 19th century. While most American Sikhs arePunjabi, the United States also has a number of non-Punjabi converts to Sikhism.[20] Sikh men are typically identifiable by their unshorn beards andturbans (head coverings), articles of their faith. Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and subsequent other terrorism related activities by Islamic groups, Sikhs have often been mistaken as Muslims or Arabs, and have been subject to severalhate crimes, including murders.[21][22] Sikh temples have also been targets of violence due to being mistaken for mosques. A2012 shooting at a Sikh temple inOak Creek, Wisconsin garnered national and international attention, withPresident Obama ordering flags to behalf-staffed at allfederal buildings.
Sikhs have lived in the United States for more than 130 years. The first Sikh immigrants to the United States started to arrive in the second half of the 19th century, when poor economic conditions inBritish India drove many Indians to emigrate elsewhere. Most Sikh immigrants to the United States came from the province ofPunjab and came to the U.S. to work onagricultural farms in California, travelling viaHong Kong toAngel Island.[24]
In the years just after 1900, hundreds of Sikhs had arrived to work in the lumber mills ofBellingham, Washington. In 1907, 400–500 white men, predominantly members of theAsiatic Exclusion League, attacked the Sikhs' homes in what is now known as theBellingham riots. This quickly drove the East Indian immigrants out of the town.[25][26][27]
Some Sikhs worked in lumber mills ofOregon or in railroad construction and for some Sikhs it was on a railway line, which allowed other Sikhs who were working as migrant laborers to come into the town on festival days.[28][unreliable source?]
A big effect on Sikh migration to the western states occurred duringWorld War I andWorld War II, where Sikhs were recruited by theBritish Indian Army to serve for them. Sikhs fought bravely during these wars and began to live in England after their serving period. Among the Sikhs who already lived in America prior to the wars, many Sikhs joined them, mainly during World Wars I and II. Among those who served in the US military includeBhagat Singh Thind in World War I.
The first Sikhgurdwara established in the U.S. was theGurdwara Sahib Stockton, inStockton, California, which was established in 1912 by Wasakha Singh Dadehar and Jawala Singh.[29]
As a result of theSeptember 11 attacks, some Sikh Americans have become subject to discrimination, often from individuals who mistakenly believe that they areArab orMuslim.
Balbir Singh Sodhi, a gas station owner,was killed on September 15, 2001, due to being mistaken for a Muslim. In a 2011 report to theUnited States Senate, theSouthern Poverty Law Center reported several assaults and incidents of arson atSikh temples after September 11. All were labeled ashate crimes that resulted from the perpetrators' misconceptions that their targets were Muslim.[30] In August 2012, a Sikh temple inOak Creek, Wisconsin, was thesite of a shooting, leading to six Sikh individuals being killed.[31] On May 7, 2013, an elderly Sikh man was attacked with an iron bar in Fresno, California, in a possiblehate crime.[32] On September 21, 2013, Prabhjot Singh, a Sikh professor was attacked inHarlem, New York, by a group of 20-30 men who branded him as "Osama bin Laden" and Terrorist".[33]
A 2007 survey of Sikh students by theSikh Coalition found that three out of four male students interviewed "had been teased or harassed on account of their religious identity."[34] In 2014, the Sikh Coalition released a national report on the bullying of Sikh children in American schools. The report found that 55.8% of Sikh students surveyed inIndianapolis reported being bullied, while 54.5% of Sikh students surveyed inFresno, California, reported being bullied.[35] According to the surveys, Sikh students wearing turbans are twice as likely to be bullied as the average American child.
In 2011, two Sikh American grandfathers were killed while out for a morning walk inElk Grove, California.[36] This led to a national public outcry by the community, raising safety concerns for the city's 3,000 Sikh community members.[37] The city completed the "Singh and Kaur Park" in 2021 to commemorate the lives of the slain men, and to raise awareness about the Sikh faith.[38]
In 2019, theUnited States Senate unanimously passed a resolution recognizing the importance of Sikh history, and contributions to American society.[39] In the same year,Snatam Kaur became the first Sikh American nominated for aGrammy Award with her albumBeloved.
In 2009,Kash Gill made history as one of the first Indian mayors and the first Sikh to be elected mayor in the United States when he took office in Yuba City.[40] Additionally, theCharlottesville City Council (Virginia) appointed councilmember Satyendra Huja to the position of mayor in 2012, becoming the first turban-wearing Sikh to hold the position.[41] In 2020, Elk Grove elected Bobbie Allen-Singh as its new mayor, making her the first Sikh woman to hold the position of mayor in an American city.[42]
In the 1960s, due to increased Indian immigration and rising interest in Indian spirituality in the American counterculture, a number of non-Punjabi Americans began to enter 3HO. Prominent in this trend wasYogi Bhajan, leader of the Sikh-related movement3HO (Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization), whose Los Angeles temple was the first to introduce non-Punjabi Americans to Sikhism.[20]
Most American Sikhs are immigrants.
| Generation status | 2020[43] | |
|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | |
| First generation | 163,992 | 58.5% |
| Second generation | 100,638 | 35.9% |
| Third generation or more | 15,979 | 5.7% |
| Total | 280,329 | 0.08% |
Sikhs have served in the United States military at least as far back as the early 20th century, when oneBhagat Singh Thind, who though not a citizen joined theUnited States Army and served inWorld War I. Thind requested citizenship at the end of the war, being granted and revoked twice, before finally being naturalized in 1936.[44] Far larger numbers of Sikhs served inWorld War II, and all American wars following.
The ability of observant Sikhs to serve in the American military has, since 1985, been compromised by a discontinuation of exemptions to uniform standards which previously allowed Sikhs to maintain their religiously mandated beards and turbans while in uniform.[45] As of 2010, a Sikh doctor, Kamaljeet S. Kalsi, and dentist, Tejdeep Singh Rattan, are the only Sikh officers to be permitted to serve in uniform with beard and turban.[46] In addition, Simranpreet Lamba was permitted to enlist, with exemption to wear his turban and beard, in 2010 due to his knowledge of Punjabi and Hindi.[47]
In the federal appeals court in Washington, a preliminary injunction allowed two Sikh men to enter the military recruit training wearing a turban as it was considered an article of religion. The military recruits Milaap Singh Chahal and Jaskirat Singh sued the Marine Corps in April 2022 due to violation of the first amendment which allows the freedom of religion. The branch that they were a part of declined full religious exemption.[48]
In 2016, theNew York City Police Department (NYPD) began to allow turbans, subject to standards compatible with unimpeded performance of duty.[49] In 2015, Sandeep Dhaliwal became the first Deputy Sheriff in Texas to wear a turban on duty (Harris County Sherriff’s Office). He was shot and killed from behind in 2019 while conducting a routine traffic stop on the Copperbrook subdivision in Houston Texas.[50]
In 2019, theHouston Police Department changed their rules to allow beards and turbans, joining 25 other law enforcement agencies.[51]
Many Sikhs started life in America working in lumber mills, mines, and as farm laborers, with many eventually becoming landowners. Many early Sikh immigrants were restaurant owners. In 1956,Dalip Singh Saund became the first Asian Indian-born person to be elected to theUnited States House of Representatives.
Today, many Sikhs are well represented in white-collar positions such as lawyers, doctors, engineers, accountants, and businesspeople. They are considered to be a successful ethnic group in line with most of the Indian community. The community has a higher level of education, as over 53% have received a bachelor's degree compared to 40% of the general population. This is also reflected in terms of income as over 75% of the community earns over $50,000 and over two-thirds of the population have incomes over $100,000.[52][17]
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Over half of American Sikhs live in California. Most of California's Sikh population live inNorCal, especially in theCentral Valley and theBay Area. The nation's largest Sikh population is inCalifornia'sCentral Valley, where Punjabi is the third most spoken language after onlyEnglish andSpanish.[60] Sikhs can be found across theSacramento andSan Joaquin valleys, but the largest concentrations can be found in the valley's largest cities (Sacramento in the Sacramento Valley andStockton,Fresno, andBakersfield in the San Joaquin Valley), and in smaller communities associated with the farming of almonds, peaches, walnuts, and plums. There are also significant concentrations of Sikh Americans in theSacramento–San Joaquin River Delta and in the Bay Area nearSan Jose, California andFremont, California.
In theSacramento Valley,Yuba City andLive Oak have prominent Sikh populations, with the first Sikh arriving in Yuba City in 1906.[61] In 2020, Yuba City was home to around 10,000 Sikhs (~15% of the city's population), while Live Oak was home to around 700 Sikhs (~8% of the city's population), with most of these being Sikhs.[64]Sutter County, California as a whole is home to around 11,000 Sikhs (~11% of the county population); this makes Sutter County the most proportionally Sikh county in America.[64] Down south in theSan Joaquin Valley,Livingston is home to around 2,500 Sikhs (~17% of the city's population); Livingston is the most proportionally Sikh municipality in America.[64]
TheNew York metropolitan area also has a significant Sikh American presence. Around 19,000 Sikhs live inNew York City, with around 18,000 inQueens.[64] TheRichmond Hill neighborhood ofQueens is often referred to as "Little Punjab" due to its large Punjabi population. In 2020, the stretch of 101st Avenue between 111th and 123rd streets in Richmond Hill was renamedPunjab Avenue (ਪੰਜਾਬ ਐਵੇਨਿਊ) and the stretch of 97th Avenue between Lefferts Boulevard and 117th Street was renamed Gurdwara Street.[65][66] Outside of the city, the suburbs ofHicksville inLong Island andCarteret inCentral Jersey have significant Punjabi populations. In 2020, Carteret was home to around 3,000 Sikhs (~12% of the borough's population) while Hicksville was home to around 2,000 (~5% of the hamlet's population).[64]
Outside of California and the New York metropolitan area, there are significant populations of Punjabi Sikhs inWashington,Indiana,Texas,Florida,Georgia,Virginia,Maryland,Massachusetts andNorth Carolina. There is also a concentration of non-Punjabi converts to Sikhism inEspañola,New Mexico.[67]
| State orterritory | Sikh alone | Sikh alone or in any combination | Total Sikh population (derived estimate)[68] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |
 Alabama | 29 | 0% | 41 | 0% | 163 | 0% |
 Alaska | 3 | 0% | 4 | 0% | 16 | 0% |
 Arizona | 403 | 0.01% | 549 | 0.01% | 2,177 | 0.03% |
 Arkansas | 22 | 0% | 46 | 0% | 182 | 0.01% |
 California | 25,037 | 0.06% | 36,975 | 0.09% | 146,614 | 0.37% |
 Colorado | 223 | 0% | 334 | 0.01% | 1,324 | 0.02% |
 Connecticut | 260 | 0.01% | 359 | 0.01% | 1,424 | 0.04% |
 Delaware | 69 | 0.01% | 88 | 0.01% | 349 | 0.04% |
 District of Columbia | 7 | 0% | 19 | 0% | 75 | 0.01% |
 Florida | 421 | 0% | 595 | 0% | 2,359 | 0.01% |
 Georgia | 390 | 0% | 548 | 0.01% | 2,173 | 0.02% |
 Hawaii | N/A | N/A | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
 Idaho | 8 | 0% | 11 | 0% | 44 | 0% |
 Illinois | 840 | 0.01% | 1,283 | 0.01% | 5,087 | 0.04% |
 Indiana | 1,283 | 0.02% | 1,718 | 0.03% | 6,812 | 0.1% |
 Iowa | 33 | 0% | 61 | 0% | 242 | 0.01% |
 Kansas | 99 | 0% | 174 | 0.01% | 690 | 0.02% |
 Kentucky | 25 | 0% | 46 | 0% | 182 | 0% |
 Louisiana | 56 | 0% | 86 | 0% | 341 | 0.01% |
 Maine | N/A | N/A | 23 | 0% | 91 | 0.01% |
 Maryland | 734 | 0.01% | 1,012 | 0.02% | 4,013 | 0.06% |
 Massachusetts | 452 | 0.01% | 600 | 0.01% | 2,379 | 0.03% |
 Michigan | 981 | 0.01% | 1,465 | 0.01% | 5,809 | 0.06% |
 Minnesota | 74 | 0% | 115 | 0% | 456 | 0.01% |
 Mississippi | 77 | 0% | 116 | 0% | 460 | 0.02% |
 Missouri | 75 | 0% | 131 | 0% | 519 | 0.01% |
 Montana | 0 | 0% | 4 | 0% | 16 | 0% |
 Nebraska | 4 | 0% | 7 | 0% | 28 | 0% |
 Nevada | 147 | 0% | 282 | 0.01% | 1,118 | 0.04% |
 New Hampshire | 14 | 0% | 36 | 0% | 143 | 0.01% |
 New Jersey | 2,715 | 0.03% | 3,888 | 0.04% | 15,417 | 0.17% |
 New Mexico | 18 | 0% | 37 | 0% | 147 | 0.01% |
 New York | 5,587 | 0.03% | 7,943 | 0.04% | 31,496 | 0.16% |
 North Carolina | 206 | 0% | 361 | 0% | 1,431 | 0.01% |
 North Dakota | N/A | N/A | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
 Ohio | 569 | 0% | 887 | 0.01% | 3,517 | 0.03% |
 Oklahoma | 42 | 0% | 48 | 0% | 190 | 0% |
 Oregon | 204 | 0% | 285 | 0.01% | 1,130 | 0.03% |
 Pennsylvania | 759 | 0.01% | 1,098 | 0.01% | 4,354 | 0.03% |
 Puerto Rico | N/A | N/A | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
 Rhode Island | N/A | N/A | 3 | 0% | 12 | 0% |
 South Carolina | 42 | 0% | 97 | 0% | 385 | 0.01% |
 South Dakota | 0 | 0% | 1 | 0% | 4 | 0% |
 Tennessee | 48 | 0% | 73 | 0% | 289 | 0% |
 Texas | 1,918 | 0.01% | 2,718 | 0.01% | 10,777 | 0.04% |
 Utah | 62 | 0% | 92 | 0% | 365 | 0.01% |
 Vermont | 3 | 0% | 3 | 0% | 12 | 0% |
 Virginia | 1,157 | 0.01% | 1,713 | 0.02% | 6,792 | 0.08% |
 Washington | 3,002 | 0.04% | 4,367 | 0.06% | 17,316 | 0.22% |
 West Virginia | 6 | 0% | 7 | 0% | 28 | 0% |
 Wisconsin | 185 | 0% | 356 | 0.01% | 1,412 | 0.02% |
 Wyoming | N/A | N/A | 3 | 0% | 12 | 0% |
 United States | 48,321 | 0.01% | 70,697 | 0.02% | 280,329 | 0.08% |
| County | State | Sikh alone | Sikh alone or in any combination | Total Sikh population (derived estimate)[69] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | ||
| Fresno | California | 3,603 | 0.36% | 5,297 | 0.53% | 21,004 | 2.08% |
| Queens | New York | 3,110 | 0.13% | 4,456 | 0.19% | 17,669 | 0.73% |
| San Joaquin | California | 2,758 | 0.35% | 4,026 | 0.52% | 15,964 | 2.05% |
| Sacramento | California | 2,595 | 0.16% | 4,015 | 0.25% | 15,920 | 1% |
| Alameda | California | 2,582 | 0.15% | 3,689 | 0.22% | 14,628 | 0.87% |
| Santa Clara | California | 2,200 | 0.11% | 3,078 | 0.16% | 12,205 | 0.63% |
| King | Washington | 2,003 | 0.09% | 2,900 | 0.13% | 11,499 | 0.51% |
| Sutter | California | 1,990 | 2% | 2,812 | 2.82% | 11,150 | 11.19% |
| Kern | California | 1,395 | 0.15% | 2,207 | 0.24% | 8,751 | 0.96% |
| Nassau | New York | 1,432 | 0.1% | 2,137 | 0.15% | 8,474 | 0.61% |
| Los Angeles | California | 1,117 | 0.01% | 1,710 | 0.02% | 6,781 | 0.07% |
| Stanislaus | California | 1,058 | 0.19% | 1,595 | 0.29% | 6,325 | 1.14% |
| Middlesex | New Jersey | 1,122 | 0.13% | 1,553 | 0.18% | 6,158 | 0.71% |
| Contra Costa | California | 839 | 0.07% | 1,304 | 0.11% | 5,171 | 0.44% |
| Merced | California | 699 | 0.25% | 1,027 | 0.37% | 4,072 | 1.45% |
| Placer | California | 536 | 0.13% | 859 | 0.21% | 3,406 | 0.84% |
| Harris | Texas | 606 | 0.01% | 836 | 0.02% | 3,315 | 0.07% |
| Orange | California | 555 | 0.02% | 781 | 0.02% | 3,097 | 0.1% |
| Riverside | California | 433 | 0.02% | 671 | 0.03% | 2,661 | 0.11% |
| San Bernardino | California | 409 | 0.02% | 630 | 0.03% | 2,498 | 0.11% |
| Collin | Texas | 427 | 0.04% | 618 | 0.06% | 2,451 | 0.23% |
| Solano | California | 452 | 0.1% | 614 | 0.14% | 2,435 | 0.54% |
| Fairfax | Virginia | 436 | 0.04% | 571 | 0.05% | 2,264 | 0.2% |
| Wayne | Michigan | 359 | 0.02% | 558 | 0.03% | 2,213 | 0.12% |
| Bergen | New Jersey | 417 | 0.04% | 553 | 0.06% | 2,193 | 0.23% |
| Maricopa | Arizona | 393 | 0.01% | 543 | 0.01% | 2,153 | 0.05% |
| Johnson | Indiana | 403 | 0.25% | 534 | 0.33% | 2,117 | 1.31% |
| Loudoun | Virginia | 343 | 0.08% | 524 | 0.12% | 2,078 | 0.49% |
| Cook | Illinois | 328 | 0.01% | 520 | 0.01% | 2,062 | 0.04% |
| Snohomish | Washington | 313 | 0.04% | 492 | 0.06% | 1,951 | 0.24% |
| Total | United States | 48,321 | 0.01% | 70,697 | 0.02% | 280,329 | 0.08% |
| CDP | State | Sikh alone | Total Sikh population (derived estimate)[70] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | ||
| New York | New York | 3,293 | 0.04% | 19,104 | 0.22% |
| Fresno | California | 2,369 | 0.44% | 13,743 | 2.54% |
| Yuba City | California | 1,757 | 2.51% | 10,193 | 14.54% |
| San Jose | California | 1,467 | 0.14% | 8,511 | 0.84% |
| Bakersfield | California | 1,352 | 0.34% | 7,843 | 1.94% |
| Sacramento | California | 966 | 0.18% | 5,604 | 1.07% |
| Kent | Washington | 952 | 0.7% | 5,523 | 4.04% |
| Union City | California | 803 | 1.14% | 4,659 | 6.64% |
| Fremont | California | 799 | 0.35% | 4,635 | 2.01% |
| Stockton | California | 794 | 0.25% | 4,606 | 1.44% |
| Manteca | California | 681 | 0.82% | 3,951 | 4.73% |
| Elk Grove | California | 602 | 0.34% | 3,492 | 1.98% |
| Carteret | New Jersey | 530 | 2.09% | 3,075 | 12.14% |
| Tracy | California | 479 | 0.52% | 2,779 | 2.99% |
| Los Angeles | California | 444 | 0.01% | 2,576 | 0.07% |
| Livingston | California | 417 | 2.94% | 2,419 | 17.07% |
| Turlock | California | 379 | 0.52% | 2,199 | 3.02% |
| Greenwood | Indiana | 370 | 0.58% | 2,147 | 3.36% |
| Hicksville | New York | 363 | 0.83% | 2,106 | 4.8% |
| Hayward | California | 343 | 0.21% | 1,990 | 1.22% |
| Ceres | California | 321 | 0.65% | 1,862 | 3.78% |
| Clovis | California | 310 | 0.26% | 1,798 | 1.5% |
| Vineyard | California | 289 | 0.66% | 1,677 | 3.82% |
| Antelope | California | 286 | 0.59% | 1,659 | 3.4% |
| Lathrop | California | 283 | 0.99% | 1,642 | 5.72% |
| Indianapolis (balance) | Indiana | 264 | 0.03% | 1,532 | 0.17% |
| Fairfield | California | 251 | 0.21% | 1,456 | 1.21% |
| Roseville | California | 233 | 0.16% | 1,352 | 0.91% |
| Kerman | California | 229 | 1.43% | 1,329 | 8.3% |
| Modesto | California | 206 | 0.09% | 1,195 | 0.55% |
| Santa Clara | California | 205 | 0.16% | 1,189 | 0.93% |
| Auburn | Washington | 198 | 0.23% | 1,149 | 1.32% |
| Milpitas | California | 167 | 0.21% | 969 | 1.21% |
| Mountain House | California | 165 | 0.67% | 957 | 3.91% |
| Newark | California | 155 | 0.33% | 899 | 1.89% |
| Fowler | California | 152 | 2.27% | 882 | 13.16% |
| Phoenix | Arizona | 149 | 0.01% | 864 | 0.05% |
| Dublin | California | 148 | 0.2% | 859 | 1.18% |
| San Diego | California | 144 | 0.01% | 835 | 0.06% |
| Fontana | California | 143 | 0.07% | 830 | 0.4% |
| Renton | Washington | 142 | 0.13% | 824 | 0.77% |
| Rocklin | California | 136 | 0.19% | 789 | 1.1% |
| San Ramon | California | 135 | 0.16% | 783 | 0.93% |
| Selma | California | 131 | 0.53% | 760 | 3.08% |
| Folsom | California | 126 | 0.16% | 731 | 0.91% |
| Live Oak | California | 124 | 1.36% | 719 | 7.9% |
| Jersey City | New Jersey | 119 | 0.04% | 690 | 0.24% |
| Hercules | California | 115 | 0.44% | 667 | 2.56% |
| SeaTac | Washington | 115 | 0.37% | 667 | 2.12% |
| Total | United States | 48,321 | 0.01% | 280,329 | 0.08% |
Today there are well over 500,000 Sikhs in the United States.
Scholars and government officials estimate the Sikh American population to number around 500,000.
There are an estimated 500,000 Sikhs living in the U.S., many in New York and California.
Sikhism is the fifth largest religion in the world, and, today, there are more than 30 million Sikhs worldwide and an estimated 500,000 Sikh Americans;
There are more than 500,000 Sikhs in the United States.
Despite its relatively recent arrival in Chicago, Sikhism is the world's fifth-largest religion, with 25 to 30 million adherents around the globe and an estimated 500,000 in America today.
Community members have also raised funds to support billboards drawing attention to India's protests throughout the Central Valley, where Punjabi is the third-most spoken language, after English and Spanish.
