தமிழ் அமெரிக்கர்கள் | |
|---|---|
 The language spread of Tamil in the United States according to U. S. Census 2000 | |
| Total population | |
| 356,924 (0.1%)[1][a] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Languages | |
| Religion | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Part ofa series on |
| Tamils |
|---|
 |
 Tamil portal |
Tamil Americans (Tamil:தமிழ் அமெரிக்கர்கள்,romanized: tamiḻ amerikkarkaḷ) are Americans who are ofTamil origin. The majority of Tamil Americans come from theIndian state ofTamil Nadu. Significant minorities are from other Indian states likeKarnataka,Kerala,Andhra Pradesh, etc., as well as from other countries likeSri Lanka,Malaysia, andSingapore.
In 2000, the number of Tamil speakers in the US numbered approximately 50,000 individuals. By 2010 the number surged to 127,892 and grew to 293,907 by 2022.[2] The growth of the Tamil population in the United States is attributed to theH-1B visa program, and the presence of a large number of Tamil students studying in American universities.
In the second half of the 20th century, Tamils from India migrated as skilledprofessionals to the United States,Canada, Europe, andSoutheast Asia. The Tamil American population exceeds 356,924 individuals.[1] TheFederation of Tamil Sangams of North America functions as anumbrella organization for the growing community.[3]
Central New Jersey is home to the largest population concentration of Tamil Americans. Sizeable populations ofIndian American Tamils have also settled inNew York City, andNew Jersey andNew York house separateTamil Sangams.[4] Several metropolitan areas including theWashington, D.C. metropolitan area on the East Coast as well asSilicon Valley on the West Coast also have Tamil associations.[5][6]
TheNew York City andLos Angeles metropolitan areas are home to the largest concentrations of Tamil-speakingSri Lankan Americans.[7][8][9] New York City'sStaten Island alone is estimated to be home to more than 5,000 Sri Lankan Americans,[10] one of the largest Sri Lankan populations outsideSri Lanka itself,[11] with an estimated 40% of Sri Lankan Americans beingSri Lankan Tamils.[12]
The Indian Tamil community in the United States is largelyTrilingual speak Tamil,Telugu andEnglish. Tamil is taught in weekly classes in many Hindu temples and by associations such as the American Tamil Academy across the country.[13][14]
The language's written form is highly formal and quite distinct from the spoken form. A few universities, such as theUniversity of Chicago and theUniversity of California, Berkeley, have graduate programs in the language.[15]
The Indian Tamil community is majority-wise connected to the Hindu community. In most Hindu temples in the United States, the prayers are in Sanskrit. However, inNorth Brunswick, New Jersey, the "Tamil Temple" ("Tamil Annai Thirukkoyil") conducts all the prayers in the Tamil language. The Hindu Temple inHouston, Texas, is dedicated to Meenakshi, a manifestation of the goddess Parvathi. There are also active Tamil Christian and Muslim minorities, as well as Jains and Buddhists. Tamil Muslims also hold a Tamil Muslim Community Sangam-Iman America/QMFUSA.[16]
| Lists of Americans |
|---|
| By U.S. state |
| By ethnicity |
| Asia |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Europe | ||
| North America | ||
| Oceania | ||
| Africa | ||
| See also | ||
| Central Asian |  | |
|---|---|---|
| East Asian | ||
| South Asian | ||
| Southeast Asian | ||
| Other | ||
| History | ||
| Topics | ||
| Regions | ||
