People Group Profiles

“All nations will come and worship before you."

- Revelations 15:4

Italian of North America


People Group Info

Total Population: 1,379,480

ROP3 Code: 104096
IMB Affinity Group: European Peoples
Affinity Bloc: Eurasian Peoples
People Cluster: Italian
Language: Italian - (ita)
Religion: Christianity - Roman Catholic
Country of Origin: Italy

Photo courtesy of PeopleGroups.info.

Majority Located Where

  Toronto (Mississauga, Brampton), ON - 475,090

  New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY - 166,188

  Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL - 36,745

  Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA - 34,899

  Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA - 24,303

Click here to recommend other locations where this People Group resides.

Learn More

Brief Profile

The Italians have a long history of migration to North America, as early as the 1820s.

Over time, as have many other European peoples who migrated during early North American history, Italians have assimilated into mainstream culture. Though many know their ethnic heritage, the vast majority of early migrants now are very much a part of mainstream culture and Italian is no longer their primary language spoken at home.

Nevertheless, North America is filled with enclaves of Italians who continue to speak Italian at home and maintain their distinct socio-cultural ethnic heritage. These enclaves are found in the more densely populated metro areas where large numbers of Italians still reside.

Deeply rooted in Roman Catholicism, often Italian ethnic identity is closely related to their religious identity along with their unique Italian-ness.

Prayer Points

  • Pray Christians will realize that Italians are a distinct ethno-linguistic people group and that they will seek to share a message of salvation found through grace in Jesus Christ.
  • Pray God will work in the hearts of Italians who are in name only Catholic so that they might have a living relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
  • Pray evangelical Christians with an Italian ancestry background will share the message of Jesus Christ with Italians by using the Italian language.


Learning Resources

Learn more about "Learning Paths"
Online Courses for embracing, encountering and engaging diaspora people. Work at your own pace. Begin anytime and complete the course according to your schedule. Interactive, Hands-On Application.

Learn more about "Reaching the Nations"
This book delineates five disciplines Christians should develop in order to effectively reach the nations. More specifically, it will guide Christians to develop an engagement strategy in their locale.

World Religions - Beliefs Overview
An overview of major world religions and cults - their beliefs and practices.


Other Resources

Know God in 98 Languages
A CRU resource with 9 different witnessing models (e.g. 4 Spiritual Laws, etc.) in 98 languages.

Prayer Guide for Unreached Peoples
A 30 day guide to pray for unreached people groups.

Online Talking Bible - Italian
The purpose of Talking Bibles is to give non-readers and the blind access to the Bible in their native language.

Prayer Guide using the GOSPELS acronym
A prayer guide that utilizes the acronym GOSPELS to pray for workers among diaspora.

Displaying 61-90 of 104 results.
Country City Metro Area Name State / Prov. Baseline Population
United StatesPoughkeepsiePoughkeepsie-Newburgh-MiddletownNY5,774
United StatesRochesterRochesterNY7,521
United StatesSyracuseSyracuseNY3,529
United StatesAkronAkronOH1,578
United StatesClevelandCleveland-ElyriaOH7,696
United StatesColumbusColumbusOH1,989
United StatesMiamisburgDaytonOH576
United StatesToledoToledoOH265
United StatesYoungstownYoungstown-Warren-BoardmanOH2,858
United StatesCinCincinnati-MiddletownOH1,292
United StatesOklahoma CityOklahoma CityOK364
United StatesTulsaTulsaOK308
CanadaTorontoToronto (Mississauga, Brampton)ON475,090
United StatesPortlandPortland-Vancouver-HillsboroOR1,505
United StatesEastonAllentown-Bethlehem-EastonPA2,496
United StatesHarrisburgHarrisburg-CarlislePA1,088
United StatesLancasterLancasterPA774
United StatesPhiladelphiaPhiladelphia-Camden-WilmingtonPA20,593
United StatesPittsburghPittsburghPA11,825
United StatesScrantonScranton--Wilkes-Barre-HazletonPA2,897
United StatesJohnstonProvidence-WarwickRI8,760
United StatesCharlestonCharleston-North CharlestonSC549
United StatesColumbiaColumbiaSC254
United StatesGreenvilleGreenville-Anderson-MauldinSC244
United StatesArlingtonMemphisTN489
United StatesChattanoogaChattanoogaTN218
United StatesKnoxvilleKnoxvilleTN275
United StatesLongviewLongview-TylerTX216
United StatesEl PasoEl PasoTX300
United StatesHoustonHouston-The Woodlands-Sugar LandTX2,950