Here are the most common ancestries in every US state

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Here are the most common ancestries in every US state

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David Zalubowski/AP

Self-reported ancestries in America include Italian, German, and Mexican heritage.

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  • Americans come from everywhere, and every family has a story about where they come from.
  • Self-reported ancestries in America include Italian, German, and Mexican heritage.
  • Using Census Bureau data assembled by the Minnesota Population Center, we found the most common self-reported ancestry in every state.

Americans come from all over the world, and have countless stories about where they and their families come from.

The US Census Bureau's American Community Survey asks millions of Americans every year several questions about their economic, social, and demographic situations. One of those questions asks respondents to report their families' ancestries, from Italian to German to Mexican.

Using that self-reported ancestry data from the Minnesota Population Center's 2016 American Community Survey Integrated Public Use Microdata Series, we were able to find the most commonly self-reported ancestries in each state.

Here's the most common self-reported ancestry in each state and DC:

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And here are the three most common self-reported ancestries in each state:

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Alabama

Alabama

Most common self-reported ancestry: African-American

Second most-common ancestry: United States

Third most-common ancestry: Irish

Alaska

Alaska

Most common self-reported ancestry: American Indian

Second most-common ancestry: German

Third most-common ancestry: Irish

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Arizona

Arizona

Most common self-reported ancestry: Mexican

Second most-common ancestry: German

Third most-common ancestry: English

Arkansas

Arkansas

Most common self-reported ancestry: African-American

Second most-common ancestry: United States

Third most-common ancestry: White/Caucasian

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California

California

Most common self-reported ancestry: Mexican

Second most-common ancestry: German

Third most-common ancestry: Irish

Colorado

Colorado

Most common self-reported ancestry: German

Second most-common ancestry: Mexican

Third most-common ancestry: Irish

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Connecticut

Connecticut

Most common self-reported ancestry: Italian

Second most-common ancestry: Irish

Third most-common ancestry: Puerto Rican

Delaware

Delaware

Most common self-reported ancestry: African-American

Second most-common ancestry: Irish

Third most-common ancestry: United States

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District of Columbia

District of Columbia

Most common self-reported ancestry: African-American

Second most-common ancestry: Other

Third most-common ancestry: Irish

Florida

Florida

Most common self-reported ancestry: United States

Second most-common ancestry: African-American

Third most-common ancestry: German

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Georgia

Georgia

Most common self-reported ancestry: African-American

Second most-common ancestry: United States

Third most-common ancestry: English

Hawaii

Hawaii

Most common self-reported ancestry: Filipino

Second most-common ancestry: Japanese

Third most-common ancestry: Hawaiian

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Idaho

Idaho

Most common self-reported ancestry: English

Second most-common ancestry: German

Third most-common ancestry: White/Caucasian

Illinois

Illinois

Most common self-reported ancestry: German

Second most-common ancestry: African-American

Third most-common ancestry: Mexican

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Indiana

Indiana

Most common self-reported ancestry: German

Second most-common ancestry: United States

Third most-common ancestry: Irish

Iowa

Iowa

Most common self-reported ancestry: German

Second most-common ancestry: Irish

Third most-common ancestry: English

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Kansas

Kansas

Most common self-reported ancestry: German

Second most-common ancestry: Irish

Third most-common ancestry: English

Kentucky

Kentucky

Most common self-reported ancestry: United States

Second most-common ancestry: German

Third most-common ancestry: Irish

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Louisiana

Louisiana

Most common self-reported ancestry: African-American

Second most-common ancestry: French

Third most-common ancestry: United States

Maine

Maine

Most common self-reported ancestry: English

Second most-common ancestry: French

Third most-common ancestry: Irish

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Maryland

Maryland

Most common self-reported ancestry: African-American

Second most-common ancestry: German

Third most-common ancestry: Irish

Massachusetts

Massachusetts

Most common self-reported ancestry: Irish

Second most-common ancestry: Italian

Third most-common ancestry: English

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Michigan

Michigan

Most common self-reported ancestry: German

Second most-common ancestry: African-American

Third most-common ancestry: Irish

Minnesota

Minnesota

Most common self-reported ancestry: German

Second most-common ancestry: Norwegian

Third most-common ancestry: Irish

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Mississippi

Mississippi

Most common self-reported ancestry: African-American

Second most-common ancestry: United States

Third most-common ancestry: White/Caucasian

Missouri

Missouri

Most common self-reported ancestry: German

Second most-common ancestry: African-American

Third most-common ancestry: United States

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Montana

Montana

Most common self-reported ancestry: German

Second most-common ancestry: Irish

Third most-common ancestry: American Indian

Nebraska

Nebraska

Most common self-reported ancestry: German

Second most-common ancestry: Irish

Third most-common ancestry: Mexican

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Nevada

Nevada

Most common self-reported ancestry: Mexican

Second most-common ancestry: German

Third most-common ancestry: African-American

New Hampshire

New Hampshire

Most common self-reported ancestry: Irish

Second most-common ancestry: English

Third most-common ancestry: French

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New Jersey

New Jersey

Most common self-reported ancestry: Italian

Second most-common ancestry: Irish

Third most-common ancestry: African-American

New Mexico

New Mexico

Most common self-reported ancestry: Mexican

Second most-common ancestry: American Indian

Third most-common ancestry: Hispanic

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New York

New York

Most common self-reported ancestry: Italian

Second most-common ancestry: Irish

Third most-common ancestry: African-American

North Carolina

North Carolina

Most common self-reported ancestry: African-American

Second most-common ancestry: United States

Third most-common ancestry: English

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North Dakota

North Dakota

Most common self-reported ancestry: German

Second most-common ancestry: Norwegian

Third most-common ancestry: American Indian

Ohio

Ohio

Most common self-reported ancestry: German

Second most-common ancestry: African-American

Third most-common ancestry: Irish

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Most common self-reported ancestry: American Indian

Second most-common ancestry: German

Third most-common ancestry: White/Caucasian

Oregon

Oregon

Most common self-reported ancestry: German

Second most-common ancestry: Irish

Third most-common ancestry: English

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Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

Most common self-reported ancestry: German

Second most-common ancestry: Irish

Third most-common ancestry: Italian

Rhode Island

Rhode Island

Most common self-reported ancestry: Italian

Second most-common ancestry: Irish

Third most-common ancestry: Portuguese

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South Carolina

South Carolina

Most common self-reported ancestry: African-American

Second most-common ancestry: United States

Third most-common ancestry: German

South Dakota

South Dakota

Most common self-reported ancestry: German

Second most-common ancestry: Norwegian

Third most-common ancestry: American Indian

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Tennessee

Tennessee

Most common self-reported ancestry: United States

Second most-common ancestry: African-American

Third most-common ancestry: Irish

Texas

Texas

Most common self-reported ancestry: Mexican

Second most-common ancestry: African-American

Third most-common ancestry: German

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Utah

Utah

Most common self-reported ancestry: English

Second most-common ancestry: German

Third most-common ancestry: Mexican

Vermont

Vermont

Most common self-reported ancestry: English

Second most-common ancestry: Irish

Third most-common ancestry: United States

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Virginia

Virginia

Most common self-reported ancestry: African-American

Second most-common ancestry: United States

Third most-common ancestry: German

Washington

Washington

Most common self-reported ancestry: German

Second most-common ancestry: Irish

Third most-common ancestry: Mexican

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West Virginia

West Virginia

Most common self-reported ancestry: German

Second most-common ancestry: United States

Third most-common ancestry: Irish

Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Most common self-reported ancestry: German

Second most-common ancestry: Irish

Third most-common ancestry: Polish

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Wyoming

Wyoming

Most common self-reported ancestry: German

Second most-common ancestry: English

Third most-common ancestry: Irish