There were many reasons for emigration to the USA from Germany. This immigration increased over time and in the nineteenth century over eight million immigrants arrived in the US from Germany. However, it was fully seventy years later before significant numbers came over and settled in areas such as New York and Pennsylvania. The first Germans to arrive in the States settled in Virginia in 1608. However, many other states also have a distinctive German-American ethnic group.
The states of California and Texas both have considerable German-American populations. German-Americans make up the largest self-reported ancestry group within the United States accounting for roughly 49 million people and approximately 17% of the population of the US.
Such people have a duel identity, with traditions steeped heavily in Germanic language and culture. German-Americans (Deutschamerikaner) can be described as citizens of the United States with German ancestry, or people from Germany who have since become naturalized US citizens.