SwedishAmerican

Swedish American refers to Americans of Swedish descent or to the Swedish American community formed by Swedish immigrants and their descendants in the United States. The term encompasses historical immigrant communities as well as contemporary individuals who maintain elements of Swedish heritage in religion, language, cultural traditions, and civic life.

Swedish American history begins with the New Sweden colony established by Swedes along the Delaware River in 1638. The colony lasted until 1655 when it was absorbed by Dutch and English power, but it marks the earliest Swedish presence in North America. Large-scale Swedish immigration occurred in the 19th and early 20th centuries, driven by economic hardship, crop failures, and religious and political factors. Many Swedes settled in the Upper Midwest, particularly Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois, later spreading to Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

Religion played a central role; many settlers organized around Lutheran congregations and denominational unions such as the Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church (founded by Swedish immigrants in the mid-19th century) and other Swedish-American denominations, many of which later merged into larger United States Lutheran bodies. Cultural institutions include fraternal organizations like the Vasa Order of America, the Swedish American Museum in Chicago, and academic centers such as the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center at Augustana College. The Swedish language persisted in communities for several generations, especially within churches and schools, but English became dominant in the 20th century.

Today Swedish Americans are dispersed across the United States, with especially large populations in Minnesota, Illinois, and Wisconsin. They have contributed to American agriculture, industry, and culture, while preserving traditions such as midsummer celebrations, Swedish Christmas customs, and culinary heritage.