What is the least "WASP" city in the United States?

[Docere]

In ZIP Code 10470 (North Bronx) 6% are Irish-born. 5% are Irish-born in ZIP Code 10704 in Yonkers.

[Crawford]

Though those zips are much larger than the Irish concentration.

The Irish portion of Woodlawn will be entirely west of the Bronx River Parkway. The eastern half will be Hispanic/West Indian. The Irish portion of Yonkers will be right around McLean Ave., while the Yonkers zip encompasses all of SE Yonkers.

I think that enclave has endured because it's almost hidden, surrounded by a parkway, Metro North tracks, a big park and a cemetery.

[Docere]

I'm sure it would be higher if one looked at CTs. But 5-6% Irish-born in a ZIP code is an impressive concentration.

[Docere]

In terms of Irish share, Philadelphia is second to Boston, but it isn't as well known for its Irish presence. I don't think it really has Irish immigrants like New York and Boston or a quadrant like the "Irish Riviera" in suburban Boston.

The Italian shares in both Boston and Philadelphia are similar, but Philadelphia is perceived as more Italian.

[pj3000]

^ By "share" are you talking percentage within a metro?

[Docere]

Yes, % of the metro population

[pj3000]

^ Got it. I think that the Philadelphia Irish ancestry presence is more concentrated in the suburbs, rather that in the city proper... where it comes across as much more Italian, as far as European ethnic ancestry goes.

I would think that the cities along the Erie Canal route all the way to Buffalo would be high Irish ancestry % as well. Primarily Irish Catholics who came in the 1800s to build the Canal and settled along its path. Many moved there from Boston and NYC. I would bet that the Irish ancestry percentages in places like Albany/Troy/Schenectady and Syracuse and Utica are as high as Philly metro, although those metros obviously cover a much smaller area, and thus lower population and potential Irish metro concentration numbers.

[Docere]

IIRC Irish ancestry is the single most common reported ancestry in Upstate NY.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by Docere

IIRC Irish ancestry is the single most common reported ancestry in Upstate NY.

Depends on where in Upstate I would think. Overall? Where I am from, it is heavily Italian and at one time had the highest percentages of Italians in the US.

[pj3000]

^ I imagine the whole canal route is heavily Irish too. I know that Syracuse and the greater Albany areas are; as is Buffalo.

[Quixote]

Originally Posted by Docere

In terms of Irish share, Philadelphia is second to Boston, but it isn't as well known for its Irish presence. I don't think it really has Irish immigrants like New York and Boston or a quadrant like the "Irish Riviera" in suburban Boston.

The Italian shares in both Boston and Philadelphia are similar, but Philadelphia is perceived as more Italian.

I don't think people really associate any particular white ethnic group with Philly, or at least it's not as plainly obvious as it is with NYC and Boston. Irish is far and away the most predominant ethnic group in Boston, and NYC as an Italian/Jewish city is so rooted in the public consciousness to the point where it's become caricature (see Fran Drescher in "The Nanny"). With Philly, there aren't any mainstream caricatures or stereotypes that create the cultural perception that it's X type of city. And the most famous white people that hail from the Delaware Valley -- Joe Biden, Bruce Willis, Kevin Bacon, Bradley Cooper, Tina Fey, Ryan Phillippe, Seth Green, Mike Trout, Carli Lloyd, Chris Matthews, Jake Tapper -- are largely mutts.

[Docere]

German is single most common ancestry in Upstate NY but pretty close.

Upstate New York

German 1,212,000 19.2%
Irish 1,151,000 18.2%
English/American 1,042,000 16.5%
Italian 935,000 14.8%

[pj3000]

Originally Posted by Quixote

I don't think people really associate any particular white ethnic group with Philly, or at least it's not as plainly obvious as it is with NYC and Boston. Irish is far and away the most predominant ethnic group in Boston, and NYC as an Italian/Jewish city is so rooted in the public consciousness to the point where it's become caricature (see Fran Drescher in "The Nanny"). With Philly, there aren't any mainstream caricatures or stereotypes that create the cultural perception that it's X type of city. And the most famous white people that hail from the Delaware Valley -- Joe Biden, Bruce Willis, Kevin Bacon, Bradley Cooper, Tina Fey, Ryan Phillippe, Seth Green, Mike Trout, Carli Lloyd, Chris Matthews, Jake Tapper -- are largely mutts.

Wait... what?

South Philly... Italian... no? Never heard of this? The whole Rocky Balboa thing? Vince Papale on the Eagles and that dumb movie with Marky Mark?

The Italian Market?

Geno's and Pat's cheesesteaks?

Philly-Atlantic City mafia? Nothing?

Frank Rizzo? Frankie Avalon? Mario Lanza? Jim Croce? Mike Piazza? Al Martino? Slick Willie Mosconi?

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by Quixote

I don't think people really associate any particular white ethnic group with Philly

I'd say the Rocky franchise did a pretty solid job of projecting philly as an "italian" city in the pop culture psyche.

At least it did for me, but I'm old, a gen-X child of the '70s/80s, perhaps that doesn't stick as much with the younger generations.

[ThePhun1]

Wild guess and I'll say Honolulu.

[bossabreezes]

Originally Posted by Docere

In terms of Irish share, Philadelphia is second to Boston, but it isn't as well known for its Irish presence. I don't think it really has Irish immigrants like New York and Boston or a quadrant like the "Irish Riviera" in suburban Boston.

The Italian shares in both Boston and Philadelphia are similar, but Philadelphia is perceived as more Italian.

Interestingly, the Irish-Italian intermarriage rate in the PHL metro region is probably higher than Irish-Irish or Italian-Italian. Practically all whites in the region have at least some Irish and Italian heritage. If you don't, you're kind of an outlier.

This is not meant to be a dig, but Philadelphia and it's metro region are really not that diverse for being a large East Coast city. Relatively small hispanic population, seems like most whites are Irish/Italian mix and then a very large proportion of African Americans. Not a very large Eastern European Influence, and lacking the Iberian influence you have in the Boston Region. The New Jersey side is more diverse without question, but still noting in comparison to the central or northern part of NJ.

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

I'd say the Rocky franchise did a pretty solid job of projecting philly as an "italian" city in the pop culture psyche.

I recently rewatched the original Rocky. I had never previously noticed, but Rocky is filmed in North Philly, in the Kensington neighborhood, which is traditionally Irish. Rocky lives right by the Market-Frankford El.

[Quixote]

Originally Posted by pj3000

Wait... what?

South Philly... Italian... no? Never heard of this? The whole Rocky Balboa thing? Vince Papale on the Eagles and that dumb movie with Marky Mark?

The Italian Market?

Geno's and Pat's cheesesteaks?

Philly-Atlantic City mafia? Nothing?

Frank Rizzo? Frankie Avalon? Mario Lanza? Jim Croce? Mike Piazza? Al Martino? Slick Willie Mosconi?

I know Rocky Balboa and the cheesesteaks (and so do most people); everything else listed wouldn't register with everyday Americans across the country, certainly not the younger generations. The Italian element wasn't "played up" enough in the 20th century, although the legacy's certainly there.

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

I'd say the Rocky franchise did a pretty solid job of projecting philly as an "italian" city in the pop culture psyche.

At least it did for me, but I'm old, a gen-X child of the '70s/80s, perhaps that doesn't stick as much with the younger generations.

It doesn't. When I think of Philadelphians, these names immediately come to mind:

Kobe Bryant
Will Smith
Boyz II Men
Kevin Hart
Bill Cosby
Bradley Cooper
Tina Fey
Bruce Willis (specifically "The Sixth Sense" in which he plays a character with the surname "Crowe")
Joe Biden

[pj3000]

Originally Posted by Quixote

I know Rocky Balboa and the cheesesteaks (and so do most people); everything else listed wouldn't register with everyday Americans across the country, certainly not the younger generations. The Italian element wasn't "played up" enough in the 20th century, although the legacy's certainly there.

Well... "everyday Americans across the country" are generally fucking idiots, so I wouldn't be surprised if "they" weren't aware of cultural attributes of any American city history.

Originally Posted by Quixote

With Philly, there aren't any mainstream caricatures or stereotypes that create the cultural perception that it's X type of city.

You don't think Rocky Balboa is a mainstream caricature/stereotype of the hard-nosed, bruiser south Philly Italian?

[Docere]

Originally Posted by bossabreezes

Interestingly, the Irish-Italian intermarriage rate in the PHL metro region is probably higher than Irish-Irish or Italian-Italian. Practically all whites in the region have at least some Irish and Italian heritage. If you don't, you're kind of an outlier.

Yeah, you'll find more "100% Italians" in New York and "100% Irish" in Boston than you would for either in Philadelphia. I remember seeing some single ancestry Irish figures in Boston that were quite high, considering their families largely go back to the mid-19th century.