Kenyan Americans are an ethnic group of Americans of Kenyan descent and ancestry. As of the 2010 census, there were an estimated 92,638 Kenyan-born persons living in the United States. Most Kenyan Americans are concentrated in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Seattle, Texas, Maryland, Georgia, New York, North Carolina, and the greater Washington, D.C. area.^[3]

History

Restrictions against immigration from Asia and Africa led to little voluntary immigration from Kenya until the latter half of the 20th century and low a number of slaves bringing to the americas in late 18th century and early 19th century at the Atlantic slave trade. Kenyan emigration to the United States then noted a large increase, nearly doubling from the decades before.

This increase was caused by several factors; political instability and a downturn in the economy in the 1980s in Kenya coupled with a high rate of unemployment (over 35 percent) led to a greater desire to immigrate. Some immigrants were also attracted to technology-oriented careers in the United States that boomed in availability in the 1990s and early 2000s.^[3]

Demography

Kenyan Americans come from ethnic groups such as the Kikuyu, Kisii, Luhya, Kamba, Kalenjin, Meru or Luo people.

The largest populations of Kenyans in the United States are found in Texas, Minnesota, Washington, Southern California, Massachusetts, and Maryland (including the greater Washington, D.C. area.) Many Kenyans are also established in Georgia and North Carolina, states with important health care centers.

According to the 2010 census, approximately one-third of persons born in Kenya who are living in the US have become naturalized citizens.^[1][3]

African immigrants are among the most educated groups in the United States. Like their recent immigrant counterparts Kenyan Americans give a high value to education.^[3]

According to estimates from the Migration Policy Institute for 2015 to 2019, the total number of immigrants from Kenya in the USA was 141,800.^[4] The top counties of settlement were as follows:

1) Hennepin County, MN ------------------------ 6,900

2) King County, WA ------------------------------- 4,500

3) Tarrant County, TX ----------------------------- 4,400

4) Dallas County, TX ------------------------------ 3,700

5) Baltimore County, MD ----------------------- 3,000

6) Harris County, TX ------------------------------ 2,900

7) Los Angeles County, CA -------------------- 2,500

8) Franklin County, OH --------------------------- 2,500

9) Middlesex County, Mass.------------------- 2,400

10) Collin County, TX ----------------------------- 2,400

11) Pierce County, WA --------------------------- 2,200

12) Montgomery County, MD ---------------- 2,000

13) Cobb County, GA ----------------------------- 2,000

14) Ramsey County, MN ------------------------ 1,900

15) New Castle County, DE -------------------- 1,900

16) Maricopa County, AZ ---------------------- 1,800

17) Johnson County, KS ------------------------ 1,800

From the same source for 2017-2021, there was a total of 150,900 Kenyan immigrants nationally, the top counties of settlement being:

1) King County, WA. .................................. 6,800 - (Up 1)

2) Hennepin, MN ........................................ 6,800 - (Down 1)

3) Tarrant County, TX ................................. 5,100 - (Same)

4) Dallas County, TX ................................... 3,700 - (Same)

5) Middlesex County, MA ........................... 3,100 - (Up 4)

6) Franklin County, OH ............................... 3,000 - (Up 2)

7) Pierce County, WA ................................. 2,900 - (Up 4)

8) Los Angeles County, CA ......................... 2,800 - (Down 1)

9) Harris County, TX .................................... 2,800 - (Down 3)

10) Baltimore County, MD ........................... 2,700 - (Down 5)

11) ) Ramsey County, MN ............................ 2,200 - (Up 3)

12) Wake County, NC ................................... 2,100 - (New)

13) Maricopa County, AZ .............................. 2,100 - (Up 3)

14) Johnson County, KS ............................... 2,100 - (Up 3)

15) Collin County, TX ..................................... 2,100 - (Down 5)

16) Saint Louis County, MO .......................... 1,900 - (New)

17) Montgomery County, MD ....................... 1,900 - (Down 5)

18) Orange County, CA ................................. 1,800

19) New Castle County, DE .......................... 1,800 - (Down 4)

20) Worcester County, MA ............................ 1,500

21) Fort Bend County, TX .............................. 1,500

22) Fairfax County, VA ................................... 1,500

23) Dakota County, MN .................................. 1,500

24) Hudson County, NJ .................................. 1,400

25) Gwinnett County, GA ................................ 1,400

26) Essex County, NJ ..................................... 1,400

27) Denton County, TX ................................... 1,400

28) Cobb County, GA ...................................... 1,400 - (Down 15)

29) Middlesex County, NJ .............................. 1,200

- Santa Clara County, CA and Cass County, ND each had 1,100 while Lehigh County, PA had 1,000.

Organizations

Like other immigrant groups living in the US, Kenyan Americans have created many organizations. These include the Kenya Diaspora Advisory Council, the Kenya American Association, the Kenyan-Cincinnati Association ("kcaweb", whose goal is to facilitate Kenyan integration in social and cultural scopes in the tri-state area and promoting awareness of the culture of Kenya in the United States),^[5] the Minnesota Kenyan International Development Association ("MKIDA", formed in 2003, to improve education and the economy of the Kenyan Americans) and KACA (Kenyan Americans Community Association).

The American Kenyan Educational Corporation focuses on funding secondary school students and building schools in Kenya.^[3]

Notable people