Full Citation
Title: Marriage and Names among Immigrants to Minnesota
Citation Type: Journal Article
Publication Year: 1998
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Abstract: This article presents empirical evidence pertaining to the debate about idea of "the melting pot" vs Handlins thesis about "the uprooted", my aim being to measure to what extent Nordic culture was preserved among the Nordic immigrants to Minnesota. The Minnesota census samples (The Ipums) are used to analyse to what extent immigrants to that state intermarried, even if they had different ethnic or national background. Also, onomastic research shows on the one hand that first names do undergo fashion cycles, on the other that racial and ethnic groups choose from more stable and limited name pools than the national one. Both marriage patterns and names can, therefore, be used as cultural indicators. In order to paint a more longitudinal picture, the behaviour of both first and second generation immigrants is studied.A basic name study technique is to count the number of names with a specific Nordic form or origin. However, to get a more detailed picture of name patterns in the different ethnic groups, grouping individuals who hold the "same" name is necessary. This is done by listing the rank and number of sampled immigrants reporting each name, while comparing with corresponding figures for their children born in the US, and with Americans of native stock. In order to measure more exactly to what degree the various ethnic name pools differ from that of the native-born Americans, we can use the index of dissimilarity. I have also attempted a multivariate analysis of factors potentially influencing the change in name patterns between the immigrants and the next generation.
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Authors: Thorvaldsen, Gunnar
Periodical (Full): The Journal of the Association for History and Computing
Issue: 2
Volume: 1
Pages: 1-0
Data Collections: IPUMS USA
Topics: Family and Marriage, Migration and Immigration, Race and Ethnicity
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