, Luxembourg, photographed in
Minnesota circa 1890. Between the mid-19th century and the early 20th century, approximately one-third of the Luxembourgish population emigrated. Luxembourg was, at the time, a poor country with an economy dominated by agriculture. The United States was a
popular destination for Luxembourgers, as it was for many other European emigrants of the period. The number of Luxembourgers who immigrated to the US in the 19th century is thought to be around 60,000–70,000. , 1874 Substantial Luxembourgish emigration to America took off from about 1845, for several reasons. Advances in medicine caused the rate of infant mortality to decline. This resulted in overpopulation. The lack of work in industry led many to despair. The country could no longer feed its population. In the large families of the time, the dividing up of inheritances led to fragmentation of land ownership. The portion of each child was reduced to a few hectares, which was barely enough to feed a family. Selling one's portion to the elder brother, however, provided enough money for the other siblings to pay for the voyage to America and to start a new life there. Luxembourgers arriving in the United States would not necessarily be registered as such by the authorities, but instead as Belgians or Germans. After arriving in New York, Luxembourgers tended to move on to
Chicago, as well as
Iowa,
Minnesota, and
Wisconsin. A small number stayed in
New York. Other organizations followed including the
Luxembourg Bruderbund and the Luxembourg American Cultural Society. Nearly 1000 Luxembourgish Americans fought for the
Union Army during the
Civil War, including whole companies of Luxembourgish descendents from Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota. ==Notable people==