Quick, which are the most Irish states percentage-wise in the union? If you said New York and California you are dead wrong!

Montana, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island are the most Irish states in the U.S. with over 17 percent Irish population.

The demographics of the largest ancestry groups in America based on the census can be found in a book called "Ancestry & Ethnicity in America."

Next in terms of Irishness percent of population are New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Ohio, Kentucky, Washington State, Oregon, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan South Dakota, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, West Virginia, Wyoming with between 15 to 16.9 percent

Among the other states after comes Nevada, Arizona, Mississippi, Alabama, Colorado Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Idaho with between 13 percent to 14.9 percent.

Finally under that number comes California, Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Utah and North Dakota, Hawaii and Alaska.

The Irish are heavily concentrated in the Northeast and east of the Mississippi, but there are surprisingly strong numbers in the south too, reports the Business Insider.

Irrespective of the population, it is a case of “Erin go Bragh” in most states as only German Americans have more numbers.

The US Census shows over 35 million Americans claim Irish descent. With five million also claiming Ulster Irish roots the total is over 40 million.

* Originally published in 2013.