Indiana is known as the “Hoosier State” and the "Crossroads of America".[1] The term “Hoosier” is the official demonym for the people of Indiana. The exact origin of the term remains a matter of debate, but “Hoosier” was in general use by the 1840s Regardless of its origin, the term “Hoosier” is used with pride by Indiana residents and is reflected in many Indiana-based businesses and organizations. It’s also the name of the Indiana University athletic teams.[2]
Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th state on December 11, 1816. Indiana is the 38th-largest by area among the 50 states.[1] Indiana is the 38th-largest by area among the 50 states.[3] As of 2023, the estimated population of Indiana is around 6,862,199.[4]
Indiana’s economy ranks 19th in size among states and Washington, DC.[5] The state’s gross domestic product in 2017 was US$359 billion. The economy of Indiana is primarily based on services, manufacturing, and agriculture. A high percentage of Indiana’s income is from manufacturing.[5] Indiana has been the largest steel producing state in the U.S. since 1975.[6] Other major products include pharmaceuticals and medical devices, automobiles, electrical equipment, transportation equipment, chemical products, rubber, petroleum and coal products, and factory machinery.[7]
Some of the top attractions in Indiana include The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, Eiteljorg Museum of American Indian and Western Art in Indianapolis, Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, Turkey Run State Park, and the Snite Museum of Art on the Notre Dame campus.[8]
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History of Indiana
The region that is now Indiana entered recorded history in the 1670s, when the first Europeans came to Indiana and claimed the territory for the Kingdom of France[9]. After France was defeated by Great Britain in the French and Indian War, it ceded its territory east of the Mississippi River. Britain held the land for more than twenty years, until after its defeat in the American Revolutionary War, then ceded the entire trans-Allegheny region, including what is now Indiana, to the newly formed United States.[10] Indiana Territory became the first of these new territories established in 1800. As Indiana Territory grew in population and development, it was divided in 1805 and again in 1809 until, reduced to its current size and boundaries, it retained the name Indiana when it was admitted to the Union.[11]
Indiana played an important role in supporting the Union during the American Civil War. Despite anti-war activity within the state, and southern Indiana’s ancestral ties to the South, Indiana was a strong supporter of the Union. Indiana contributed approximately 210,000 Union soldiers, sailors, and marines.[12][13]
By the end of the 19th century, Indiana was among the top 10 manufacturing states in the nation. Politics became a means by which Hoosiers created an identity, a sense of belonging to the same state and caring about it.[14]
The late 19th and early 20th centuries were a time of rapid industrial change for Indiana, with the invention of the automobile leading to big city growth.[15] The state also felt the effects of World War I, with more than 130,000 Hoosiers serving. By the end of World War I, Hoosier society had greatly changed as people left farms for cities, women had fought for the right to vote, and reform movements had taken hold to improve life for all.[14]
Demographics of Indiana
The demographic distribution of Indiana is as follows:[16]
- White: 81.22%
- Black or African American: 9.41%
- Two or more races: 4.27%
- Other race: 2.48%
- Asian: 2.42%
- Native American: 0.17%
- Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.03%
Researching family history in Indiana
The National Archives at Chicago has records for Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The Indiana State Library has a genealogy section. The Allen County Public Library has one of largest collections of valuable genealogical resources in the United States. The Indiana Archives and Records Administration collects, preserves, and makes available historical and evidential material relating to the state of Indiana. Both the Indiana Genealogical Society and the Indiana Historical Society have important genealogical collections.
Indiana County List
| Adams | Allen | Bartholomew | Benton |
| Blackford | Boone | Brown | Carroll |
| Cass | Clark | Clay | Clinton |
| Crawford | Daviess | Dearborn | Decatur |
| De Kalb | Delaware | Dubois | Elkhart |
| Fayette | Floyd | Fountain | Franklin |
| Fulton | Gibson | Grant | Greene |
| Hamilton | Hancock | Harrison | Hendricks |
| Henry | Howard | Huntington | Jackson |
| Jasper | Jay | Jefferson | Jennings |
| Johnson | Knox | Kosciusko | La Porte |
| Lagrange | Lake | Lawrence | Madison |
| Marion | Marshall | Martin | Miami |
| Monroe | Montgomery | Morgan | Newton |
| Noble | Ohio | Orange | Owen |
| Parke | Perry | Pike | Porter |
| Posey | Pulaski | Putnam | Randolph |
| Ripley | Rush | St. Joseph | Scott |
| Shelby | Spencer | Starke | Steuben |
| Sullivan | Switzerland | Tippecanoe | Tipton |
| Union | Vanderburgh |
See also
Explore more about Indiana
MyHeritage.com has 323 specific collections of records from Indiana. These include Indiana Marriages, 1811-1959, Indiana Marriages, 1789-1992, Indiana Marriages, US Naturalization Record Index, Northern Illinois, 1840-1950, and Indiana Newspapers, 1847-2009. There are many other records in the Indiana Collections Catalog.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 63 Important Facts About Indiana
- ↑ Why Is Indiana Called the Hoosier State? (with picture)
- ↑ Indiana | Flag, Facts, Maps, & Points of Interest | Britannica
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Indiana
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Economy of Indiana Statistics and Data Trends: GDP ranking, unemployment rate, and economic growth
- ↑ Indiana Again Tops U.S. in Steel Production
- ↑ The Biggest Industries In Indiana
- ↑ 15 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions & Things to Do in Indiana
- ↑ Early History of Indiana to 1779
- ↑ Indiana - Native American, French, US Expansion | Britannica
- ↑ Indiana History Timeline: Indiana Important Dates and Events
- ↑ The Impact of the Civil War on Indiana
- ↑ Hoosier Soldiers in the Civil War
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 1880 to 1920: Industrial Age, Progressive Era and World War I
- ↑ Hoosiers and the American Story
- ↑ Indiana Population 2024 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs)[1]
- ↑ Most Common Surnames in Indiana, With Meanings