How Irish Are Barnegat And Manahawkin? See U.S. Census Numbers

BARNEGAT-MANAHAWKIN, NJ — We may all be Irish on St. Patrick's Day, but are you one of 1.8 million New Jerseyans who claim Irish ancestry? According to U.S. Census Data, one in ten Americans say that there's Irish blood in them.

Cape May County takes the number one spot in the state for Irish ancestry (30.1 percent claim Irish heritage, according to the U.S. Census Data), but Ocean County is pretty high up, too. Here, 20.2 percent of the population says they're Irish.

Other counties that have Irish populations of more than 20 percent include Warren, Sussex, Monmouth and Gloucester.

But how Irish is Berkeley?

According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2021 American Community Survey, about 5,233 Barnegat residents claim Irish heritage, or 20.7 percent.

And in Manahawkin, the Irish population is about 7,515, or 28.2 percent.

But since we're all Irish on St. Paddy's Day, enjoy a Guinness, a plate of corned beef and cabbage and celebrate.