Throughout Delaware’s history, the diversity of its population has been a microcosm of the entire United States. Native American Indians occupied the entire mid-Atlantic region for centuries before the arrival of Europeans in the 17th century. African Americans arrived with the Swedish and Dutch settlers. The 18th century brought waves of immigrant groups from across Europe—Irish, Italians, Germans, and others. For genealogical research, it is helpful to understand some of the history of these groups and know where to look for records…

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