According to the United States Census Bureau, Milwaukee County had a population of nearly a million in 2018. [1] The largest demographic group, with over half of the county’s population, is Caucasian, followed by African Americans (27.2%), Hispanics or Latinos (15.4%), Asian (4.7%), and a mix of other races (2.8%). [1] 16.6% of the residents in Milwaukee County speak a language other than English, which is lower than the national average of just over 20%. The three most common non-English languages are Spanish, Hmong, and Arabic with 10.3%, 1.3%, and 0.7% of the population speaking them. German, Chinese, French, Polish, and Vietnamese are also among the most widely spoken [2].
Languages of Wisconsin
Wisconsin as a whole has a rapidly increasing number of foreign-born citizens, with many of them coming from Asian and Latin American countries. Most immigrants from Latin America who have come to Wisconsin are originally from Mexico [3].
In 1990, 94.2% of the population only spoke English at home, meaning that a little over 5% of the population of Wisconsin spoke a language other than English at home. Since 1990, the number of Wisconsin residents who speak another language at home has risen to 7.3% of the population [4]. The greatest percentage of the population that spoke another language at home spoke Spanish. Of the 7.3% of the population that spoke another language, 3.4% spoke Spanish. After that, German ranked second in the state at 1.0% of the population. Other languages (which are less than 1% of the Wisconsin population) include Miao Hmong, French, Polish, Chinese, Italian, Scandinavian languages, Russian, and other West Germanic languages. [4]
Overall, Wisconsin is below the national average for residents that speak another language at home – especially for Spanish. [5] However, Wisconsin does surpass the national average for Hmong and German speakers.
Translation Services in Milwaukee
If you are trying to appeal to the more than 15% of Milwaukee residents who are non-English speakers, then you need professional language services. Whether you are translating from one written language to another or interpreting by converting dialogue from one language to another, consider using Acutrans for your translation and interpretation needs. Acutrans knows Wisconsin and the Milwaukee area – we even have a satellite office in Milwaukee for your convenience. Acutrans has dedicated linguists on staff with years of experience plus a rigorous quality control process, guaranteeing that you’re satisfied with your product. Acutrans delivers certified translated medical, technical, and legal documents as well. For all your interpretation and document translation needs, choose Acutrans.