This article is sponsored by the adoption agency in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania from Adoptions From The Heart.
Philadelphia County is known as the most heavily populated county in all of Pennsylvania with a population of over a million residents. The county is the home of Old City Hall and a variety of other historical landmarks and monuments.
History
The first own inhabitants of the area where Philadelphia County lays were the Lenape Native American tribes. In the mid 17th century, Finnish and Swedish settlers arrived on the land which was later seized by the Netherlands. Shortly after, England took control in 1674. William Penn later split Pennsylvania into three different counties, Philadelphia, Chester, and Bucks County in 1682 and made Philadelphia the capital and county seat of Pennsylvania.
When established, William Penn wanted Philadelphia, which meant “brotherly love,” to be a holy space of worship for all religious backgrounds. The name originates from an ancient city located within the boundaries of what is now known as Turkey. It is also mentioned in the Book of Revelations and was Penn’s desire to make this his “Holy Experiment.”
Penn’s design for Philadelphia only included the area between South and Vine Streets and the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, which is now the center of the city. A variety of settlements were situated nearby and are considered a part of the City of Philadelphia including:
- Penn District
- Kensington
- Spring Garden
- Blockley
- Southwark
- Moyamensing
Aside from these, the county had a number of additional surrounding townships, villages, and communities. As the city of Philadelphia grew in population, people who lived closer to the city were incorporated into it.
As the population grew, so did the diversity of different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Since the early 1990s, thousands of immigrants have migrated from Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Of these, the largest populations remain the following:
- Irish
- Italian
- German
- Polish
- Korean
- Russian
- Jamaican
- Chinese
- Arabic
- Puerto Rican
- Cambodian
- Thai
- Vietnamese
- Ukrainian
Did you find this article interesting? Continue reading related blogs: Learn About The Community Of St. Davids
Our Local Office
Our caring professionals are ready to support potential adoptive parents, pregnant mothers, and their children from our Philadelphia County adoption agency. Our team can answer any questions you may have and can provide you with the knowledge that you and your family need to make the right decision.
