Lebanese Arabs in North America

The first Lebanese immigrants to North America arrived at the end of the 19th century from the Ottoman Province of Syria, which comprised modern-day Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Israel. Many of the first immigrants settled in Boston and New York and became peddlers of housewares, clothing, and hardware. During this time of migration, most Lebanese moving to Canada settled in Montreal. Over time, many moved west to cities like Detroit and Cleveland to work in factories. Others bought farms in Iowa, the Dakotas, and Texas.
A second wave of immigration occurred during the Lebanese Civil War between 1948-1990. In this wave, many Lebanese Muslims and Druze migrated and settled in cities throughout North America. It is estimated that 344,000 Lebanese Muslims live in North America. Today, North America’s largest Lebanese Muslim communities are in Detroit, Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Montreal, and Toronto.
In Lebanese culture, age is respected, and allegiance to family is valued above all else. While this remains true for Lebanese in the diaspora, the culture has changed since families don’t typically live in multi-generation homes. The elaborate and overwhelming hospitality of Lebanese in the diaspora continues. When visiting a Lebanese home, one can expect a warm welcome, food, and drink.

Religious Life
Lebanon is one of the most religiously diverse countries in the Arab world, with approximately 65 percent Muslim, 32 percent Christian, and about 3 percent Druze with small numbers of Jews and other faiths. Maronite Catholics make up the majority of Christians, while the Muslim population divides nearly equally between Sunni and Shi’a followers.
While most of the first Lebanese immigrants to North America were Maronite Christians, the Muslim population was large enough to establish mosques in Maine, North Dakota, and Michigan. The oldest purpose-built mosque still in use is in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which Syrian-Lebanese Muslims built in 1934.
Among the Lebanese Muslim communities, there are Shi’a and Sunni populations, with both groups remaining unreached in North America. The Islamic Center of America, located in Dearborn, MI, is the largest Shi’a mosque in the US. A group of young Lebanese Americans founded it in the 1950s. The Lebanese Islamic Center in Montreal, founded in the 1970s, is also a Shi’a mosque.
The Druze, a small minority in Lebanon, share beliefs with Islam, Christianity, and other religions. They form tight-knit communities where they live and rarely marry outside of their faith. There are approximately 75,000 in North America, with the largest unreached population living in California.
These are the Lebanese Muslim communities in North America most in need of gospel witness
People Group | Metropolitan Area | Population Size | Concentrated Area | Priority Score |
---|---|---|---|---|
Lebanese Arab | Chicago | 5,681 | Bridgeview | 47 |
Lebanese Arab | Miami | 7,622 | Upper Eastside | 47 |
Lebanese Arab | Detroit | 33,099 | East Dearborn | 42 |
Lebanese Arab | Montreal | 20,607 | Saint-Laurent | 39 |
Lebanese Arab | Boston | 22,539 | Somerville | 35 |
Lebanese Arab | Los Angeles | 18,893 | Monterey Park | 35 |
Lebanese Arab | New York | 20,901 | Paterson | 34 |
Lebanese Arab | Washington D.C. | 9,239 | Woodley Park | 33 |
Lebanese Arab | Toronto | 7,595 | Mississauga | 32 |
Lebanese Arab | Ottawa | 8,855 | South Ottawa | 31 |
Lebanese Arab | Cleveland | 6,012 | West Cleveland | 28 |
Lebanese Arab | Dallas Fort Worth | 5,671 | Richardson | 27 |
Lebanese Arab | Houston | 6,622 | Mid West | 27 |