Amish

The Amish are a group of Christian communities known for their simple lifestyle. They are part of the Anabaptist faith and come from Switzerland and Alsace. They stay away from much of modern society, so they are often described as having a unique religious and cultural identity. The Amish avoid many modern technologies and prefer to focus on family, work, and their faith.

The Amish began in the late 1600s after a disagreement among Mennonite Christians in Switzerland, led by a man named Jakob Ammann. Over time, the group grew and split into different subgroups. Today, the Old Order Amish are the best known because they still follow many traditional ways, such as traveling in horse-drawn buggies and wearing plain clothing.

Many Amish moved to America in the early 1700s, especially to places like Pennsylvania, looking for religious freedom. Today, there are over 400,000 Amish living mostly in the United States and Canada, and their numbers are growing quickly. Amish communities are led by their church rules, called the Ordnung, which guide everyday life. Young people join the church through adult baptism, usually in their late teens or early twenties. The Amish focus strongly on family, community, and peaceful living, and they do not take part in military service or many government programs.

History

Beginnings of Anabaptist Christianity

The Amish belong to a Christian group called Anabaptists. This group began in Switzerland during a time of big changes in religion. Leaders like Huldrych Zwingli introduced new ideas, and followers practiced special baptisms for adults.

Emergence of the Amish

The name "Amish" began as a nickname for a leader named Jakob Amman in the 1700s. Early disagreements among these Christian groups led to different ways of following their beliefs.

Migration to North America

In the 1700s, many Amish families moved to places like Pennsylvania. They wanted safety and land. They later settled in areas like Lancaster County.

1850–1878: Division into Old Orders and Amish Mennonites

In the 1800s, some Amish groups changed and joined with other Christian groups. Others kept their traditional ways and became known as the Old Order Amish.

20th century

In the 1900s, more changes happened. Some Amish groups split over new ideas, like using cars. Many Amish started their own schools for their children, and some began small businesses instead of farming.

Main article: Anabaptism Main article: Old Order Movement

Religious practices

The Amish have two important ideas: they stay away from pride and they value humility and calmness. They believe in being quiet and not showing off, and they follow what they think Jesus would want. This is different from many people around them who like to be special or show off.

Joining the Amish church starts with a special ceremony called baptism, usually when young people are between 16 and 23 years old. After this, they can only marry other Amish people. Services happen every other Sunday in someone’s home or barn. Leaders called bishops, ministers, and deacons guide the group.

The Amish have rules called the Ordnung that everyone follows. These rules talk about simple living, like not using certain modern tools, and how to dress. They also believe in being peaceful and not taking part in military activities. If someone doesn’t follow the rules, they might be asked to leave the community for a time. Many young Amish people choose to join the church when they are old enough.

Way of life

The Amish live by their own rules, called the Ordnung. These rules change for each group and are decided by the community during special meetings twice a year. The rules cover things like clothing, technology, and how to interact with people outside the Amish community. Women help decide these rules too.

Families are very important to the Amish, and they believe having many children is a gift from God. Working hard is valued, and they sometimes avoid modern technology to keep their traditional lifestyle.

Transportation

Amish communities often travel by horse and buggy to keep a slower pace of life. Some Amish groups also allow using buses, cars, or trains. Recently, many Amish people have started using electric bicycles because they are faster than walking or using a horse and buggy.

Clothing

Main article: Plain dress

The Amish are known for their simple clothing. Men wear plain shirts, hats, and suits, and grow beards to show they are married men. They do not grow mustaches because those are linked to the military, which the Amish avoid. Women wear long dresses in soft colors, along with bonnets and aprons. The color of a woman’s bonnet shows whether she is single (black) or married (white). Women also wear prayer kapps, small caps that show their religious beliefs. All their clothes are made by hand. Older Amish groups use hooks and eyes to fasten their clothes, while newer groups may use buttons.

Cuisine

Amish food is simple and traditional, and it is important to their social life. They share meals at gatherings like potlucks, weddings, and fundraisers. Amish foods, such as pies, preserves, and bread, are often sold at markets, and some Amish communities have restaurants for visitors. Their meals are similar to what many Americans eat, but they often prepare and preserve their food in special ways. Their cooking has its own unique traditions that have changed over time and place.

Economic activities

Historically, Amish communities were mainly focused on farming, with most families working the land. Over time, many Amish people started working in other jobs besides farming.

Today, common jobs for Amish people include roofing, building, woodworking, working with metal, and making small products by hand.

Even though fewer Amish people farm now, they still see farming as important. Small farms help bring families and communities together.

Dog breeding

Amish and Mennonite communities in many states have started dog breeding as a way to earn money. In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, there are many licensed and unlicensed dog breeding facilities.

Subgroups

Main article: Subgroups of Amish

The Amish have three main groups: the Old Order Amish, the New Order Amish, and the Amish Mennonites. All of these groups wear simple clothing and follow the Bible as shown in their church's rules, called the Ordnung. The Old Order Amish, New Order Amish, and Old Beachy Amish hold their services in German and speak Pennsylvania German or other German dialects. They travel in buggies instead of using cars, except for the Old Beachy and Kauffman Amish Mennonites. The Beachy Amish use modern technology, including cars, and hold services in the local language.

Over time, the Amish have split into different groups, mostly about their rules and beliefs. The largest group is the Old Order Amish, who separated from other Amish in the 1860s and follow traditional ways closely. The New Order Amish are sometimes seen as a part of the Old Order Amish, even though their names are different.

Amish groups

• Old Order Amish
  • Nebraska Amish
  • Swartzentruber Amish
  • Buchanan Amish
  • Swiss Amish
  • Andy Weaver Amish
  • Troyer Amish
  • Byler Amish
  • Renno Amish
  • Holmes Old Order Amish
  • Elkhart-LaGrange Amish
  • Lancaster Amish
  • Tobe Amish
  • Michigan Amish
• New Order Amish

• Amish Mennonites
  • Old Beachy Amish
  • Kauffman Amish Mennonites
  • Beachy Amish (lost many Amish features)
  • Egli Amish (historic)
  • Stuckey Amish (historic)
• Para-Amish groups
  • Lobelville Believers in Christ
  • Le Roy Plain Community (historic)
  • Manton Plain Community (joined the Michigan Amish)
  • Ghent Plain Community (historic)
  • Christian Communities (historic)
  • Vernon Community
  • Caneyville Christian Community (historic)

Affiliations

As of 2011, about 40 different Old Order Amish groups were known. The eight largest groups of Old Order Amish are listed below, with Lancaster having the most members.

Use of technology by different affiliations

The table below shows which technologies different Amish groups use. No Old or New Order Amish use cars, radios, televisions, or the Internet in most cases. Three groups—"Lancaster", "Holmes Old Order" and "Elkhart-LaGrange"—are the largest and most common among the Old Order Amish.

Language

Main article: Pennsylvania Dutch language

Most Old Order Amish, all New Order Amish, all Old Beachy Amish, and most Kauffman Amish Mennonites speak Pennsylvania Dutch. They call people who are not Amish "English," no matter where they come from. Two Old Order Amish groups—called Swiss Amish—speak a form of Bernese German or a Low Alemannic Alsatian dialect.

The word "Dutch" in "Pennsylvania Dutch" does not mean the language of the Netherlands. It comes from the Pennsylvania German word Deitsch, meaning "Pennsylvania Dutch / German" or "German." The Amish use three languages: Pennsylvania Dutch at home and in church services, English for reading, writing, school, and business, and Standard German for prayers and singing in church. This use of three languages helps show who they are.

Ethnicity

The Amish mostly come from German or Swiss-German families. They usually call themselves "Amish" only for members of their church, not as a description of their ancestry. Some Amish descendants know they have unique cultural and genetic traits. Young children raised in Amish homes and those who choose to join the church are considered Amish. Some Mennonite churches have many people who used to be Amish. Most today's Amish come from immigrants who arrived in the 1700s, who focused strongly on tradition and kept a separate Amish identity.

Para-Amish groups

Some groups, called "para-Amish", share many Amish ways, like traveling in horse-and-buggy carriages and wearing simple clothes. These groups are mostly made of former Amish but are not part of the main Amish groups because they have different beliefs or practices. The Bergholz Community is different; it is no longer seen as Amish because it has moved away from many important Amish principles.

Population and distribution

Estimating the number of Amish people is hard because children are not counted and adults often join the community later in life. Over the years, the number of Amish has grown fast. In 1992 there were about 125,000 Amish, and by 2008 this had grown to 221,000. By 2025, the number reached 411,000. The Amish tend to have large families, which helps their numbers grow quickly.

Distribution by country

United States

See also: List of U.S. states by Amish population, Amish in Indiana, Amish in Maryland, Amish in Ohio, and Amish in Wisconsin

Most Amish live in the United States, with over 98 percent of them there. In 2025, Amish communities existed in 32 states. Pennsylvania has the most Amish, followed by Ohio and Indiana. Big Amish communities are in Lancaster County in Pennsylvania, Holmes County in Ohio, and Elkhart and LaGrange counties in Indiana. The area around Holmes County has the most Amish people in the world.

West of the Mississippi River, the largest group lives in Missouri, with others in Iowa and southeast Minnesota. In Iowa, major settlements are near Kalona and Bloomfield. In Wisconsin, the biggest group is near Cashton.

Because the Amish population grows quickly, new communities form every year. People move to find affordable farmland and places that fit their way of life. They also move to stay close to family or other Amish groups.

Canada

The Amish of Canada settled in southwestern Ontario from the United States and Europe. Today, more than 6,000 Amish live in Canada, mostly in Ontario. Some families have moved to other provinces like Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island because land prices rose in Ontario.

The Old Order Amish in Canada come from two groups of settlers. The first group arrived in the 1880s, and the second in the 1950s from the United States.

Most Old Order Amish in Canada live in Oxford and Norfolk Counties in Ontario, with a smaller group in Bruce County.

In 2016, some Amish families started new communities in Kings County on Prince Edward Island and near Perth-Andover in New Brunswick. In 2017, another group settled near Stuartburn in Manitoba, but they moved away in 2024.

Latin America

Only one Amish community remains in Latin America, in Bolivia. Earlier attempts to settle in Mexico and Honduras did not last long. In 2015, new groups formed in Argentina and Bolivia, but most members came from Mennonite backgrounds.

Europe

In Europe, the Amish merged with Mennonite groups in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They stopped using the name "Amish" and lost their distinct culture. The last European Amish group joined the Mennonites in 1937 in Zweibrücken in the Palatinate region.

Seekers and joiners

Main article: Seeker (Anabaptism)

Only a small number of people from outside the Amish community have decided to join them. Since 1950, about 75 people who were not originally part of the Amish faith have become lifelong members. Since 1990, around twenty people from Russian Mennonite background have joined the Amish in Aylmer, Ontario.

Two whole Christian groups have become part of the Amish. One is from Smyrna, Maine, and the other is from Manton, Michigan. These groups welcome new members more than other Amish churches. Most of their members came from similar communities, such as the Old Order Amish, Old Order Mennonite, or Old German Baptist Brethren.

Many more people have lived as Amish for a time but decided not to join permanently. Others stay close to the Amish but never plan to join.

The Beachy Amish often invite visitors to their services and sometimes allow them to become members. They use English in their services and permit some modern tools.

Different types of people are drawn to the Amish way of life for various reasons. Some are interested in traditions, others like the lifestyle, some seek a strong Christian faith, and others come with personal challenges.

Health

Main article: Health among the Amish

The Amish have some health conditions that happen more often in their communities, like dwarfism, Angelman syndrome, and certain metabolic disorders. This is because most Amish come from a small group of families who lived a long time ago. Even though these conditions can be serious, the Amish believe they are part of life and accept children with these conditions. They do not use genetic testing before marriage or during pregnancy to find these conditions, but they are happy to help doctors study these diseases.

The Amish often live healthy lives because they avoid smoking and follow clean habits. They have lower rates of some cancers compared to others, partly because they wear clothes that protect their skin from the sun. Special clinics, like the Clinic for Special Children in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, help treat children with rare diseases, so families do not have to leave their communities for care. The Amish do not usually have private health insurance, but they support each other by collecting money to help pay for medical bills. They use modern medicine, including hospital births, and sometimes travel to other countries for cheaper care.

The Amish believe in having large families, which helps with farm work, though some families choose to plan how many children they have if it could affect a mother’s health. They do not support abortion or certain medical treatments like artificial insemination, eugenics, and stem cell research because these do not match their beliefs.

Life in the modern world

The Amish have faced challenges from the modern world. They sometimes have trouble with issues like taxes, education laws, and unfair treatment by others.

Because their way of life is different, some people have been unkind to the Amish.

The Amish usually do not send their children to school past the eighth grade. They believe this gives their children all they need to know for their way of life. Many Amish communities have their own small schools, often taught by young women from their community. In 1972, a court case called Wisconsin v. Yoder let the Amish decide how long their children go to school without breaking the law.

The Amish pay some taxes but do not usually pay for things like car registration or fuel because they rarely use cars. They also have special rules about government support programs, which they choose not to use based on their beliefs. This was settled in laws and court cases over many years.

Publishing

In 1964, two Amish farmers started Pathway Publishers. This company is based in LaGrange, Indiana and Aylmer, Ontario. Pathway is now the main place where Amish schools get their textbooks. People can also find books and magazines about Amish life there. Some Amish families read a newspaper called Hiwwe wie Driwwe, written in their own dialect.

Similar groups

Anabaptist groups that share the same history as the Amish often dress similarly and have a Pennsylvania German heritage. These groups include different kinds of Old Order Mennonites, traditional Schwarzenau Brethren and Old Order River Brethren. The Noah Hoover Old Order Mennonites look so much like the Amish—in their dress, beards, horse and buggy, and rules about modern technology—that many people think they are Amish.

Conservative "Russian" Mennonites and Hutterites also dress simply and speak German dialects, but they came from different parts of Europe and have their own cultures and religious traditions. The Hutterites live together in communities and usually accept modern technology.

In western Ukraine, the Kashketnyky have been compared to the Amish because of their simple way of living and peaceful beliefs.

The few remaining Plain Quakers live in a way similar to the Amish, including their views on war, but they are not related to the Amish. Early Quakers were influenced by the Anabaptists and later influenced the Amish in colonial Pennsylvania. Today, most Quakers no longer wear traditional dress.

Relations with Native Americans

The first Amish community in the New World was the Northkill Amish Settlement, established in 1740 in Berks County, Pennsylvania. During the French and Indian War, a local tribe attacked the Hochstetler family home. The family followed their beliefs of not fighting back, which led to sad events for some members.

Later, the Amish and Native American farmers worked together peacefully in Pennsylvania. Over time, the two communities made efforts to understand each other better. In 2012, they worked together to build a replica Iroquois Longhouse and continued having meetings to build friendship and peace.