SLOVAKIA (Slovenská Republika)

Capital: Bratislava

Population: 5.432 million

Size: 18,933 sq. miles

Currency: Euro

Language: Slovak

Religion: Roman Catholic (55%)

Geopolitical: EU member since 2004

Slovaks in America and in Texas

Slovak emigration to the US started in the second half of the 19 th Century, when Slovakia was still a part

of Habsburg monarchy. There is no other nation besides Ireland that would yield such a huge part of its

population to the US.

The typical places of Slovak emigration were New York, Chicago and steel and mining towns of

Pennsylvania and Ohio – not so much Texas.

However, as of 2024, Texas has a Slovak population of 11,870. Many of them moved from other states,

but there is a group that escaped the communist regime of 1948-1989 and got help from church

communities around Texas to re-settle here. More recently, Slovaks have also immigrated to Texas for

highly qualified jobs in oil and gas and consulting companies.

Many Slovaks with children meet in an annual Mikuláš party around December 6th, when St. Nicholas

with angel and devil visit all Czech and Slovak kids in the world, including those in Houston.

Slovakia and Saints Cyril and Methodius

The Houston Slavic festival is proud of its saint patrons, Saints Cyril and Methodius – and Slovaks are

uniquely linked with them.

Slovaks are proud of their history, starting with Principality of Nitra in 9 th century followed by Great

Moravia, the Slavic empire that united the tribes of the future Slovaks, Moravians and Czechs.

Saints Cyril and Methodius came to Great Moravia in 863, developed the first Slavic alphabet and

translated the Gospel into the Old Church Slavonic language. The Slovak city of Nitra was one of the

seats of Saints Cyril and Methodius with a church and a school.

A fun fact: All Land rover Defenders that you see on Texas roads are made in a plant that faces the

original church of Saints Cyrill and Methodius, in the city of Nitra.

Slovak organizations in Texas

Many organizations, groups and events are common for Czechs and Slovaks, maintaining the exceptional

brotherly relation of those two nations that survived even their friendly divorce in 1992.

Slovaks are represented and take part in events of Czech Center Museum in Houston

https://www.czechcenter.org/ . There is a chapter of Slovak professionals in Texas

https://www.slovakpro.org/ .

If you want to find more about Slovak heritage in the US and search through the immigration archives,

check out https://www.kasigarda.sk/ .