History of the Roma

Scholars agree that the population known today as "Roma," often referred to as Gypsies, Romani, or Travellers, originated in northern India. They first migrated to Europe sometime between 800 AD and 950 AD. However, the reasons for this migration of thousands of miles over a period of many years are not well understood.

Linguists first became aware of the Roma connection to India in the latter part of the 18th century, when they realized that many Roma words were the same as those spoken in parts of India. When they first arrived in Europe, Roma were commonly mistaken for Egyptian peoples, and this is why they are often referred to as Gypsies. It is estimated today that over 12 million Roma live worldwide today, but exact counts are difficult.

This was part of a larger wave of immigration from southern and eastern Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. With the beginning of the First World War, primary immigration ended in 1914. This virtual ending of gypsy immigration also occurred because of the tightening of immigration restrictions. Many of the immigrants in the primary group specialized in coppersmith work. This mainly involved the repair and refining of industrial equipment used in bakeries, laundries, confectioneries and other businesses. In addition to this, the Rom developed the fortune-telling business in urban areas.

It is generally accepted that approximately 1 million Roma live in the United States today, but it is difficult to find the source of this number. The U.S. Census does not give an option for persons to identify themselves as Roma, and even if it did many Roma are reluctant to self-identify due to their fear of discrimination.