There’s a little Irish to be found in North Dakota on this St. Patrick’s Day.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 7.7% of Ward County residents have some Irish in their blood. The estimate is that somewhere between 4,661 and 5,971 residents lay claim to Irish ancestry.

That’s fairly typical for this part of the state. Some neighboring county percentages are Mountrail, 7.3%; Renville, 7.6%; Bottineau, 7.7%; and McHenry, 7.7%

The most Irish county in the state is Kidder, where 14.5% of the population is estimated to be at least part Irish. A small county, Kidder is estimated to be home to somewhere between 164 to 552 residents likely to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

The biggest celebration may be in Cass County, where 8.8% of the population has an Irish connection, but that amounts to between 14,159 and 16,939 people.

Not surprisingly, according to the Census Bureau, the most Irish states by percentage are in New England and are geographically connected. However, the five states with the most smiling Irish eyes are the nation’s most populous: California, New York, Pennsylvania, Florida and Texas.

Irish heritage is strong in America: More than 31.5 million residents, or one in 10, claim Irish ancestry, second only to German (43.0 million).