The Pennsylvania Dutch of United States

The Pennsylvania Dutch of United States, numbering approximately 140,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a German-American ethnocultural population distinguished by shared ancestry, dialect, religious traditions, and a strong historical identity rooted in the rural Mid-Atlantic United States. They mostly adhere to Protestantism and Pennsylvania German is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite: Pennsylvania Dutch

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Eurasian Peoples
Country: United States
People Cluster: Germanic
Primary Language(s): Pennsylvania German (pdc)
Primary Religion(s): Protestantism
Population: 140,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): No Longer Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): 5% or Greater but Less than 10% Evangelical
People Group ID: PG043593
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Pennsylvania Dutch of United States

Join others around the world in praying for the lost to be saved, the gospel to advance, the global Church to grow, and for laborers to be sent out and sustained in the harvest.

Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Protestantism
Religious Affiliation: Christianity

88%
%
Protestantism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Pennsylvania German
Language Family: Indo-European

100%
%
German, Pennsylvania Speakers

Media Resources in Pennsylvania German:

Films:

No film resources are listed for this language.

Bible Resources in Pennsylvania German:

Bible Name (Translation)VideoAudioText
Wycliffe Bible Translators✓

1 entry

Or check out the Pennsylvania German bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: No longer Unreached

The Pennsylvania Dutch are No Longer Unreached, which means there are more than 2% evangelical Christian populations and there are churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. There is still more to be done among them.

Next steps for the Pennsylvania Dutch:
Empower local believers to begin praying for their own people
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting
Encourage local leaders to being leading church planting strategy and looking for Unreached and Unengaged groups nearby

Pray specifically for the Pennsylvania Dutch of United States

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
read1 John 1:9

Pray that God, who is faithful and just, will open the eyes of those who are lost and draw them to confess their sins and trust in Him to grant forgiveness.

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
readRomans 1:19-20

Pray that God will use His creation – the “things that have been made” – to spark a fresh and passionate curiosity among them to draw near to the Maker and that, as they seek Him, He will make a way for them to hear the gospel and receive it with joy.

But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.
read1 Peter 3:15

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will always be prepared to share the reason for the hope that they have in Jesus with gentleness and respect.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
readPsalm 51:2

Pray that God will raise up believers to go and share the gospel with those in this people group who need to be washed of their iniquity and cleansed from their sins.

Amish Across Countries (ROP3 - 107976) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

2 people groups

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

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