Danbury Lipka Tatar

A little-known part of Polish-linked history in the U.S.: Lipka Tatars in Danbury, Connecticut

In the early 1900s, a small group of Lipka Tatars, Muslims historically connected to the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth settled in Danbury. They arrived from regions of today’s Poland, Lithuania, and Belarus, finding work in local industry. Their Islamic faith was maintained mainly through family tradition and private practice. Because they were often recorded simply as Polish or Lithuanian in U.S. documents, their distinct Tatar identity remained largely unnoticed.

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At the beginning of the 20th century, a small group of Lipka Tatars. Muslims have been associated with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth for centuries. settled in Danbury. They came from what is now Poland, Lithuania and Belarus, taking up work in the local industry. They preserved Islam mainly as part of family tradition and private religious practices. In American documents, they were often recorded as Poles or Lithuanians, which made their distinct Tatar identity less visible.