There are more Irish-American eyes smiling in the United States than at any point in history, with some 36.9 million Americans claiming Irish ancestry. That’s up 700,000 since 2008 and more than eight times the population of Ireland itself, according to recent U.S. Census figures.

Today is St. Patrick’s Day, a day honoring St. Patrick, who is credited with introducing Christianity to the Emerald Isle in the fifth century.

In the United States today, there are 122,000 Irish-born Americans. As a group, they are statistically older than non-Irish-born Americans, are statistically better educated and have statistically higher median household incomes, according to the recent Census. Irish-born Americans claim $56,158 in household income versus $50,221 claimed by other Americans, and 92 percent of Irish-Americans hold at least a high school diploma versus 85 percent among non-Irish-Americans.

The saturation of Irish-Americans is highest in Massachusetts, where 24 percent of residents claim some Irish ancestry versus a rate of 12 percent for the nation as a whole, which certainly explains South Boston’s over-the-top raucous and colorful St. Paddy’s Day parade, a tradition since 1737. There are simply more true Irish-Americans celebrating there than elsewhere in this country.

Irish-Americans tend to own their own homes more than other Americans, and are less likely to be in poverty than others here.

When large groups of Irish-Americans first immigrated to the United States in the 1820s, they were most likely to be employed as low-skilled manual laborers. Today, Irish-Americans are most likely to be teachers or police officers, followed by sales and service employees, according to Census figures. They are, unlike their ancestors, now least likely to become construction or maintenance/repair workers.

They tend to live in large cities, which typically observe their presence with lavish St. Paddy’s Day parades and parties. In Chicago, the Irish-American population is so substantial that the city parties in earnest, dyeing the Chicago River green for the day. At the Trump International Hotel and Tower, hotel rooms are transformed into high-priced sky boxes so guests can view the river and parade from on high.

Irish-Americans have volunteered to serve in this nation’s Armed Services in exceptionally high numbers, but rioted mightily against conscription in 1863, resisting compulsory military service as an infringement on personal liberty.

Irish-Americans have retained Christianity as their prominent religion, but Catholics and Protestants among this ethnic group have long clashed, exercising significant discrimination against each other. And, there’s the stereotype of the fighting, drinking, disorderly Irish, a stereotype President Richard Nixon (an Irish-American) reportedly spoke of with some scorn.

Irish-Americans have historically been active in politics, with 14 of the nation’s 44 presidents claiming some Irish heritage, most notably former President John F. Kennedy.  A high number of this country’s Irish are active and effective labor and union leaders, and then there’s the criminal element, including the outlaw Billy the Kid and presidential assassin Lee Harvey Oswald.

Today — St. Patrick’s Day — is a day of religious obligation in Ireland, and a day of celebration there and everywhere else.

So, here’s to the day when we can all celebrate a little Irish in America — and in us all.

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The opinions expressed in this column reflect the views of the ownership and editorial board.