The Italian American (Italian: italoamericani [ˌitalo.ameriˈkaːni]) ethnic group comprises Americans who have full or partial ancestry from Italy, especially those who identify with that ancestry, along with their cultural characteristics.he Italian-American communities have often been characterized by strong ties with family, the Catholic Church, fraternal organizations and political parties. Today, over 17 million Americans claim Italian ancestry, third only to Brazil with 31 million, and Argentina, which has 24 million people with Italian roots.