Belgian Americans are citizens of the United States who are of Belgian ancestry, although "Belgian" is not considered an ethnic term (Flemings and Walloons are the two largest ethnic groups in Belgium). There were no Belgians anywhere in the world prior to 1830, the year of the de jure establishment of Belgium (although the name "Belgium" was already used previously to distinguish the Southern Netherlands from the Netherlands). Prior to 1830, immigrants from the region that is now officially Belgium, identified themselves as either Dutch or French Americans; hence, tracing family roots to a place in Belgium does not make one a Belgian American, per se.

In the 17th century there were colonists from Southern Netherlands (currently Belgium) in some of the old British Thirteen Colonies of North America. Settlements already existed in New York (in Wallabout, Long Island, and Staten Island), and in New Jersey (Hoboken, Jersey City, Pavonia, Communipaw, and Wallkill), that are knew by the first settlers in New York and in the Middle States. In fact, the place names of are derived from the name the Walloons immigrants who settled there, as well as from the Dutch version of Walloon words used to describe a locale. Also there are Southern Netherlands colonies in Connecticut, Delaware, and Pennsylvania, established primarily by Walloons, many of whom came to the United States in ships of the Dutch West India Company, founded this, by the William Usselinx Flemish.