Census Humor

A person of Spanish ancestry,

a person of Spanish origin,

and a person of Spanish surname

walk into a bar…

“Hispanics” in the U.S.

• Spanish-American; Spanish Colonial; Hispano – 16th Century– New Mexico, then California and Texas– Lived in territory that came under U.S. flag

“Hispanics” in the U.S.

• Mexican Americans– Immigrants from Mexico and descendents– Steady and increased immigration after 1910

• Descendants of:– Original “Hispanic” residents– Immigrant Mexican nationals

• Typical immigrants?• Race? • Racial mixture of European colonizers and indigenous residents

Census 2000 – Hispanic or Latino origin

•Hispanic or Latino categories–Mexican–Puerto Rican–Cuban–Other Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino

•Origin–Heritage–Nationality group–Lineage–Country of birth of the person or the person’s parents or ancestors before their arrival in the U.S.

• Can be of any race (or combination of races)

42%

Nativity• 1850-current

• Keep track of immigrants

Parentage• 1880-1970

• Keep track of children of immigrants

Mother tongue• 1910 & 1920 – foreign white stock*

• 1930 – foreign-born white

• 1940 – total white population

• 1950 – n/a

• 1960 – total foreign-born

• 1970 – total population

* foreign-born white or native white of foreign or mixed parentage

1850 - 1920• Nativity

– Immigrants

• Parentage– Children of immigrants

• Mother tongue– Foreign white stock only

1930 - Mexican (race)• First indicator

• Estimates for 1910 and 1920 were made based on 1930 survey

• “All persons born in Mexico, or having parents born in Mexico, and definitely not white, Negro, Indian, Chinese, or Japanese.”

1930 – Mexican (race)• “All persons born in Mexico, or having parents born in Mexico, and definitely not white, Negro, Indian, Chinese, or Japanese.”

• Problems– 1st & 2nd generations– Hispanics can be U.S. citizens and U.S.-born children of U.S.-born parents– Rule applies to citizens of Mexico– Many did not want to be identified as “Mexicans”

1930 – Mexican (race)• Problems – cont’d

– Birth/parentage ≈ Race?

– Judgment of enumerator

– Mexican ≠ white

– Protests & litigation

1940 – Spanish mother tongue• Mexican race category eliminated

• Spanish mother tongue – 5% sample

– total white population

– relatively few individuals of Spanish mother tongue who were not white

1950 - Spanish surname• Last names of white persons compared to list of ~6,000 Spanish surnames

– Arizona

– California

– Colorado

– New Mexico

– Texas

• 20% sample

1950 - Spanish surname• Problems

–Europeans (e.g. Italians, Portuguese, Irish, etc.)

– But, given migration and settlement history, most found outside the Southwest

– Intermarriage

1960 – Spanish surname• Five southwestern states

• 25 % sample

• ~7,000 Spanish surnames on list

1970!!First attempt to identify

entire Hispanic population

Three questionnaires80%, 15%, 5%

1970 – Spanish surname• Five southwestern states

• 15 % sample

• ~8,000 Spanish surnames on list

1970 – Spanish origin• Introduced in 1970

• 5% sample

• Self-identification by respondent

1970 - Spanish language• Introduced in 1970• 15% sample

• Based on question of mother tongue• Spanish language comprises:

– persons of Spanish mother tongue– all persons in families where head or wife reported Spanish as mother tongue

1970 - Spanish heritage• Introduced in 1970

• 15% sample

• Five southwestern states– Spanish language and/or Spanish surname

• New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania– Puerto Rican birth or parentage

• Elsewhere– Spanish language

1970 - Summary• Spanish surname

– 15% sample

• Spanish language– 15% sample

• Spanish heritage– 15% sample– (language and/or surname for Colorado)

• Spanish origin (or descent)– 5% sample– self-identification

1970 – Analysis• Spanish origin question was best

– Most consistent– Distinguished among Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, etc.– Applied to respondents who were neither foreign born nor of foreign parentage

1970 - Analysis• Problems

– Large rate of non-respondents, many of whom were non-Hispanics– Many non-Hispanic residents in the central or southern U.S. identified as Hispanics

1976• Congress passes P.L. 93-311, requiring the use of self-identified Hispanic question on federal censuses and surveys.

• Includes:– Dept. of Labor– Dept. of Commerce (includes Census)– Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare– Dept. of Agriculture– Office of Management and Budget

1980 - Spanish/Hispanic origin

1990 – Spanish/Hispanic origin

1980 & 1990 - Spanish/Hispanic origin• Problems

– Ethnicity question followed race question• Many thought race question addressed their “ethnicity”

– In 1980, unclear who “Other Spanish/Hispanic” respondents were.

2000 – Hispanic/Latino origin

Colorado’s “Hispanic” Population1910-2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

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1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000