Reporting of Race Among Hispanics: Analysis of ACS Data

Abstract

The Census Bureau collects information concerning race and Hispanic origin using two separate questions. Hispanics may report any race or combination of races. The majority select a specific race, however a substantial minority report a nationality, a group or a general category as their “race.” Many researchers choose to ignore the reported race among Hispanics, treating Hispanic origin as a category equivalent to race, the justification often being that “race is not a meaningful concepts among Hispanics.” This paper examines the reporting of race among Hispanics. It looks at how reported race relates to specific Hispanic origin, nativity and other predictors. It analyzes whether including race adds additional power to explain social outcomes among Hispanics. It also looks at two small but significant groups. One groups is Hispanics who report both a specific race and an additional response. The other group is Black Hispanics. The analysis is based on the 2008–2012 “Five Year” American Community Survey files. By examining race within national group, it allows a better understanding of the separate contribution of race to social analysis. It shows that race is a meaningful variable, but interpretation may be complex.

This report is released to inform interested parties of ongoing research and to encourage discussion of work in progress. Any views expressed on the statistical and methodological issues in this report are those of the author and not necessarily those of the US Census Bureau.

Appendix

Group name	Census code	GP numb	Detailed group
Spain	200	1	SPANIARD
Spain	201	1	ANDALUSIAN
Spain	202	1	ASTURIAN
Spain	203	1	CASTILLIAN
Spain	204	1	CATALONIAN
Spain	205	1	BALEARIC ISLANDER
Spain	206	1	GALLEGO
Spain	207	1	VALENCIAN
Spain	208	1	Canarian
Spain	209	1	Spanish Basque
Mexico	210	2	Mexican (check box)
Mexico	211	2	Mexican
Mexico	212	2	Mexican American
Mexico	213	2	Mexicano
Mexico	214	2	Chicano
Mexico	215	2	La Raza
Mexico	216	2	Mexican American Indian
Mexico	218	2	Mexico
Mexico	219	2	MEXICAN INDIAN
PUERTO RICAN	260	3	Puerto Rican (check box)
PUERTO RICAN	261	3	PUERTO RICAN
CUBAN	270	4	Cuban (check box)
CUBAN	271	4	CUBAN
COLOMBIAN	234	5	COLOMBIAN
DOMINICAN	275	6	DOMINICAN
ECUADORIAN	235	7	ECUADORIAN
GUATEMALAN	222	8	GUATEMALAN
HONDURAN	223	9	HONDURAN
PERUVIAN	237	10	PERUVIAN
SALVADORAN	226	11	SALVADORAN
AR-CH-UR	231	13	ARGENTINEAN
AR-CH-UR	233	13	CHILEAN
AR-CH-UR	238	13	URUGUAYAN
Other S.America	232	14	BOLIVIAN
Other S.America	236	14	PARAGUAYAN
Other S.America	239	14	VENEZUELAN
Other C America	221	15	COSTA RICAN
Other C America	224	15	NICARAGUAN
Other C America	225	15	PANAMANIAN
Other C America	229	15	CANAL ZONE
Generic Spanish	282	16	Spanish
Generic Terms	281	18	Hispanic
Generic Terms	227	19	CENTRAL AMERICAN
Generic Terms	242	19	South American
Generic Terms	250	19	LATIN AMERICAN
Generic Terms	251	19	LATIN
Generic Terms	252	19	LATINO
Other Groups	228	19	Central American Indian
Other Groups	240	19	South American Indian
Other Groups	241	19	Crollo
Other Groups	283	19	Californio
Other Groups	284	19	Tejano
Other Groups	285	19	Nuevo Mexicano
Other Groups	286	19	Spanish American
Other Groups	287	19	Spanish American Indian
Other Groups	288	19	Meso American Indian
Other Groups	289	19	Mestizo
Other Groups	290	19	Caribbean
Other Groups	291	19	Multiple Hispanic origin
Other Groups	299	19	Other Spanish/Hispanic, n.e.c.
Other Spanish	280	19	Other Spanish/Hispanic (check box)