Racial and Ethnic Categories

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Table of contents

Six Basic Census 2000 Racial Categories

  • American Indian | Alaska Native
  • Asian
  • Black | African-American
  • Native Hawaiian | Other Pacific Islander
  • White
  • Other Race


Which ethnic or nationality groups are "Hispanic"?

When asking clients whether they consider themselves Hispanic, the following apply:

  • Latino = Hispanic (http://snipurl.com/p3gv)
    • In general, if the client identifies as Latino, by definition the person is considered Hispanic.
  • Specific ethnic or national groups = Hispanic (http://snipurl.com/p3h1)
    • The Census Bureau identifies over 30 ethnic and national subgroups that, in general, are considered Hispanic. The most common are:
      • Mexican
      • Puerto Rican
      • Cuban
    • In alphabetical order, the next most common Hispanic subgroups are:
      • Argentinian
      • Bolivian
      • Chilean
      • Colombian
      • Costa Rican
      • Dominican
      • Ecuadorian
      • Guatemalan
      • Honduran
      • Nicaraguan
      • Panamanian
      • Paraguayan
      • Peruvian
      • Salvadoran
      • Spaniard
      • Uruguayan
      • Venezuelan


Which tribal groups are "American Indian" or "Alaskan Native"?

An American Indian or Alaskan Native client may self-identify by referring to his or her particular tribal group identity, e.g., Eskimo, Navajo, etc., as well as one or more other racial groups, e.g. African-American. You should record as many of the basic racial categories with which the client self-identifies.

The Census Bureau identifies the following 39 tribal groups as American Indian or Alaskan Native (listed in alphabetical order):

  • Alaskan Athabascan
  • Aleut
  • Apache
  • Blackfeet
  • Cherokee
  • Cheyenne
  • Chickasaw
  • Chippewa
  • Choctaw
  • Colville
  • Comanche
  • Cree
  • Creek
  • Crow
  • Delaware
  • Eskimo
  • Houma
  • Iroquois
  • Kiowa
  • Latin American Indian
  • Lumbee
  • Menominee
  • Navajo
  • Osage
  • Ottawa
  • Paiute
  • Pima
  • Potawatomi
  • Pueblo
  • Puget Sound Salish
  • Seminole
  • Shoshone
  • Sioux
  • Tlingit-Haida
  • Tohono O'Odham
  • Ute
  • Yakama
  • Yaqui
  • Yuman


Which ethnic or nationality groups are "Asian"?

An Asian client may self-identify by referring to his or her particular ethnic or national group identity, e.g., Japanese, Korean, etc., as well as one or more other racial groups, e.g. African-American. You should record as many of the basic racial categories with which the client self-identifies.

The Census Bureau identifies the following 17 ethnic and national groups as Asian (listed in alphabetical order):

  • Asian Indian
  • Bangladeshi
  • Cambodian
  • Chinese
  • Chinese
  • Taiwanese
  • Filipino
  • Hmong
  • Indonesian
  • Japanese
  • Korean
  • Laotian
  • Malaysian
  • Pakistani
  • Sri Lankan
  • Thai
  • Vietnamese


Which ethnic or nationality groups are "Black" or "African-American"?

A Black or African-American client may self-identify by referring to his or her particular ethnic or national group identity, such as Haitian, Nigerian, etc., as well as one or more other racial groups, e.g. Asian. You should record as many of the basic racial categories with which the client self-identifies.

The Census Bureau defines "Black" as referring to a "person having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa. It includes people who indicate their race as Black, African-American, Negro, Kenyan, Nigerian, or Haitian."


Which ethnic or nationality groups are "Native Hawaiian" or "Pacific Islander"?

A Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander client may self-identify by referring to his or her particular ethnic or national group identity, e.g., Somoan, Tangon, etc., as well as one or more other racial groups, e.g. African-American. You should record as many of the basic racial categories with which the client self-identifies.

The Census Bureau identifies the following nine ethnic and national groups as Pacific Islanders (listed in alphabetical order):

  • Chamorro
  • Fijian
  • Guamanian
  • Melanesian
  • Micronesian
  • Native Hawaiian
  • Polynesian
  • Samoan
  • Tongan


Which ethnic or nationality groups are "White"?

A White client may self-identify by referring to his or her particular ethnic or national group identity, e.g., Irish, Italian, etc., as well as one or more other racial groups, e.g. African-American. You should record as many of the basic racial categories with which the client self-identifies.

The Census Bureau defines "White" as referring to "persons having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa. It includes people who indicate their race as 'White' or report entries such as Irish, German, Italian, Lebanese, Near Easterner, Arab, or Polish."


Related Resources:


Original entry by Brian Lawlor
Legal Services of Northern California (http://www.lsnc.net/)