1. Census Humor A person of Spanish ancestry, a person of Spanish origin,
and a person of Spanish surname
walk into a bar…

3. “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

4. “Hispanics” in the U.S. Mexican Americans Descendants of:
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

5. 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)

6. 42%

7. Nativity Parentage 1880-1970 1850-current Keep track of immigrants
Keep track of children of immigrants

8. 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

9. 1850 - 1920 Nativity Parentage Mother tongue Immigrants
Children of immigrants
Mother tongue
Foreign white stock only

10. 1930 - Mexican (race) First indicator
Estimates for 1910 and 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.”

11. 1930 – Mexican (race) Problems
“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”

12. 1930 – Mexican (race) Problems – cont’d Birth/parentage ≈ Race?
Judgment of enumerator
Mexican ≠ white
Protests & litigation

13. 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

14. Spanish surname
Last names of white persons compared to list of ~6,000 Spanish surnames
Arizona
California
Colorado
New Mexico
Texas
20% sample

15. 1950 - Spanish surname Problems
Europeans (e.g. Italians, Portuguese, Irish, etc.)
But, given migration and settlement history, most found outside the Southwest
Intermarriage

16. 1960 – Spanish surname 25 % sample ~7,000 Spanish surnames on list
Five southwestern states
25 % sample
~7,000 Spanish surnames on list

17. First attempt to identify entire Hispanic population
1970!!
First attempt to identify entire Hispanic population
Three questionnaires
80%, 15%, 5%

18. 1970 – Spanish surname 15 % sample ~8,000 Spanish surnames on list
Five southwestern states
15 % sample
~8,000 Spanish surnames on list

19. 1970 – Spanish origin Introduced in 1970 5% sample
Self-identification by respondent

20. 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

21. 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

22. 1970 - Summary Spanish surname Spanish language Spanish heritage
15% sample
Spanish language
Spanish heritage
(language and/or surname for Colorado)
Spanish origin (or descent)
5% sample
self-identification

23. 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

24. 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

25. 1976
Congress passes P.L , 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

26. 1980 - Spanish/Hispanic origin

27. 1990 – Spanish/Hispanic origin

28. 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.

29. 2000 – Hispanic/Latino origin

30. Colorado’s “Hispanic” Population 1910-2000
Source: U.S. Census Bureau