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122-630: White Americans (sometimes also called Caucasian Americans ) are Americans who identify as white people . In a more official sense, the United States Census Bureau , which collects demographic data on Americans , defines "white" as "[a] person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa". This group constitutes the majority of the people in the United States. According to
244-834: A writ of certiorari . A number of other courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, have held through the years that the Census and the questions in the Census are authorized by both the Constitution and Congressional statute. In 2002, the General Accounting Office confirmed that the U.S. Census Bureau has authority to conduct the survey and "require responses from the public". All individual American Community Survey responses are kept private and are used (along with other ACS responses) to create estimates of demographic characteristics for various geographies. Because of data swapping techniques to ensure confidentiality, it
366-465: A "very important" role in their lives, a proportion unusual among developed countries . However, similar to the other nations of the Americas. Many faiths have flourished in the United States, including both later imports spanning the country's multicultural immigrant heritage, as well as those founded within the country; these have led the United States to become the most religiously diverse country in
488-713: A $ 250,000 fine. Under 13 U.S.C. § 9 , census responses are "immune from legal process" and may not "be admitted as evidence or used for any purpose in any action, suit, or other judicial or administrative proceeding". The Census Bureau aggregates individual ACS responses, also known as microdata , into estimates at many geographic summary levels . Among these summary levels are legal and administrative entities such as states , counties , cities , and congressional districts , as well as statistical entities such as metropolitan statistical areas , tracts , block groups , and census designated places . Estimates for census blocks are not available from ACS. Puerto Rico
610-473: A MENA or Latin American ethnicity as their race in the "Some other race" section, without noting a country of origin or Native American tribal affiliation, were automatically tallied as White. The 1990 US census Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) listed " Caucasian " or " Aryan " among other terms as subgroups of "white" in their ancestry code listing, but 2005 and proceeding years of PUMS codes do not. In
732-659: A college degree. Both figures are above the national average of 27%. Gender income inequality was the greatest among Whites, with White men outearning White women by 48%. Census Bureau data for 2005 reveals that the median income of White females was lower than that of males of all races. In 2005, the median income for White American females was only slightly higher than that of African American females. White Americans are more likely to live in suburbs and small cities than their black counterparts. The following table lists all self-reported European and Middle Eastern ancestries with over 50,000 members, according to 2022 estimates from
854-579: A continuous presence in what is now the continental United States in 1565. Martín de Argüelles , born in 1566 in San Agustín, La Florida then a part of New Spain , was the first person of European descent born in what is now the continental United States. Virginia Dare , born in 1587 in Roanoke Island in present-day North Carolina , was the first child born in the original Thirteen Colonies to English parents. The Spaniards also established
976-414: A continuous presence in what over three centuries later would become a possession of the United States with the founding of the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico , in 1521. In the 2020 United States census, English Americans 46.5 million (19.8%), German Americans 45m (19.1%), Irish Americans 38.6m (16.4%), and Italian Americans 16.8m (7.1%) were the four largest self-reported European ancestry groups in
1098-409: A debate surrounding Finnish whiteness and whether Finns should be classified as a Mongoloid peoples. David Roediger argues that the construction of the white race in the United States was an effort to mentally distance slave owners from slaves. The process of officially being defined as white by law often came about in court disputes over pursuit of citizenship . (share) The fifty states ,
1220-553: A larger area. It has also provided unparalleled information to be more accessible for local government planning and financing. Many conclusions for local data are averaged from various information across the area, but it is not always an adequate representation. ACS estimates are available via a number of online data tools. U.S. Census website (AFF) is the primary tool for disseminating ACS data, allowing users to drill down to specific tables and geographies (starting with 2013 estimates, AFF also includes block group data). A selection of
1342-455: A median household income of $ 48,977, which is 10% above the national median of $ 44,389. Among Cuban Americans , with 86% classified as White, those born in the US have a higher median income and educational attainment level than most other Whites. The poverty rates for White Americans are the second-lowest of any racial group, with 11% of white individuals living below the poverty line, 3% lower than
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#17327718944921464-407: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East or North Africa. It includes people who indicated their race(s) as "White" or reported entries such as German, Italian, Lebanese, Arab, Moroccan, or Caucasian. In US census documents, the designation White overlaps, as do all other official racial categories, with the term Hispanic or Latino , which was introduced in
1586-681: A reaction to the prevailing European consensus that America's domestic originality was degenerate . Prevalent ideas and ideals that evolved domestically, such as national holidays , uniquely American sports , military tradition, and innovations in the arts and entertainment give a strong sense of national pride among the population as a whole. American culture includes both conservative and liberal elements, scientific and religious competitiveness, political structures, risk taking and free expression, materialist and moral elements. Despite certain consistent ideological principles (e.g. individualism , egalitarianism , faith in freedom and democracy ),
1708-545: A region that was settled historically by the British. Overall, as the largest group, European Americans have the lowest poverty rate and the second highest educational attainment levels, median household income , and median personal income of any racial demographic in the nation, second only to Asian Americans in the latter three categories. According to the American Jewish Archives and
1830-516: A social definition of race recognized in this country. They do not conform to any biological, anthropological or genetic criteria." The Census question on race lists the categories White or European American , Black or African American , American Indian and Alaska Native , Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander , Asian , plus "Some other race", with the respondent having the ability to mark more than one racial or ethnic category. The Census Bureau defines White people as follows: "White" refers to
1952-552: A total of 1,834,212 self-identifying individuals. Barack Obama , 44th President of the United States who is biracial- his mother is white (of English and Irish descent) and his father is of Kenyan birth- only self-identifies as being African American. According to the 2020 United States census, 8.4% or 27,915,715 Americans chose to self-identify with the "some other race" category, the third most popular option. Also, 42.2% or 26,225,882 Hispanic/Latino Americans chose to identify as some other race as these Hispanic/Latinos may feel
2074-442: Is also an option in the census and other surveys. The United States Census Bureau also classifies Americans as "Hispanic or Latino" and "Not Hispanic or Latino", which identifies Hispanic and Latino Americans as a racially diverse ethnicity that comprises the largest minority group in the nation. People of European descent, or White Americans (also referred to as European Americans and Caucasian Americans), constitute
2196-483: Is impossible to figure out how individual people responded based on data from published ACS estimates. Opponents of the American Community Survey disagree with the court's findings about its constitutionality, contending that the survey asks for more information and at a higher frequency than the simple enumeration authorized and required by Article 1, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution . Despite
2318-513: Is indigenous to the Americas , originally migrated to the two continents between 10,000 and 45,000 years ago. These Paleoamericans spread throughout the two continents and evolved into hundreds of distinct cultures during the pre-Columbian era . Following the first voyage of Christopher Columbus , the European colonization of the Americas began, with St. Augustine , Florida becoming
2440-453: Is now United States territory since the founding of San Juan, Puerto Rico (the oldest continuously inhabited settlement on American soil) in 1521 by Juan Ponce de León , and the founding of St. Augustine, Florida (the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in the continental United States) in 1565 by Pedro Menéndez de Avilés . In the State of Texas , Spaniards first settled the region in
2562-554: Is now the United States since before the Revolutionary War , relatively large waves of Chinese, Filipino, and Japanese immigration did not begin until the mid-to-late 19th century. Immigration and significant population growth continue to this day. Due to a number of factors, Asian Americans have been stereotyped as " perpetual foreigners ". As defined by the United States Census Bureau and
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#17327718944922684-598: Is the Asian American population, comprising 19,618,719 people in 2020, or 5.9% of the United States population. California is home to 5.6 million Asian Americans, the greatest number in any state. In Hawaii, Asian Americans make up the highest proportion of the population (57 percent). Asian Americans live across the country, yet are heavily urbanized, with significant populations in the Greater Los Angeles Area , New York metropolitan area , and
2806-682: Is the largest household survey that the Census Bureau administers. The American Community Survey gathers information annually in the 50 U.S. states , the federal national capital city of Washington, D.C. ( District of Columbia ), and (via the Puerto Rico Community Survey ( PRCS ), which is part of the ACS) for the associated Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea . It does not gather information in
2928-611: Is the only US territory that is part of the ACS program. In order to balance geographic resolution, temporal frequency, statistical significance, and respondent privacy, ACS estimates released each year are aggregated from responses received in the previous calendar year or the previous five calendar years. The Census Bureau provides guidance for data users about which data set to use when analyzing different population and geography sizes. From 2007 to 2013, three-year estimates were available for areas with 20,000 people or more. This data product
3050-454: The 1980 census 49,598,035 Americans cited that they were of English ancestry, making them 26% of the country and the largest group at the time, and in fact larger than the population of England itself. Slightly more than half of these people would cite that they were of " American" ancestry on subsequent censuses and virtually everywhere that "American" ancestry predominates on the 2000 census corresponds to places where "English" predominated on
3172-426: The 2020 census , 71%, or 235,411,507 people, were White alone or in combination, and 61.6%, or 204,277,273 people, were White alone. This represented a national white demographic decline from a 72.4% white alone share of the US population in 2010. As of the latest American Community Survey in 2022, US Census Bureau estimates that 60.9% of the US population were White alone, while Non-Hispanic Whites were 57.7% of
3294-807: The American Community Survey : (Mostly old-stock white Americans of British descent) (Not including French Canadian ) (No country specified) (Including Lebanese (583,719), Egyptian (334,574), Syrian (203,282), Palestinian (171,969), Iraqi (164,851), Moroccan (140,196), and all other Arab ancestries) (Including responses of "Spaniard," "Spanish," and "Spanish American." Many Hispanos of New Mexico identify as Spanish/Spaniard) (Not further specified) (Not further specified) (Not further specified) (No country specified) (Not further specified) (Not further specified) (No country specified) Americans Americans are
3416-702: The Arab American Institute (AAI), Arab Americans have family origins in each of the 22 member states of the Arab League . Following consultations with MENA organizations, the Census Bureau announced in 2014 that it would establish a new MENA ethnic category for populations from the Middle East , North Africa , and the Arab world , separate from the "white" classification that these populations had previously sought in 1909. The groups felt that
3538-639: The Arab American National Museum , the first Middle Easterners and North Africans (viz. Jews and Berbers ) to arrive in the Americas landed in the late 15th to mid-16th centuries. Many fled ethnic or ethnoreligious persecution during the Spanish Inquisition ; a few were taken to the Americas as slaves. In 2014, the United States Census Bureau began finalizing the ethnic classification of people of Middle Eastern and North African ("MENA") origins. According to
3660-525: The Biden administration reinstated the proposed changes, announcing that the race categories used by the federal government would be updated, and that Middle Eastern and North African Americans will no longer be classified as white in the upcoming 2030 Census, and Hispanic and Latino will also be treated similar to a racial, rather than ethnic, category. The Census Bureau defines the planned definition of White people as follows: "Individuals with origins in any of
3782-629: The Creoles and Cajuns of Louisiana and the Hispanos of the Southwest and brought close contact with the culture of Mexico . Large-scale immigration in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from Eastern and Southern Europe introduced a variety of elements. Immigration from Africa , Asia , and Latin America has also had impact. A cultural melting pot , or pluralistic salad bowl , describes
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3904-483: The District of Columbia and the five inhabited U.S. territories have a non-white majority. The state with the highest percentage of non-Hispanic White Americans is Maine , while the state with the lowest percentage is Hawaii . Europe is the largest continent that Americans trace their ancestry to, and many claim descent from various European ethnic groups . The Spaniards were the first Europeans to establish
4026-550: The District of Columbia , and Puerto Rico as of the 2020 United States Census White Americans constitute the majority of the 332 million people living in the United States, with 71% of the population in the 2020 United States Census , including 61.6% who identified as 'white alone.' This represented a national white demographic decline from a 72.4% share of the US's self-identified white alone population in 2010. The largest ethnic groups (by ancestry) among White Americans were English or British, followed by Germans and Irish. In
4148-628: The Government Accountability Office 's conclusion that the U.S. Census Bureau has the authority to conduct the survey under 13 U.S.C. § 141 and 13 U.S.C. § 193 , several US representatives have challenged the ACS as unauthorized by the Census Act and a violation of the Right to Financial Privacy Act . U.S. Representative (congressman) Ron Paul of Texas , who opposes ACS, said that
4270-518: The Kingdom of Kongo ). The first West African slaves were brought to Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. The English settlers treated these captives as indentured servants and released them after a number of years. This practice was gradually replaced by the system of race-based slavery used in the Caribbean . All the American colonies had slavery, but it was usually the form of personal servants in
4392-618: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB), an "American Indian or Alaska Native" is a person whose ancestry have origins in any of the original peoples of North, Central, or South America. 2.3 million individuals who are American Indian or Alaskan Native are multiracial; additionally the plurality of American Indians reside in the Western United States (40.7%). Collectively and historically this race has been known by several names ; as of 1995, 50% of those who fall within
4514-582: The Office of Management and Budget , the grouping includes individuals who self-identify as African American, as well as persons who emigrated from nations in the Caribbean and sub-Saharan Africa. The grouping is thus based on geography, and may contradict or misrepresent an individual's self-identification since not all immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa are "Black". Among these racial outliers are persons from Cape Verde , Madagascar , various Arab states, and Hamito-Semitic populations in East Africa and
4636-574: The Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS), freely accessible through the Census Bureau website and Integrated Public Use Microdata Series . PUMS data contain responses to every question from a sample of respondents. To protect respondent privacy, PUMS data are anonymized and only available down to areas containing 100,000 people or more known as Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs). The analysis of all ACS microdata without
4758-525: The Sahel , and the Afrikaners of Southern Africa . African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans or Afro-Americans, and formerly as American Negroes ) are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa. According to the 2020 United States census, there were 39,940,338 Black and African Americans in the United States, representing 12.1% of
4880-586: The San Francisco Bay Area . The United States census defines Asian Americans as those with origins to the countries of East Asia , South Asia , and Southeast Asia . Although Americans with roots in West Asia were once classified as "Asian", they are now excluded from the term in modern census classifications. The largest sub-groups are immigrants or descendants of immigrants from Cambodia, mainland China, India, Japan, Korea, Laos, Pakistan,
5002-483: The South , especially areas part of the “ black belt ”, the District of Columbia , all US territories , and in many urban areas throughout the country. However, when including multiracial Americans , those who identify as part or fully White make up the majority of the population in every state except for Hawaii, along with Puerto Rico. Overall the highest concentration of those referred to as "non-Hispanic whites" by
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5124-581: The United Kingdom . Unlike migration from other countries, United States migration is not concentrated in specific countries, possibly as a result of the roots of immigration from so many different countries to the United States. As of 2016 , there were approximately 9 million United States citizens living outside of the United States. As the result of U.S. tax and financial reporting requirements that apply to non-resident citizens, record numbers of American citizens renounced their U.S. citizenship in
5246-518: The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom , the framers of the Constitution rejected any religious test for office. The First Amendment specifically denied the federal government any power to enact any law respecting either an establishment of religion or prohibiting its free exercise, thus protecting any religious organization, institution, or denomination from government interference. European Rationalist and Protestant ideals mainly influenced
5368-570: The Western Hemisphere and beyond, including the District of Columbia, the seat of government of the United States. English is the unofficial national language . Although there is no official language at the federal level, some laws—such as U.S. naturalization requirements —standardize English. In 2007, about 226 million, or 80% of the population aged five years and older, spoke only English at home. Spanish , spoken by 12% of
5490-490: The citizens and nationals of the United States of America . The United States is home to people of many racial and ethnic origins ; consequently, American law does not equate nationality with race or ethnicity but with citizenship. The majority of Americans or their ancestors immigrated to the United States or are descended from people who were brought as slaves within the past five centuries, with
5612-551: The flag of the United States – for example, typically a top hat with red and white stripes and white stars on a blue band, and red and white striped trousers. Columbia is a poetic name for the Americas and the feminine personification of the United States of America, made famous by African American poet Phillis Wheatley during the American Revolutionary War in 1776. It has inspired the names of many persons, places, objects, institutions, and companies in
5734-459: The founding fathers of the United States "never authorized the federal government to continuously survey the American people". Those who decline to complete the survey may receive visits to their homes from Census Bureau personnel. Because it is a mandatory survey, it is governed by federal laws that could impose a fine of as much as $ 5,000 on those who flagrantly refuse to participate. To date, no person has been prosecuted for refusing to answer
5856-767: The northern states (north of the Mason–Dixon line ) had abolished slavery. However, slavery would persist in the southern states until the end of the American Civil War and the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment . Following the end of the Reconstruction era , which saw the first African American representation in Congress , African Americans became disenfranchised and subject to Jim Crow laws , legislation that would persist until
5978-597: The slavery era within the boundaries of the present United States. As an adjective, the term is usually spelled African-American . Montinaro et al. (2014) observed that around 50% of the overall ancestry of African Americans traces back to the Niger-Congo -speaking Yoruba of southwestern Nigeria and southern Benin (before the European colonization of Africa this people created the Oyo Empire ), reflecting
6100-415: The 1980 census as a category of ethnicity , separate and independent of race . Hispanic and Latino Americans as a whole make up a racially diverse group and are the largest minority in the country. Beginning in 1930, Mexican was added as a distinct race on the US census with the explanation that "practically all Mexican laborers are of a racial mixture difficult to classify". The Mexican racial category
6222-562: The 1980 census. White Americans alone (including White Hispanics) are the majority racial group in most of the United States. As of 2022, they are not the majority in Hawaii , California , Texas , New Mexico , Nevada, and Maryland , making up just under half of the population in the last four states. If White Hispanics are excluded, they are also a minority in Georgia. They are also a minority in many American Indian reservations , parts of
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#17327718944926344-413: The 2020 census (along with Middle Eastern and North African), but this was canceled by President Donald J. Trump. The characterization of Middle Eastern and North African Americans as white has been a matter of controversy. In the early 20th century, there were a number of cases where people of Arab descent were denied entry into the United States or deported, because they were characterized as nonwhite. In
6466-555: The ACS. Kenneth Prewitt , the former director of the U.S. Census Bureau, said in March 2000 that the United States Department of Commerce is "not an enforcement agency" and that the parallel United States Department of Justice in the presidential cabinet would be responsible for prosecuting violations, adding that "we don't recommend that". The Census Bureau prefers to gain cooperation by convincing respondents of
6588-454: The ACS. Each address has about a 1-in-480 chance of being selected in a given month, and no address should be selected more than once every five years. Data is collected by internet, mail, telephone interviews, and in-person interviews. The questionnaire is available in English and Spanish, with assistance provided in additional languages. Approximately one-third of those who do not respond to
6710-538: The American culture has a variety of expressions due to its geographical scale and demographic diversity. Americans have migrated to many places around the world, including Argentina , Australia , Brazil , Canada , Chile , China , Costa Rica , France , Germany , Hong Kong , India , Japan , Mexico , New Zealand , Pakistan , the Philippines , South Korea , the United Arab Emirates , and
6832-525: The Census Bureau announced their intention to make Hispanic/Latino and Middle Eastern/North African racial categories similar to "white" or "black", with respondents able to choose one, two, or more racial categories; this change was canceled during the Trump administration. Other persons who are classified as "white" by the US census but may or may not identify as or be perceived as white include Arab Americans and Jewish Americans of European or MENA descent. In
6954-463: The Census Bureau are found in the Midwest , New England , the northern Rocky Mountain states, Kentucky , West Virginia , and East Tennessee . The lowest concentration of whites was found in southern and mid-Atlantic states. (2022 est.) Although all large geographical areas are dominated by White Americans, much larger differences can be seen between specific parts of large cities. States with
7076-432: The Census Bureau could release "period" estimates to produce estimates for smaller areas. After a decade of testing, it launched as the American Community Survey in 2005, replacing the once-a-decade census long form. The American Community Survey initially sampled approximately 3.5 million housing unit addresses and group quarters in the United States. The Census Bureau selects a random sample of addresses to be included in
7198-471: The English language, legal system and other cultural inheritances, had a formative influence. Other important influences came from other parts of Europe, especially Germany , France , and Italy . Original elements also play a strong role, such as Jeffersonian democracy . Thomas Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia was perhaps the first influential domestic cultural critique by an American and
7320-508: The Massachusetts Bay Colony was established by English Puritans , Pennsylvania by Irish and English Quakers , Maryland by English and Irish Catholics , and Virginia by English Anglicans . Although some individual states retained established religious confessions well into the 19th century, the United States was the first nation to have no official state-endorsed religion. Modeling the provisions concerning religion within
7442-711: The North (where 2% of the people were slaves), and field hands in plantations in the South (where 25% were slaves); by the beginning of the American Revolutionary War 1/5th of the total population was enslaved. During the revolution, some would serve in the Continental Army or Continental Navy , while others would serve the British Empire in the Ethiopian Regiment , and other units. By 1804,
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#17327718944927564-598: The OMB definition prefer the term "American Indian", 37% prefer "Native American" and the remainder have no preference or prefer a different term altogether. Among Americans today, levels of Native American ancestry (distinct from Native American identity ) differ. Based on a sample of users of the 23andMe commercial genetic test, genomes of self-reported African Americans averaged to 0.8% Native American ancestry, those of European Americans averaged to 0.18%, and those of Latinos averaged to 18.0%. Native Americans, whose ancestry
7686-482: The Office of Management and Budget, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders are "persons having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii , Guam , Samoa , or other Pacific Islands ". Previously called Asian Pacific American , along with Asian Americans beginning in 1976, this was changed in 1997. As of the 2020 United States census, there are 622,018 who reside in the United States, and make up 0.2% of
7808-640: The Pacific also have large Pacific Islander populations such as Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands (Chammoro), and American Samoa (Samoan). The largest concentration of Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders, is Honolulu County in Hawaii, and Los Angeles County in the continental United States . The United States has a growing multiracial identity movement. Multiracial Americans numbered 7.0 million in 2008, or 2.3% of
7930-521: The Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Asians overall have higher income levels than all other racial groups in the United States, including whites, and the trend appears to be increasing in relation to those groups. Additionally, Asians have a higher education attainment level than all other racial groups in the United States. For better or for worse, the group has been called a model minority . While Asian Americans have been in what
8052-555: The United States census does not describe their European and American Indian ancestry as they understand it to be. A significant portion of the Hispanic and Latino population self-identifies as Mestizo , particularly the Mexican and Central American community. Mestizo is not a racial category in the United States census, but signifies someone who has both European and American Indian ancestry. Hispanic or Latino Americans constitute
8174-536: The United States constituting 62.4% of the population. However, the English Americans and British Americans demography is considered a serious under-count as they tend to self-report and identify as simply " Americans " (since the introduction of a new "American" category in the 1990 census) due to the length of time they have inhabited America. This is highly over-represented in the Upland South ,
8296-521: The United States has a high adherence level compared to other developed countries and a diversity in beliefs. The First Amendment to the country's Constitution prevents the Federal government from making any "law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof". The U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted this as preventing the government from having any authority in religion. A majority of Americans report that religion plays
8418-592: The United States, particularly if their family arrived prior to the American Revolution . A 2015 genetic study published in the American Journal of Human Genetics analyzed the genetic ancestry of 148,789 European Americans . The study concluded that English ancestry is the most common European ancestry among white Americans, with this component ranging between 20% (Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota) and 55% (Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas) of
8540-450: The United States, the term White people generally denotes a person of European ancestry, but has been legally extended to people of West Asian and North African (Middle Eastern, West Asian, and North African) ancestry. However, in 2024, the Office of Management and Budget announced that the race categories used by the federal government would be updated, and that Middle Eastern and North African Americans will no longer be classified as white in
8662-419: The United States. Despite its multi-ethnic composition, the culture of the United States held in common by most Americans can also be referred to as mainstream American culture , a Western culture largely derived from the traditions of Northern and Western European colonists, settlers, and immigrants. It also includes significant influences of African-American culture . Westward expansion integrated
8784-465: The administrators and statisticians / mathematicians of the United States Census Bureau ( Bureau of the Census ), first established in 1902 within the United States Department of Commerce , to begin asking a sample of the American population a sub-set of additional detailed questions without unduly increasing cost or respondent burden. In the decades that followed, new questions were added to those that had previously been asked of all respondents, and all
8906-711: The adult population identifies as having no religious belief or no religious affiliation. According to the American Religious Identification Survey , religious belief varies considerably across the country: 59% of Americans living in Western states (the " Unchurched Belt ") report a belief in God , yet in the South (the " Bible Belt ") the figure is as high as 86%. Several of the original Thirteen Colonies were established by settlers who wished to practice their religion without discrimination:
9028-583: The centrality of this West African region in the Atlantic slave trade . Zakharaia et al. (2009) found a similar proportion of Yoruba associated ancestry in their African American samples, with a minority also drawn from Mandinka populations (founders of the Mali Empire ), and Bantu populations (who had a varying level of social organization during the colonial era, while some Bantu peoples were still tribal, other Bantu peoples had founded kingdoms such as
9150-540: The contemporary United States, essentially anyone of European descent is typically considered white. People of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) descent may also be considered white. However, many of the ethnic groups classified as white by the US census, such as Arab Americans , Berber Americans , Jewish Americans of European or MENA descent, and Hispanics and Latinos of European or MENA descent may not always identify as, and may not always be perceived to be, white. Social perceptions of whiteness have evolved over
9272-541: The count. At the Congress's request, the U.S. Census Bureau in the United States Department of Commerce , developed and tested a new design to obtain long-form data. noted U.S. statistician / mathematician Leslie Kish (1910-2000), had introduced the concept of a rolling sample (or continuous measurement) design in 1981. This design featured ongoing, monthly data collection aggregated on a yearly basis, enabling annual data releases. By combining multiple years of this data,
9394-689: The course of American history. For example, Benjamin Franklin commented that the Saxons of Germany and the English "make the principal Body of White People on the Face of the Earth". Historically, many individuals of European descent were not readily integrated into mainstream American society and found themselves caught on the "dark" side of the white/black binary, including Irish, Italians, Greeks and Slavs. In Minnesota, increasing numbers of Finnish immigrants led to
9516-478: The creation of a mid-decade census, holding hearings and even authorizing a special mid-decade census in the American Bicentennial year of 1976, but not funding it. Efforts to obtain data on a more frequent basis began again after the 1990 U.S. Decennial Census , when it became clear that the more burdensome long form was depressing overall census response rates and jeopardizing the accuracy of
9638-435: The decade from 2010 to 2020. In 2024 a new organization was created to lobby the U.S. Congress for relief from citizenship-based taxation that is often cited as the reason for the record renunciations. American Community Survey The American Community Survey ( ACS ) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau . It regularly gathers information previously contained only in
9760-765: The decision. Still, it was also a consequence of the pragmatic concerns of minority religious groups and small states that did not want to be under the power or influence of a national religion that did not represent them. The American culture is primarily a Western culture , but is influenced by Native American, West African, Latin American, East Asian, and Polynesian cultures. The United States of America has its own unique social and cultural characteristics, such as dialect , music , arts , social habits , cuisine , and folklore . Its chief early European influences came from English , Scottish , Welsh , and Irish settlers of colonial America during British rule. British culture , due to colonial ties with Britain that spread
9882-704: The distribution of $ 416 billion, 29 percent of all federal assistance. The American Community Survey is authorized by 13 U.S.C. § 141 and 13 U.S.C. § 193. Federal courts have held that the long form is constitutional. In 2000, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas ruled that the 2000 U.S. Decennial Census and its questions did not violate the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution or any other constitutional provisions that were alleged in
10004-457: The earlier "white" designation no longer accurately represents MENA identity, so they successfully lobbied for a distinct categorization. This new category would also include Israeli Americans . The Census Bureau does not currently ask about whether one is Sikh , because it views them as followers of a religion rather than members of an ethnic group, and it does not combine questions concerning religion with race or ethnicity. As of December 2015,
10126-494: The early 21st century, MENA Americans began lobbying for the creation of their own racial group and were successful; in 2015, the US Census Bureau announced that it had responded to their requests and would add a "Middle Eastern and North African" racial category to the 2020 census. The Trump administration nullified this change after coming to power in 2016. However, in 2024, the Office of Management and Budget under
10248-588: The exception of the Native American population and people from Alaska , Hawaii , Puerto Rico , Guam , Texas , and formerly the Philippines , who became American through expansion of the country in the 19th century; additionally, American Samoa , the United States Virgin Islands , and Northern Mariana Islands came under American sovereignty in the 20th century, although American Samoans are only nationals and not citizens of
10370-641: The federal government. In addition to the United States, Americans and people of American descent can be found internationally. As many as seven million Americans are estimated to be living abroad, and make up the American diaspora . The United States is a diverse country, racially , and ethnically . Six races are officially recognized by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes: Alaska Native and American Indian, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, White, and people of two or more races. "Some other race"
10492-581: The federal lawsuit initiated by the plaintiffs. The federal district court said responses to census questions are not a violation of an American citizen's right to privacy or free speech. The U.S. District Court's decision in Texas was later affirmed by the higher United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on appeal, and the Supreme Court of the United States denied the petition for
10614-444: The first United States Decennial Census three years later in 1790 , congressional legislators understood that it should also collect basic demographic information beyond just the number of people in the household. James Madison (1751-1836), an American Founding Father and the fourth President of the United States (served 1809-1817), first proposed including additional questions in the U.S. Decennial Census to "enable them to adapt
10736-468: The first permanent European settlement in the continental United States . From the 16th through the 19th centuries, the population of Native Americans declined in the following ways: epidemic diseases brought from Europe; genocide and warfare at the hands of European explorers, settlers and colonists, as well as between tribes; displacement from their lands; internal warfare, enslavement ; and intermarriage . Another significant population
10858-435: The highest percentages of White Americans, either White Alone or in combination with another race as of 2020: States with the highest percentages of non-Latino/Hispanic whites, as of 2020: [REDACTED] White Americans have the second highest median household income and personal income levels in the nation, by cultural background. The median income per household member was also the highest, since White Americans had
10980-512: The importance of participation while acknowledging that the mandate improves response rates (and thus accuracy) and lowers the annual cost of survey administration by more than $ 90 million. In 2014, the Census Project , a collaboration of pro-Census business and industry associations, gathered signatures from 96 national and local organizations urging the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to reject
11102-455: The large majority of these identifying with various European groups. Definitions of who is "White" have changed throughout the history of the United States. The term "white American" can encompass many different ethnic groups. Although the United States census purports to reflect a social definition of race, the social dimensions of race are more complex than Census criteria. The 2000 US census states that racial categories "generally reflect
11224-408: The largest ethnic minority in the United States . They form the second largest group in the United States, comprising 62,080,044 people or 18.7% of the population according to the 2020 United States census. Hispanic and Latino Americans are not considered a race in the United States census, instead forming an ethnic category. People of Spanish or Hispanic and Latino descent have lived in what
11346-454: The late 1600s and formed a unique cultural group known as Tejanos . Uncle Sam is a national personification of the United States and sometimes more specifically of the American government , with the first usage of the term dating from the War of 1812 . He is depicted as a stern elderly white man with white hair and a goatee beard, and dressed in clothing that recalls the design elements of
11468-495: The long form of the decennial census , including ancestry, US citizenship status, educational attainment, income, language proficiency, migration, disability , employment, and housing characteristics. These data are used by many public-sector , private-sector , and not-for-profit stakeholders to allocate funding, track shifting demographics, plan for emergencies, and learn about local communities. Sent to approximately 295,000 addresses monthly, or 3.5 million addresses annually, it
11590-457: The majority of the 331 million people living in the United States, with 191,697,647 people or 57.8% of the population in the 2020 United States census . They are considered people who trace their ancestry to the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Non-Hispanic Whites are the majority in 45 states. There are five minority-majority states : California , Texas , New Mexico , Nevada , and Hawaii . In addition,
11712-567: The most popular tables is shown in QuickFacts . Other tools include OnTheMap for Emergency Management , Census Business Builder and My Congressional District . My Tribal Area featuring 5-year estimates for federally recognized tribes, launched in 2017. The Summary File is the most detailed data source and is available as a series of downloadable text files or through an application programming interface (API) for software developers. Custom cross-tabulations of ACS questions can be made using
11834-468: The nation's total population. 14% of the population have at least a bachelor's degree , and 15.1% live in poverty , below the poverty threshold . As compared to the 2000 United States census, this population grew by 40%; and 71% live in the West ; of those over half (52%) live in either Hawaii or California , with no other states having populations greater than 100,000. The United States territories in
11956-502: The national average. However, due to Whites' majority status, 48% of Americans living in poverty are white. White Americans' educational attainment is the second-highest in the country, after Asian Americans'. Overall, nearly one-third of White Americans had a Bachelor's degree , with the educational attainment for Whites being higher for those born outside the United States: 38% of foreign born, and 30% of native born Whites had
12078-572: The original peoples of Europe , the Middle East or North Africa ". Within official census definitions, people of all racial categories may be further divided into those who identify as " not Hispanic or Latino " and those who do identify as " Hispanic or Latino ". The term "non-Hispanic white", rather than just "white", may be the census group corresponding most closely to those persons who identify as and are perceived to be white in common usage; similarly not all Hispanic/Latino people identify as "white", "black", or any other listed racial category. In 2015,
12200-497: The original peoples of Europe, including, for example, English, German, Irish, Italian, Polish, and scottish." In cases where individuals do not self-identify, the US census parameters for race give each national origin a racial value. On some government documents, such as the 2007 SEER program's Coding and Staging Manual, people who reported Muslim (or a sect of Islam such as Shia or Sunni ), Jewish , Zoroastrian , Caucasian , or
12322-552: The other four major U.S. territories / commonwealths and associated states of American Samoa , Guam , Northern Mariana Islands in the western Pacific Ocean , and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Caribbean Sea . The Article I, Section II of the Constitution of the United States of 1787, adopted 1788, requires an enumeration of the population every ten years "in such Manner as they (Congress) shall by Law direct". From
12444-583: The passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act due to the civil rights movement . According to United States Census Bureau data, very few African immigrants self-identify as African American. On average, less than 5% of African residents self-reported as "African American" or "Afro-American" on the 2000 U.S. census. The overwhelming majority of African immigrants (~95%) identified instead with their own respective ethnicities. Self-designation as "African American" or "Afro-American"
12566-497: The population at home, is the second most common language and the most widely taught second language. Some Americans advocate making English the country's official language, as it is in at least twenty-eight states. Both English and Hawaiian are official languages in Hawaii by state law. While neither has an official language, New Mexico has laws providing for the use of both English and Spanish, as Louisiana does for English and French. Other states, such as California, mandate
12688-652: The population. Black and African Americans make up the third largest group in the United States, after White and European Americans, and Hispanic and Latino Americans. The majority of the population (55%) lives in the South ; compared to the 2000 United States census, there has also been a decrease of African Americans in the Northeast and Midwest . Most African Americans are the direct descendants of captives from Central and West Africa , from ancestral populations in countries like Nigeria , Benin , Sierra Leone , Guinea-Bissau , Senegal , and Angola , who survived
12810-448: The population. Overall, 72.5% of Americans identified as White alone or in combination. European Americans are by far the largest panethnic group of white Americans and have constituted the majority population of the United States since the nation's founding. The US Census Bureau uses a particular definition of "white" that differs from some colloquial uses of the term. The Bureau defines "White" people to be those "having origins in any of
12932-408: The population; by the 2020 census the multiracial increased to 13,548,983, or 4.1% of the total population. They can be any combination of races (White, Black or African American, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, "some other race") and ethnicities. The largest population of Multiracial Americans were those of White and African American descent, with
13054-471: The public measures to the particular circumstances of the community". Such knowledge collected with each census, President Madison argued, "would give them an opportunity of marking the progress of the society". The questions included in censuses since 1790 have reflected American understandings of and concerns about societal trends and the growing nation's expanded data needs. By 130 years later in 1940, advancements in statistical methods and knowledge enabled
13176-501: The publication of Spanish versions of certain government documents. The latter include court forms. Several insular territories grant official recognition to their native languages, along with English: Samoan and Chamorro are recognized by American Samoa and Guam , respectively; Carolinian and Chamorro are recognized by the Northern Mariana Islands; Spanish is an official language of Puerto Rico. Religion in
13298-502: The questions were moved to the sample questionnaire form. As the sample form grew longer than the census form itself, it became known as the Census "long form". Following the 1960 U.S. Decennial Census , federal, state, and local governmental officials, and some in the private sector began demanding more timely long-form-type data. Lawmakers representing rural districts claimed they were at a data disadvantage, unable to self-fund additional surveys of their populations. Congress explored
13420-985: The sampling and anonymization in PUMS is restricted to qualified researchers at secure Federal Statistical Research Data Centers (FSRDCs). The Census Bureau conducts research and evaluation projects, including survey methodology research, important for the improvement of the ACS. The ACS data is used by researchers to examine societal changes, study data quality, and conduct methodological research. American Community Survey data provides important information that cannot be found elsewhere. The federal government, as well as various businesses, researchers, and local governments use ACS data for planning and decision-making purposes. ACS data are used by public and business decision-makers to more clearly identify issues and opportunities and more effectively allocate scarce resources to address them. In Fiscal Year 2008, 184 federal domestic assistance programs used ACS-related datasets to help guide
13542-449: The sampling strata for the new MENA category includes the Census Bureau's working classification of 19 MENA groups, as well as Iranian , Turkish , Armenian , Afghan , Azerbaijani , and Georgian groups. In January 2018, it was announced that the Census Bureau would not include the grouping in the 2020 census. Black and African Americans are citizens and residents of the United States with origins in sub-Saharan Africa . According to
13664-409: The second-largest group and are 18.7% of the United States population. African Americans constitute the country's third-largest ancestry group and are 12.1% of the total U.S. population. Asian Americans are the country's fourth-largest group, composing 5.9% of the United States population. The country's 3.7 million Native Americans account for about 1%, and some 574 native tribes are recognized by
13786-541: The smallest households of any racial demographic in the nation. In 2006, the median individual income of a White American age 25 or older was $ 33,030, with those who were full-time employed, and of age 25 to 64, earning $ 34,432. Since 42% of all households had two income earners, the median household income was considerably higher than the median personal income, which was $ 48,554 in 2005. Jewish Americans rank first in household income, personal income, and educational attainment among White Americans. In 2005, White households had
13908-468: The survey by mail or telephone are randomly selected for in-person interviews. About 95 percent of households across all response modes ultimately participate in the survey. Like the decennial census, ACS responses are confidential . Every employee at the Census Bureau takes an oath of nondisclosure and is sworn for life to not disclose identifying information. Violations of the nondisclosure oath are punishable by prison sentences of up to five years and/or
14030-416: The total population (regardless of race) in all 50 states. These states strongly correlated with those where the largest number of people identified with "American" ancestry on the census. Many white Americans also have ancestry from multiple countries. According to the 2022 American Community Survey , 76,678,228 Americans identified with multiple European, Middle Eastern, or North African ancestry groups, with
14152-399: The total population. However, genetic studies have found that the vast majority of Hispanics in the US have varying amounts of European ancestry, with the largest component being Spanish or Iberian. The English Americans ' demography is also considered a serious under-count, as the stock tend to self-report and identify as simply " Americans " (7%), due to the length of time they have inhabited
14274-596: The upcoming 2030 Census. The most commonly reported ancestries of White Americans include English (12.5%), German (7.6%), Irish (5.3%), Italian (3.2%), and Polish (1.3%). It is difficult to track full or partial ancestry from Spain in White Hispanics , Mestizos , or Mulattoes since people of direct Spanish descent are also classified as Hispanic, and though the census does track Hispanics' national origin, it does not classify it by race. In 2021, 995,583 people of any race claimed ancestry from Spain, 0.3% of
14396-412: The way in which generations of Americans have celebrated and exchanged distinctive cultural characteristics. The United States currently has 37 ancestry groups with more than one million individuals. White Americans with ancestry from Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa form the largest racial and ethnic group at 57.8% of the United States population. Hispanic and Latino Americans form
14518-476: The world. The United States has the world's largest Christian population . The majority of Americans (76%) are Christians , mostly within Protestant and Catholic denominations; these adherents constitute 48% and 23% of the population, respectively. Other religions include Buddhism , Hinduism , Islam , and Judaism , which collectively make up about 4% to 5% of the adult population. Another 15% of
14640-428: Was discontinued in 2015 due to budget cuts. The last 3-year release was the 2011–2013 ACS 3-year estimates. Current data releases include: Over the past decade, the American Community Survey has collected and supplied all data at local levels. This was a large breakthrough in the survey because it allows American citizens more individualized data on a community level as opposed to extrapolating from data collected over
14762-399: Was highest among individuals from West Africa (4%–9%), and lowest among individuals from Cape Verde, East Africa and Southern Africa (0%–4%). African immigrants may also experience conflict with African Americans. According to the 2020 United States census, there are 2,251,699 people who are Native Americans or Alaska Natives alone; they make up 0.7% of the total population. According to
14884-589: Was removed in 1940, with new direction that "Mexicans are to be regarded as white unless definitely of Indian or other nonwhite race"; this was continued in 1950. 1970 saw the creation of the Spanish Origin category, which superseded previous classifications for Latin Americans and is now represented by the Hispanic or Latino ethnic category. Hispanic or Latino was again to be raised to racial status for
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