Consistency of Hispanic Origin Identification in Census 2000, 2010 Census and the American Community Surveys

• In Event: 566 - Section on Latino/a Sociology Roundtable Session (one-hour).
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 07. Identities

Abstract

The 2010 Hispanic population in the U.S. was estimated at 50.5 million, and its growth accounted for more than half of the decade’s population increase. Along with fertility and migration, some of the growth in the Hispanic population may have resulted from changes in the reporting of Hispanic origin. The question in Census 2000, “Is this person Spanish/Hispanic/Latino?” may be understood as asking about subjective perception of ethnic membership. In contrast, the question in 2010 Census, “Is this person of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin?” may be construed as asking about ancestry, and may result in the inclusion of individuals of Hispanic descent who do not always self identify as “Hispanic.” In addition, individuals may be inconsistent about reporting as Hispanic, depending on the situation or because their identity has changed. Using a unique large dataset linking individuals across their census responses in 2000 and 2010, as well as their responses in the American Community Surveys, this study compares individuals who (a) consistently identified as Hispanic, (b) changed between Hispanic to non-Hispanic when answering questions worded differently, and (c) changed between Hispanic and non-Hispanic when answering the same question. One of our main objectives is to study whether socioeconomic disparities within the Hispanic population are associated with consistency in reporting as Hispanic. Movement into and out of a Hispanic identity may have implications on social inequalities as research suggests those who move out tend to have higher socioeconomic status.

Authors

• Leticia Fernandez, U.S. Census Bureau

• Sonya Rastogi, U.S. Census Bureau

• Renuka Bhaskar, U.S. Census Bureau