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Social & Demographic Trends

M E N U R E S E A R C H A R E A S

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What Census Calls Us: A Historical Timeline

M Y A C C O U N T !

# ! " !

1790

WHITE

BLACK

OTHER

AMER. INDIAN/ALASKA

ASIAN

HAWAII/PAC. ISLANDER

HISPANIC

1960 onward: People could choose their own race.

2000 onward: Americans could be recorded in more than one race category on the census form.

1790

1800 1810 1820 1830 1840 1850 1860 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

2010

White

Black, African American or Negro

Some other race

American Indian or Alaska Native

Free white males, Free white females

All other free persons

Slaves

E

How Census Race Categories Have Changed Over Time

xplore the different race, ethnicity and origin categories used in the U.S. decennial census, from the first one in

1790 to the latest count in 2010. The category names often changed in a reflection of current politics, science and public attitudes. For example, “colored” became “black,” with “Negro” and “African American” added later. The term “Negro” will be dropped for the 2020 census. Through 1950, census-takers commonly determined the race of the people they counted. From 1960 on, Americans could choose their own race. Starting in 2000, Americans could include themselves in more than one racial category. Before that, many multiracial people were counted in only one racial category.

Select a year to compare census designations by decade.

x

*The U.S. Census Bureau does not consider Hispanic/Latino identity to be a race. Ethnicity is asked as a separate question. See Chapter 7 of "Multiracial in America" report for more details.

Chinese

Japanese

Filipino

Korean

Asian Indian

Vietnamese

Other Asian

Native Hawaiian

Samoan

Guamanian or Chamorro

Other Pacific Islanders

Mexican, Mexican American, Chicano [+]

Puerto Rican

Cuban

Another Hispanic, Latino, Spanish origin

Source: U.S. Census Bureau