Asking Hispanics About Racial Identities Beyond Census Classifications

A racial one in the sections above, we looked at what it would mean to consider a Hispanic background. This reflects what numerous Hispanics themselves compose in regarding the decennial census kind along with other surveys once they enter “Hispanic” or “Latino” or a Hispanic origin (such as for instance Mexican) when expected to produce their competition. Additionally results in about one-in-six Hispanics being recognized as blended competition, and even though numerous will never follow that term to spell it out by themselves.

But other current Pew Research Center work shows that also this wider method of battle does not capture the total level and wide spectral range of views that Hispanics have of one’s own identity that is racial. This is certainly in part because grouping together diverse communities and nationalities in to a group that is single a number of the distinctions among them. 54

When you look at the 2014 nationwide Survey of Latinos (NSL), we approached Latinos’ views of competition with an eye fixed toward the precise ways that nationwide and origin that is regional this view. Particularly, in that fall 2014 survey of 1,520 Latino grownups, 55 we asked about racial back ground in three straight ways by asking participants when they think about on their own Afro-Latino or Afro-Caribbean or, as an example, Afro-Mexican. Likewise, we asked Latinos if their history includes origins among the list of native individuals associated with Americas, such as for example indigenous American, Mayan, Quechua or Taino. Finally, we also explored mixed-race identification among Latinos making use of mixed-race terms such as for instance mestizo or mulatto, terms which are found in nations like Mexico to fully capture a blended native and European heritage. We asked participants these questions regarding their background that is own and of the parents and grand-parents. 56

How a 2014 National Survey of Latinos asked about other identities that are racial

  • Would you consider you to ultimately be mixed battle, that is, owned by one or more racial team, such as for instance mestizo, mulatto or various other blended competition, or perhaps not?
  • Would you consider you to ultimately be Afro-Latino, Afro-Caribbean, or Afro-‘COUNTRY OF ORIGIN,’ or perhaps not? INTEVIEWER READ AS REQUIRED: “An Afro-Latino or Afro-Hispanic is Latino or Hispanic with black colored ancestry that is african
  • Would you consider you to ultimately be native or indigenous US, such as for example (Maya, Nahua, Taino, Quiche, Aymara, Quechua ) or various other native or Native US beginning, or perhaps perhaps not?

Examples supplied diverse based on the respondent’s country or area of origin

Note: For lots more information on these concerns while the phrasing that is exact see 2014 National Survey of Latinos topline in Appendix D.

When expected straight about their mixed-race history, about one-in-three (34%) Latino grownups say they think about by themselves to be blended race—defined as owned by several racial team, such as for example mestizo, mulatto or other race that is mixed. This really is significantly more than 5 times the share of Latinos (6%) whom suggest several events or volunteer which they are “mixed race” when they are just expected to explain their battle and told that they’ll select as numerous races as apply. 57 looked over another method, on the list of 34% of Latinos whom self-identify as blended race, mestizo or mulatto, just 13% additionally indicate a racial history with a couple of races or volunteer which they had been “mixed battle” in the standard competition question. About 50 % (46%) of the combined group shows their competition or certainly one of their events is white, and 24% volunteer that their competition or certainly one of their races is Hispanic or Latino. Completely 42% choose white as his or her only battle, and 20% choose Hispanic as their only battle.

The NSL additionally discovers that one-in-four (25%) Latino grownups say they start thinking about on their own native or indigenous american, such as for example Maya, Nahua, Taino, Quiche, Aymara or Quechua, amongst others. 58 But here, too, this share is more than the 2% of Latinos whom volunteer their competition (or certainly one of their events) as native or American that is native in NSL’s standard race concern. And looked over a various means, among Latinos whom say they consider by themselves native or Native United states when asked straight, simply 5% volunteer their race or certainly one of their events as Native American in the standard race question, while 41% indicate white as his or her competition or one of their races and 30% volunteer their race as Hispanic or Latino alone or in combination. Once again, a share that is relatively high of group (36%) chooses white alone in explaining their competition, and about 25 % (27%) chooses Hispanic alone.

These results shed light onto the multidimensionality of racial identity among Latinos plus the challenges in catching Hispanic racial identification through a race question that is standard.

Determining mixed-race adults that are hispanic the 2014 nationwide Survey of Latinos

In line with the standard Pew Research race concern, Hispanics defined as mixed-race contains Latinos whom volunteered which they had been “mixed race,” “mestizo,” “mulatto” or several other mixed battle or gave any two responses (including “Some other race” without specifying which race which was or volunteering “Hispanic or Latino” or a Hispanic origin as his or her race) towards the standard NSL race concern.

Which regarding the after defines your battle? It is possible to choose as much as apply… White, Black or African United states, Asian or Asian US or other battle.

1 White ( e.g., Caucasian, European, Irish, Italian, Arab, Middle Eastern)
2 Ebony or African-American ( e.g., Negro, Kenyan, Nigerian, Haitian)
3 Asian or Asian-American ( ag e.g., Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese or other Asian origin groups)
4 several other competition (SPECIFY __________ IF REQUIRED: just What competition or races is the fact that?)
5 (USUALLY DO NOT STUDY) Mixed competition
6 (DON’T BROWSE) Hispanic/Latino (SPECIFY eHarmony __________)
7 (USUALLY DO NOT READ) Native American/American Indian/Alaska Native
8 (USUALLY DO NOT BROWSE) Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian
D (DON’T BROWSE) Don’t know
R (CANNOT STUDY) Refused ( ag e.g., non-race responses like United states, Human, purple)

Interviewers accepted as much as four reactions. They coded them into the particular categories after Pew Research guidelines and recorded verbatim reactions for “Some other competition” and “Hispanic or Latino” mentions. The study provider (SSRS) and Pew Research Center verified and reviewed these classifications and corrected some reactions to your battle concern as required.