U.S. Population By Age
When people think about the U.S. population, they are probably thinking about a particular race or nationality. However, you may be surprised to learn that there are many more U.S. population groups than many may expect. In fact, there are eight groups of people in the United States that make up the entire country. The following is a brief summary of these groups.
White: White people comprise the largest group in the U.S. White people are often called Caucasian. They are often distinguished from other races by their hair and eye color. There are millions of people in the U.S. who fall into this category.
Black: Black people are sometimes called black and people of African descent are often called black people. They are also sometimes known as African Americans. The number of black people in the U.S. varies greatly, but as a whole they represent nearly 13% of the total population.
Hispanic/Latino/o/x: Hispanics/Latinos/Oriental Americans make up the second largest group in the U.S. Hispanics/Latinos/Oriental Americans are people from Latin American countries. They have different cultures but share a language.
Native: People of Native American origin are called Native Americans. They are people of the New World. As with many other groups in the U.S., Native Americans can trace their ancestry back several centuries.
Mixed-race: Mixed-race people have an origin that is not entirely European or entirely Native American. These people have been reported from Asian countries, Africa, and Middle Eastern countries. This category includes East Asians, South Asians, African Americans, Europeans, and West Asians. Some are reported to have been mixed between African American and European and Native American. This category makes up more than three percent of the total U.S. population.
Asian: The term “Asian” is generally used to refer to the people who originated in Asia. The U.S. Census Bureau has classed Asian Americans as a race. Asian Americans are usually born in Asia, have lived in the U.S. for many years, and have children who are American citizens. The United States is home to people who were born in Asia, and those who have lived here for many years. Approximately three percent of the total U.S. population is of Asian origin.
Hispanic/Latino/o/x: This category includes people who were born in South and Central America. The names of those in this category are Spanish, Portuguese, Brazilian, Haitian, Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Puerto Rican. Many people in this category speak languages that are not Spanish or Portuguese.
Black: The people who come from Africa are referred to as black. Africans in the U.S. include both slaves and freedmen. Though there are many people in the U.S. who have ancestry in Africa, the number of African Americans has declined since slavery.
Foreign-Born: People born outside the U.S. are referred to as immigrants.
Not White: There are a number of non-white people in the U.S. Though some non-whites refer to themselves as white, others do not identify themselves as white. In this category are Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native Americans. Some in this category do not even consider themselves part of the U.S. population at all.
These demographic groups give you a good idea of the diversity of the U.S. population. You can even learn about yourself and find out if you are considered a white or black person.
