<p>Ethical Ethnic quandary: US census rules say that one is Hispanic if one's last name is Hispanic. But lots of kids, including my D/S, have Hispanic names but don't speak Spanish, have never lived in a Hispanic culture, become dreadfully sick one one time that they went to a Hispanic country.</p>
<p>In this competitive world, should one check off "Hispanic", for the demographic boost? Technically it is correct.</p>
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US census rules say that one is Hispanic if one's last name is Hispanic.
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<p>No, the US Census definition does not use last name as a criteria, such a criteria would exclude all partially Hispanic people with a maternal lineage. Here is the definition:</p>
<p>Persons</a> of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2000</p>
<p>"Hispanics or Latinos are those people who classified themselves in one of the specific Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino categories listed on the Census 2000 questionnaire -"Mexican, Mexican Am., Chicano," "Puerto Rican", or "Cuban" -as well as those who indicate that they are "other Spanish/Hispanic/Latino." Persons who indicated that they are "other Spanish/Hispanic/Latino" include those whose origins are from Spain, the Spanish-speaking countries of Central or South America, the Dominican Republic or people identifying themselves generally as Spanish, Spanish-American, Hispanic, Hispano, Latino, and so on.</p>
<p>Origin can be viewed as the heritage, nationality group, lineage, or country of birth of the person or the person's parents or ancestors before their arrival in the United States.</p>
<p>People who identify their origin as Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino may be of any race. Thus, the percent Hispanic should not be added to percentages for racial categories. Tallies that show race categories for Hispanics and nonHispanics separately are available."</p>
<p>The wording on the CA is "If you wish to be identified with a particular ethnic group..."</p>
<p>You are right that there are really two questions, 1) do your kids technically fit the definition of Hispanic? and 2) do they identify with their Hispanic culture?</p>
<p>I personally don't have too much trouble with using the strictly technical definition since the latter is much more difficult to determine and may be affected by many external factors. Also, I think that the degree of the "boost" that they will get depends on how strongly they identify with their Hispanic culture as shown in their college application. That can include things like where they go to HS, ECs, essay topics, future plans, etc.</p>
<p>Toadstool: I understand your point but society can still treat them differently. My husband's Spanish is terrible. For him and his cousins, they can be spoken to in Spanish but answer in English. The family made a big deal out of trying to assimilate, but in every other way American culture has treated them as Mexican-Am. Some of the comments in his high school year book are horrifying.</p>
<p>Now, our daughters "pass" a little more easily. People guess, half asian, Italian, native american, greek? But since homemade tortillas, rice and beans, and tamales are big comfort foods for them, and they understand everything that is going on when the aunties are speaking spanglish, we count the girls as hispanic. But we travel often to Spanish speaking countries which has helped them to feel that way too and we have made a point of them learning Spanish in school.</p>