Where do we come from?

• Position: Trends And Transitions - Brief Article

America has been labeled the world's melting pot--but where do we come from? The U.S. Census Bureau has some fascinating facts in its "Ancestry 2000" report.

500

The total number of ancestries reported by U.S. citizens in the "other" category, such as Venezuelan, Samoan or Latvian. Fewer than 100,000 people reported having "other" ancestories.

7

The largest number of ancestries reported by more than 15 million people each. The biggest groups are German, Irish, African American, English, American, Mexican and Italian.

23

The number of states in which German is the largest ancestry. These include every state in the Midwest, the majority of Western states and one state in the South.

7

The number of contiguous states from Louisiana to Maryland and the District of Columbia with African American as the leading ancestry.

4

The number of states from California to Texas where the leading ancestry was Mexican. The census form dropped the Hispanic classification and allowed people to...