Race in Lexington County

The question on race for Census 2000 was changed from the question on race for the 1990 Census. Respondents in 2000 were given the choice of selecting one or more race categories to indicate their racial identities. Therefore, data on race from the 2000 Census is not directly comparable with data from 1990 or earlier. The Census Bureau urges that caution be used when interpreting changes in the racial composition of the United States population over time.

People who responded to the question on race by indicating only one race are referred to as the race alone population.

White Population

For the 2000 Census, the term "White" refers to people having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa. It includes people who reported "White" or wrote in entries such as Irish, German, Italian, Lebanese, Near Easterner, Arab or Polish.

Black or African-American Population

For the 2000 Census, the term "Black or African-American" refers to people having origins in any of the Black race groups of Africa. It includes people who reported "Black, African American, or Negro" or wrote in entries such as African American, Afro American, Nigerian, or Haitian.

Asian Population

The term "Asian" refers to people having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent (for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand and Vietnam). Asian groups are not limited to nationalities, but include ethnic terms as well.

American Indian and Alaska Native Population

The term "American Indian and Alaska Native" refers to people having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) and who maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment. It includes people who reported "American Indian and Alaska Native" or wrote in their principal or enrolled tribe.

The American Indian and Alaska Native Alone population in Lexington County made up 0.3 percent of the total county population, and 5.3 percent of the American Indian and Alaska Native Alone population for the entire state.

People who identified themselves as American Indian and Alaska Native were also asked to report their enrolled or principal tribe. Respondents were able to report more than one tribe. In Lexington County, 510 people specified one or more tribes, and 180 did not specify a tribe. The three most reported tribes were: Cherokee (243 people); Lumbee (40 people ); and Iroquois (Iroquois people ). In the entire state, 8,982 people specified one or more tribes, with the most common being Cherokee (3,244 people), Lumbee (971 people) and Latin American Indians (393 people).

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Population

The term "Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander" refers to people having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands. Pacific Islanders include diverse populations that differ in language and culture. They are of Polynesian, Micronesian and Melanesian cultural backgrounds.

Some Other Race Population

"Some other race" was included in Census 2000 for respondents who were unable to identify with the five Office of Management and Budget race categories. Respondents who provided write-in entries such as Moroccan, South African, Belizean, or a Hispanic origin (for example Mexican, Puerto Rican, or Cuban) are included in the Some other race category.

Two or More Races Population

The term "Two or more races" refers to people who chose more than one of the six race categories. The 1990 census did not give respondents the option of selecting more than one race category to indicate their racial identities.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 1990 and 2000.