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Majority of Americans Identify Themselves as Third Generation Americans

Majority of Americans Identify Themselves as Third Generation Americans

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

PRINCETON, NJ -- According to a June 11-17 Gallup poll, the majority of Americans, 56%, are at least the third generation of their family to be born in the United States, saying that they, their parents, and their grandparents were all born in this country. By contrast, only 7% of all Americans are immigrants to the United States, while just 12% say one or both of their parents were immigrants. Another quarter of the public says that at least one grandparent came from another country.

 

 


Immigrant

1st
generation

2nd
generation

3rd+
generation


Unsure

           

2001 Jun 11-17

         

National Adults

7%

12

24

56

1

           

Non-Hispanic Whites

4%

10

27

58

1

Blacks

13%

7

4

75

1

Hispanics

47%

27

11

13

2




There is wide variation in this measure according to racial and ethnic background. Almost half of all Hispanics living in the United States today, 47%, indicate they were born in another country, compared to 13% of black Americans and just 3% of whites. Additionally, just 27% of Hispanic say their parents were born in the United States, compared to 82% of blacks and 87% of whites. Thus, the majority of Hispanic Americans (71%) are either the first generation or are immigrants themselves, compared to 20% of blacks and 14% of non-Hispanic whites.

Black Americans are more likely than either whites or Hispanics to be the third generation Americans. Seventy-five percent of black Americans indicate they are at least the third generation born in the United States, compared to 58% of whites and 13% of Hispanics.

Survey Methods

Results for the sample of 1,004 national adults, aged 18+, are based on telephone interviews conducted June 11-17, 2001. For results based on the total sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points.

Results for the sample of 481 national adult men, aged 18+, are based on telephone interviews conducted June 11-17, 2001. For results based on the total sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the margin of sampling error is ±5 percentage points.

Results for the sample of 523 national adult women, aged 18+, are based on telephone interviews conducted June 11-17, 2001. For results based on the total sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the margin of sampling error is ±5 percentage points.

Results for the sample of 821 non-Hispanic white national adults, aged 18+, are based on telephone interviews conducted June 11-17, 2001. For results based on the total sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the margin of sampling error is ±4 percentage points.

Results for the sample of 264 black national adults (including 9 black respondents who identify their national origin as Hispanic), aged 18+, conducted June 11-18, 2001. For results based on the total sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the margin of sampling error is ±7 percentage points.

Results for the sample of 247 Hispanic national adults (including 19 Hispanic respondents who identify their race as black), aged 18+, conducted June 11-17, 2001. For results based on the total sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the margin of sampling error is ±7 percentage points.

Were you born in the United States or in another country?

 

 


Born in U.S.

Born in
another country

Unsure/
refused

       
 

%

%

%

2001 Jun 11-17

     

National Adults

93

7

*

Men

92

8

*

Women

93

7

0

       

Non-Hispanic Whites

97

3

0

Blacks

87

13

0

Hispanics

53

47

0



Were either of your parents born in another country, or were both of your parents born in the United States?

 

 

Born in
another country


Born in U.S.

Unsure/
refused

       
 

%

%

%

2001 Jun 11-17

     

National Adults

18

82

0

Men

19

81

0

Women

17

83

0

       

Non-Hispanic Whites

13

87

0

Blacks

18

82

0

Hispanics

73

27

0



Were any of your grandparents born in another country, or were all of your grandparents born in the United States?

 

 

Born in
another country


Born in U.S.

Unsure/
refused

       
 

%

%

%

2001 Jun 11-17

     

National Adults

40

59

1

Men

43

56

1

Women

37

61

2

       

Non-Hispanic Whites

38

61

1

Blacks

21

78

1

Hispanics

83

14

3



SUMMARY TABLE

 

 


Immigrant

1st
generation

2nd
generation

3rd+
generation


Unsure

           
 

%

%

%

%

%

2001 Jun 11-17

         

National Adults

7

12

24

56

1

Men

8

12

26

53

1

Women

7

11

21

59

2

           

Non-Hispanic Whites

4

10

27

58

1

Blacks

13

7

4

75

1

Hispanics

47

27

11

13

2



*Less than 0.5%


Gallup https://news.gallup.com/poll/4621/majority-americans-identify-themselves-third-generation-americans.aspx
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