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From Census.gov > Topics > Population > Ancestry > About:
Ancestry refers to a person’s ethnic origin or descent, roots or heritage or the place of birth of the person or the person’s parents or ancestors before their arrival in the United States. Some ethnic identities, such as German or Jamaican, can be traced to geographic areas outside the United States, while other ethnicities, such as Pennsylvania Dutch or Cajun, evolved in the United States.
From the American Community Survey, Why We Ask Questions About... Ancestry:
We ask a question about a person’s ancestry or ethnic origin to create statistics about ancestry groups in America.
Local, state, tribal and federal agencies use data about ancestry to plan and evaluate government programs and policies to ensure that they fairly and equitably serve the needs of all groups. These statistics also help enforce laws, regulations and policies against discrimination in society.
Source: 2022 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year estimates
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