Description

ANCESTR2, like ANCESTR1, records the respondent's self-reported ancestry or ethnic origin. ANCESTR1 contains the respondent's first reported ancestry, while ANCESTR2 contains the respondent's second response; additional responses were ignored. Those who gave only one response are coded 9990 (N/A) for ANCESTR2. In 1980, people who reported one of 17 common triple ancestries were coded 9990 for ANCESTR2 (see the variable description for ANCESTR1 for a full discussion of the triple ancestries codes in 1980).

Comparability

Users should consult the variable description for ANCESTR1 for a full discussion of the measurement of ancestry, as represented in both ANCESTR1 and ANCESTR2, as well as for a full discussion of the comparability of these two variables across years and samples.

Universe

Availability

• 2023: All samples
• 2022: All samples
• 2021: All samples
• 2020: All samples
• 2019: All samples
• 2018: All samples
• 2017: All samples
• 2016: All samples
• 2015: All samples
• 2014: All samples
• 2013: All samples
• 2012: All samples
• 2011: All samples
• 2010: ACS; ACS 3yr; ACS 5yr
• 2009: All samples
• 2008: All samples
• 2007: All samples
• 2006: All samples
• 2005: All samples
• 2004: All samples
• 2003: All samples
• 2002: All samples
• 2001: All samples
• 2000: All samples
• 1990: All samples
• 1980: All samples
• 1970: --
• 1960: --
• 1950: --
• 1940: --
• 1930: --
• 1920: --
• 1910: --
• 1900: --
• 1880: --
• 1870: --
• 1860: --
• 1850: --

• 2023: All samples
• 2022: All samples
• 2021: All samples
• 2020: All samples
• 2019: All samples
• 2018: All samples
• 2017: All samples
• 2016: All samples
• 2015: All samples
• 2014: All samples
• 2013: All samples
• 2012: All samples
• 2011: All samples
• 2010: PRCS; PRCS 3yr; PRCS 5yr
• 2009: All samples
• 2008: All samples
• 2007: All samples
• 2006: All samples
• 2005: All samples
• 2000: All samples
• 1990: --
• 1980: --
• 1970: --
• 1930: --
• 1920: --
• 1910: --

Flags

Editing Procedure

ANCESTR1 and ANCESTR2 (Ancestry 1 and 2)
ACS Years: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
ACS editing procedure:
The Census edits the variables about a person's ancestry (ANCESTR1, ANCESTR2) for three main reasons. First, there are times when a person reports a combination of ancestries that is repetitious or overly broad. Second, some ancestries are two words that were separated into two ancestries; the editing procedures recombine these ancestries into one. Third, the Census edits clarify between American Indian, Central American Indian, South American Indian, and Asian Indian. Each specific editing that occurs is detailed below.
The Census creates a flag for when this editing and allocation occurs; however, it is not currently available from IPUMS ACS.
Reducing repetition and overly broad ancestries:
If a person reports two ancestries that are the same, the second ancestry (ANCESTR2) will be replaced with "Not reported." Starting in 2009, this check is performed again after all the changes below have been made.
If a person reports their first ancestry (ANCESTR1) as something other than "American," "white," "US," "States," or "miscellaneous" but does report their second ancestry (ANCESTR2) as one of those broad options, the second ancestry will be replaced with "Not reported."
If a person lists their first ancestry (ANCESTR1) as "white," "US," "States," or "miscellaneous" and their second ancestry (ANCESTR2) as "American," their first ancestry will be replaced with "American" and their second ancestry will be replaced with "Not reported."
If a person lists their first ancestry (ANCESTR1) as "American," "US," "States," or "miscellaneous" and their second ancestry (ANCESTR2) as "American," "US," "States," or "miscellaneous", their second ancestry will be replaced with "Not reported."
If a person lists their first ancestry (ANCESTR1) as "US," "States," or "miscellaneous" while their second ancestry (ANCESTR2) is not "US," "States," or "miscellaneous" or "Not reported," the first ancestry will be replaced with the second ancestry value and the second ancestry will be replaced with "Not reported." x
If a person lists their first ancestry (ANCESTR1) as "white" and their second ancestry (ANCESTR2) as "US," "States," or "miscellaneous", the second ancestry will be replaced with "Not reported."
If a person lists their first ancestry (ANCESTR1) as "Scandinavian" and their second ancestry (ANCESTR2) is a more specific type of Scandinavian (Danish, Finnish, Faeroe Islander, Karelian, Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish, or Aland Islander), the first ancestry will be replaced with the second ancestry, and the second ancestry will be replaced with "Not reported"
Ancestries that are multiple words
If a person lists "French" as their first ancestry (ANCESTR1) and "Canadian," "Acadian," or "Cajun" as their second ancestry (ANCESTR2), their first ancestry will be replaced with "French Canadian" and their second ancestry will be replaced with "Not reported."
If a person lists "Scotch" as their first ancestry (ANCESTR1) and "Irish" as their second ancestry (ANCESTR2), their first ancestry will be replaced with "Scotch Irish" and their second will be replaced with "Not reported." Up until 2008, this also applied if the first ancestry is "Irish" and the second "Scotch." Starting in 2008, if a person lists "Irish" as their first ancestry (ANCESTR1) and "Scotch" as their second ancestry (ANCESTR2), their first ancestry will be replaced with "Irish Scotch" and their second will be replaced with "Not reported."
If a person lists a combination of "Black" and "German" between their two ancestries (ANCESTR1, ANCESTR2), and their race (RACE) is not black and, if multi-racial, black is not one of their races, ANCESTR1 will be replaced with "Black German" and ANCESTR2 will be replaced with "Not reported."
If a person lists a combination of "Black" and "Irish" between their two ancestries (ANCESTR1, ANCESTR2), and their race (RACE) is not black and, if multi-racial, black is not one of their races, ANCESTR1 will be replaced with "Black Irish" and ANCESTR2 will be replaced with "Not reported."
If a person lists a combination of "Black" and "Dutch" between their two ancestries (ANCESTR1, ANCESTR2), and their race (RACE) is not black and, if multi-racial, black is not one of their races, ANCESTR1 will be replaced with "Black Dutch" and ANCESTR2 will be replaced with "Not reported." (Note: Prior to 2010, this step editing code included people who reported their race as black. This was corrected in 2010.)
If a person lists a combination of "Black" and "Russian" between their two ancestries (ANCESTR1, ANCESTR2), and their race (RACE) is not black and, if multi-racial, black is not one of their races, ANCESTR1 will be replaced with "Black Russian" and ANCESTR2 will be replaced with "Not reported."
If a person lists a combination of "Black" and "Thai" between their two ancestries (ANCESTR1, ANCESTR2), and their race (RACE) is not black and, if multi-racial, black is not one of their races, ANCESTR1 will be replaced with "Black Thai" and ANCESTR2 will be replaced with "Not reported."
If a person lists a combination of "Mexican" and "American" between their two ancestries (ANCESTR1, ANCESTR2), ANCESTR1 will be replaced with "Mexican American" and ANCESTR2 will be replaced with "Not reported."
If a person lists a combination of "Spanish" and "American" between their two ancestries (ANCESTR1, ANCESTR2), ANCESTR1 will be replaced with "Spanish American" and ANCESTR2 will be replaced with "Not reported."
If a person lists a combination of "African" and "American" between their two ancestries (ANCESTR1, ANCESTR2), ANCESTR1 will be replaced with "African American" and ANCESTR2 will be replaced with "Not reported."
If a person lists a combination of "Afro" and "American" between their two ancestries (ANCESTR1, ANCESTR2), ANCESTR1 will be replaced with "Afro American" and ANCESTR2 will be replaced with "Not reported."
If a person lists a combination of "Latin" and "American" between their two ancestries (ANCESTR1, ANCESTR2), ANCESTR1 will be replaced with "Latin American" and ANCESTR2 will be replaced with "Not reported."
Distinguishing between different meanings American Indian, Central American Indian, South American Indian, and Asian Indian ancestries
If a person reports their first ancestry (ANCESTR1) as "Indian" and they report their race (RACE) as "American Indian" or, if multi-racial, one of their races is "American Indian," their first ancestry (ANCESTR1) will be replaced with "American Indian."
If a person reports their second ancestry (ANCESTR2) as "Indian" and their race (RACE) is American Indian, or if multi-racial, one of their races is American Indian, then their second ancestry code (ANCESTR2) will be replaced with "American Indian."
If a person reports their first ancestry (ANCESTR1) as "Indian" or "American Indian" but their race (RACE) is not American Indian, Asian Indian or, if multi-racial, none of their races is American Indian or Asian Indian, and their birthplace (BPL) is Central America, then their first ancestry code (ANCESTR1) will be replaced with "Central American Indian."
If a person reports their second ancestry (ANCESTR2) as "Indian" or "American Indian" but their race (RACE) is not American Indian, Asian Indian, or, if multi-racial, none of their races is American Indian or Asian Indian, and their birthplace (BPL) is Central America, then their second ancestry code (ANCESTR2) will be replaced with "Central American Indian."
If a person reports their first ancestry (ANCESTR1) as "Indian" or "American Indian" but their race (RACE) is not American Indian or, if multi-racial, none of their races is American Indian, and their birthplace (BPL) is not the U.S., Central America, or South America (except for Guyana, Surinam, or French Guiana) then their first ancestry code (ANCESTR1) will be replaced with "Asian Indian."
If a person reports their second ancestry (ANCESTR2) as "Indian" or "American Indian" but their race (RACE) is not American Indian or, if multi-racial, none of their races is American Indian, and their birthplace (BPL) is not the U.S., Central America, or South America (except for Guyana, Surinam, or French Guiana) then their second ancestry code (ANCESTR2) will be replaced with "Asian Indian."
If a person reports their first ancestry (ANCESTR1) as "Indian" or "American Indian" but their race (RACE) is not American Indian, Asian Indian, or, if multi-racial, none of their races is American Indian or Asian Indian, and their birthplace (BPL) is South America (except for Guyana, Surinam, or French Guiana) then their first ancestry code (ANCESTR1) will be replaced with "South American Indian."
If a person reports their second ancestry (ANCESTR2) as "Indian" or "American Indian" but their race (RACE) is not American Indian, Asian Indian or, if multi-racial, none of their races is American Indian or Asian Indian, and their place of birth (BPL) is South American (except for Guyana, Surinam, or French Guiana) then their second ancestry code (ANCESTR2) will be replaced with "South American Indian."
Starting in 2008, if a person lists a combination of "Mexican" and "Indian" between their two ancestries (ANCESTR1, ANCESTR2), ANCESTR1 will be replaced with "Mexican Indian" and ANCESTR2 will be replaced with "Not reported."
Miscellaneous
If either the first or second ancestry (ANCESTR1, ANCESTR2) is missing, it will be replaced with "Not reported."
Internal ACS variable : ANC1, ANC2