Final answer:
Starting in the 1980 census, the U.S. Census included specific questions about Hispanic origin due to the growing population. The terms Hispanic and Latino are used to describe people from Spanish-speaking backgrounds, but are not officially recognized as racial categories by the U.S. government. By 2019, Hispanics accounted for approximately 18.5% of the U.S. population.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the 1970 census, Hispanic Americans began to be more prominently accounted for, but it wasn't until 1980 that the U.S. Census included a question specifically about Spanish/Hispanic origin, reflecting that group's growing numbers and prominence in the U.S. population. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the terms Hispanic and Latino gained currency, with the term Latino becoming more popular in some circles due to its broader reference to Latin American heritage and its avoidance of the imperialist implications of the term Hispanic. By the 2000 U.S. Census, Hispanics were recognized as the largest ethnic minority in the country, marking a significant shift in the nation's demographic understanding.
The term Latino, while used commonly in the United States to refer to people with Latin American heritage, is not officially recognized as a racial category by the US government. In census data, many Latinos would select 'other' when prompted to identify a racial category, leading to 'Hispanic Other' being a common entry on the census
By 2019, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that roughly 18.5 percent of the U.S. population self-identified as Hispanic. Interestingly, the U.S. Census Bureau collects racial data based on self-identification which includes both racial and national origin, acknowledging the complex sociocultural composition of the nation. As such, someone of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin could be of any race.