Data on Arab ancestry released today by the U.S. Bureau of the Census tell part of the story of a community that has captured much public attention since the tragic events of September 11.

It is estimated that the 2000 Census question on ancestry, which measures ethnicity beyond official race classifications, captured about one-third of the total population that traces its roots to the Arabic-speaking world. While the just-released census figures account for about 1.25 million Americans of Arab descent, private research by the Arab American Institute  and Zogby International  indicates a population that exceeds 3 million. Reasons for the undercount include the effect of the sample methodology on small, unevenly distributed ethnic groups, high levels of intermarriage among the third and fourth generations, and distrust/misunderstanding of government surveys among more recent immigrants.

"While the overall population counts are very low, we do learn important facts from the 2000 Census" stressed Helen Samhan, director of the Arab American Institute’s Census Information Center, which disseminates and analyzes Census data on Arab ancestry. "We establish concentrations, growth patterns and trends, shifts among and between nationality groups, etc. Four of the top ten states where Arab Americans live (New York, New Jersey, Illinois and Texas) more than doubled since 1990 the population who identify with one or more Arab ancestries," noted Samhan. Local areas with the most significant increase since 1990 include Wayne County (MI), Orange County (CA), Cook County (IL) and Kings County (NY). The AAI Foundation will produce state and national demographic profiles in the coming months, including density maps that can be used by local service organizations.

Later this year, the Census will release the long-awaited characteristics on the Arab ancestry population, including education levels, occupation, citizenship rates, family size and many more indicators for further research. Samhan adds "With so many stereotypes about Arabs and suspicions since 9/11, the Census helps us tell the true story of how rooted and accomplished we are as a community. We can see the fruits of generations of Arab immigrants who have made America their home and continue to make positive contributions to the welfare of the country."

Updated projections of the Arab American population by state and county, based on census data and other estimates, will be prepared in the coming months and will be summarized on the AAI website’s demographics page.