At 50 million and counting, the Hispanic population has become the largest ethnic group in the nation. The multiracial group hosts a collection of subgroups who claim a number of identities, and, increasingly, more and more of its individuals are identifying as white, according to a new study of census forms by the Pew Research Center.

A comparison of individual census forms during a 10-year period revealed that millions of Latino Americans marked ethnicity and race responses in 2010 that differed from the responses those same people gave during the previous census in 2000. This demonstrates a shift in racial classification for Americans of Hispanic origin, who view race as less of an "immutable characteristic" than those who identify solely as white, black, or Asian-American.

The two ethnicity and race questions inquire about the racial identity of "Hispanics;" the census clarifies that "Hispanic" does not constitute a race. The "white" and "black" selections are unsatisfactory options for a number Hispanics, as 37 percent of Hispanics selected "some other race" as their choice identity. The growing number of Hispanics and Latinos who identify as "some other race" often make that selection because they recognize Hispanic as a race, although "it is an ethnicity in the federal statistical system."

The Pew Research Center data, which was presented at an annual meeting of the Population Association of America, also indicated that 1.2 million of the 35 million people who identified as "Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin" on the 2000 census changed their race from "some other race" to "white" between the 2000 and 2010 census, according to the New York Times. The researchers indicated that 2.5 million Hispanic Americans, or approximately 7 percent of the 35 million Hispanics in the 2000 census, changed their race from "some other race" in 2000 to "white" in 2010; 1.3 million people made the opposite switch — though an unspecified number of those switches were children who were not old enough to self-identify in 2000 but chose their own racial identities in 2010.

The White-Hispanic classification ignites the question of Hispanic assimilation in the white American population, particularly as the nation's Hispanic population booms and amid mounting immigration concerns. According to research, Hispanics who have experienced discrimination are less likely to identify as white.

The data outlines potential divisions between white Hispanics and non-white Hispanics. But population predictions ignore the nebulous distinction; predictions of increases in the number of American Hispanics and the U.S. as a majority-minority country lump all Hispanics together as a single ethnicity, regardless of individual race choices on the census.

IBut identifying their race as "white" does not necessarily mean that Hispanics consider themselves white; in fact, if "Hispanic" was listed as an explicit option for race, it would likely be the selected choice. Nonetheless, identifying as white is an indicator of assimilation or acculturation, and is likelier in second and third-generation Hispanics than noncitizens and foreign-born Hispanics, and also among those who have higher levels of education and income. While the analysis is new, the examined data is not, and it exemplifies an old trend. Like the Irish and the Italians before them, Hispanics appear to be succeeding at a similar pace, according to certain evidence, though Latinos still continue to struggle on numerous fronts due to discrimination and other barriers.

The change in responses to identity can be attributed to a number of factors, including the question mode (whether individuals are asked in-person, on the phone or online). Also, some individuals change their responses after discovering that an ancestor had a different race. Or, they may believe they will gain more benefits from being a part of a certain group, such as race-related advantages when applying to college or for college scholarships.

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