The Census Bureau for the first time provided space on the census form for people to write in their families’ origins, which guided how the statistical agency categorized them by race.

For the first time, the Census Bureau allowed respondents to write in their families' origins on the census form, a shift that ... classified as two or more races rose dramatically from 2.9 ...

The U.S. government changed how it categorizes people by race and ethnicity in early 2024 to more accurately count residents who identify as Hispanic and of Middle Eastern and North African heritage.