WASHINGTON, Sept. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — In September 1968, Congress authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to proclaim National Hispanic Heritage Week, observed during the week that included Sept. 15 and Sept. 16. The observance was expanded in 1989 by Congress to a month long celebration (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15), America celebrates the culture and traditions of those who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central or South America and the Caribbean.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130913/DC79872-INFO-a)

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130913/DC79872-INFO-b)

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110428/DC91889LOGO)

Sept. 15 was chosen as the starting point for the celebration because it is the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on Sept. 16 and Sept. 18, respectively.

Population  53 million
The Hispanic population of the United States as of July 1, 2012, making people of Hispanic origin the nation’s largest ethnic or racial minority. Hispanics constituted 17 percent of the nation’s total population.
Source: 2012 Population Estimates
<http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk>

1.1 million

Number of Hispanics added to the nation’s population between July 1, 2011, and July 1, 2012. This number is close to half of the approximately 2.3 million people added to the nation’s population during this period.
Source: 2012 Population Estimates
National Characteristics: Population by Sex, Race, and Hispanic origin
<http://www.census.gov/popest/data/national/asrh/2012/index.html>, See first bullet under “Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin”

2.2% 

Percentage increase in the Hispanic population between 2011 and 2012.
Source: 2012 Population Estimates
National Characteristics: Population by Sex, Race, and Hispanic origin
<http://www.census.gov/popest/data/national/asrh/2012/index.html>, See first bullet under “Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin”

128.8 million

The projected Hispanic population of the United States in 2060. According to this projection, the Hispanic population will constitute 31 percent of the nation’s population by that date.
Source: Population Projections
<http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/population/cb08-123.html>

2nd

Ranking of the size of the U.S. Hispanic population worldwide, as of 2010. Only Mexico (112 million) had a larger Hispanic population than the United States (50.5 million).
Source: International Data Base
< http://www.census.gov/population/international/data/idb/informationGateway.php>

65%

The percentage of Hispanic-origin people in the United States who were of Mexican background in 2011. Another 9.4 percent were of Puerto Rican background, 3.8 percent Salvadoran, 3.6 percent Cuban, 3.0 percent Dominican and 2.3 percent Guatemalan. The remainder was of some other Central American, South American or other Hispanic/Latino origin.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 American Community Survey: Table B03001
<http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?fpt=table>

States and Counties

Florida 

The state with the highest median age, 34, within the Hispanic population.
Source: 2012 Population Estimates
State Characteristics: Median Age by Race and Hispanic Origin
<http://www.census.gov/popest/data/state/asrh/2012/index.html>

10 million 

The estimated population for those of Hispanic-origin in Texas as of July 1, 2012.
Source: 2012 Population Estimates
State Characteristics: Population by Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin
<http://www.census.gov/popest/data/state/asrh/2012/index.html>

8

The number of states with a population of 1 million or more Hispanic residents in 2012 — Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York and Texas.
Source: 2012 Population Estimates
State Characteristics: Population by Race and Hispanic Origin
<http://www.census.gov/popest/data/state/asrh/2012/index.html>

More than 50%

The percent of all the Hispanic population that lived in California, Florida, and Texas as of July 1, 2012.
Source: 2012 Population Estimates
State Characteristics: Population by Race and Hispanic Origin
<http://www.census.gov/popest/data/state/asrh/2012/index.html>

47% 

The percentage of New Mexico’s population that was Hispanic as of July 1, 2012, the highest of any state.
Source: 2012 Population Estimates
State Characteristics: Population by Race and Hispanic Origin
<http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/population/cb13-112.html>

14.5 million

The Hispanic population of California.  This is the largest Hispanic population of any state as well as the largest numeric increase within the Hispanic population since July 1, 2011 (232,000).
Source: 2012 Population Estimates
<http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/population/cb13-112.html>

4.8 million

The Hispanic population of Los Angeles County, Calif., in 2012. This is the highest of any county and the largest numeric increase since 2012 (55,000).
Source: 2012 Population Estimates
<http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/population/cb13-112.html>

21

Number of states in which Hispanics were the largest minority group. These states were Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
Source: American FactFinder: United States DP-1
<http://factfinder2.census.gov>

Families and Children 11.6 million

The number of Hispanic family households in the United States in 2012.
Source: Families and Living Arrangements: Table F1 <http://www.census.gov/hhes/families/data/cps2012.html>

62.3%           

The percentage of Hispanic family households that were married couple households in 2012.
Source: Families and Living Arrangements: Table F1 <http://www.census.gov/hhes/families/data/cps2012.html>

60.4%

The percentage of Hispanic married-couple households that had children younger than 18 present in 2012.
Source: Families and Living Arrangements: Table F1
<http://www.census.gov/hhes/families/data/cps2012.html>

65.7%

Percentage of Hispanic children living with two parents in 2012.
Source: Families and Living Arrangements: Table C9 <http://www.census.gov/hhes/families/data/cps2012.html>

45.3%

Percentage of Hispanic married couples with children under 18 where both spouses were employed in 2012.
Source: Families and Living Arrangements: Table FG-1
<http://www.census.gov/hhes/families/data/cps2012.html>

Spanish Language 37.6 million

The number of U.S. residents 5 and older who spoke Spanish at home in 2011. This is a 117 percent increase since 1990 when it was 17.3 million.  Those who hablan español en casa constituted 12.9 percent of U.S. residents 5 and older. More than half of these Spanish speakers spoke English “very well.”
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 American Community Survey: Table B16001 <http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_11_1YR_B16001&prodType=table> and Language Use in the United States: 2007
<http://www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/acs-12.pdf>

74.3%

Percentage of Hispanics 5 and older who spoke Spanish at home in 2011.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 American Community Survey: Table B16006 <http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_11_1YR_B16006&prodType=table>

To view the complete Hispanic Heritage Month Feature click here.