The differences between race and ethnicity are typically misunderstood. Now this Article details the differences and how various groups are categorized according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Race vs. Ethnicity

Race and ethnicity are used to categorize sections of the population. Race refers to dividing people into groups, often based on physical characteristics. Ethnicity refers to the cultural expression and identification of people of different geographic regions, including their customs, history, language, and religion.

In basic terms, race describes physical traits, and ethnicity refers to cultural identification. Race may also be identified as something you inherit, whereas ethnicity is something you learn.

So we can list the differences between race and ethnicity bellow:

Race	Ethnicity
Narrow	Broad
Based on similar physical and biological attributes	Based on cultural expression and place of origin

What is an example of ethnicity?

Ethnicity is based on shared identity based on culture, language, common ancestry, and religion. Some examples of ethnicity include Middle Eastern, Hispanic, Irish, Native American, Jewish, and Pacific Islander.

What is your ethnicity?

In many cases, you may know your ethnicity through your family members and cultural identity. If you are unsure, autosomal DNA testing is available that can help you to learn more about your ethnic background.

Autosomal DNA testing looks at combined ancestry from both parents that can identify population groups with which you share portions of your autosomal DNA.

However, it is important to recognize that while such testing can provide some information, the test results are estimates and cannot determine ethnicity or race with 100% accuracy.

What are the seven ethnic groups?

The main racial groups that are often listed in ethnic and racial data include:

White/Caucasian
Hispanic/Latino
Black
Asian
Native American and Pacific Islander
Middle Eastern/North African

Another for "Some Other Ethnicity" is often included for people who do to identify with the other major ethnic groups.

The U.S. Census Bureau includes two categories for ethnicity:

Hispanic/Latino/Spanish descent
Non-Hispanic/Latino/Spanish descent