---
title: "A New Census Category for Middle East/North Africa Ethnicity?"
description: "This posting summarizes a Fact Tank article about the Census Bureau's study of a possible new ethnic category for people of Middle Eastern and North African descent. The bureau has embarked on a broad look at how it asks about race and ethnicity, preparing for the 2020 Census. "
date: "2014-03-24"
authors:
  - name: "D’Vera Cohn"
    job_title: "Former Senior Writer/Editor"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/dvera-cohn/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2014/03/24/a-new-census-category-for-middle-eastnorth-africa-ethnicity/"
categories:
  - "Race & Ethnicity"
---

# A New Census Category for Middle East/North Africa Ethnicity?

The Census Bureau is exploring whether to create a new ethnic category on its questionnaires, for people of Middle Eastern and North African descent. The new category, requested by advocacy organizations, would be broader than the Arab ancestry data collected by the bureau since 1980. [Read more at Fact Tank](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2014/03/24/census-bureau-explores-new-middle-eastnorth-africa-ethnic-category/).