Relatives searched for Sheldon in Seattle and brought him home last July to the tribal senior center. Indian count difficult Counting America's native people may be more complex than enumerating any other racial group in the 2000 Census. The Census Bureau reports that the number of people who identified themselves as American Indians increased 26 percent since 1990, to 2.5 million nationwide. The increase was 14.5 percent in Washington state. Census 2000 for the first time let Americans check more than one ethnic category, which allowed 4.1 million people to self-identify as having some degree of Indian ancestry.
Natives are far more difficult to count than are most ethnic groups.
The 1990 Census missed an estimated 12.2 percent of reservation Indians. The reason is unclear, but a deep-seated suspicion of the government likely prompted many to avoid being found. Uncle Sam shifted tactics. So they had much better success. Because Indians apparently allowed themselves to be counted, the undercount in the 2000 Census was an estimated 4.7 percent on reservations, and 3.28 percent elsewhere.