Those states, and surely more, saw their Hispanic populations rise by more than 100 percent, sometimes even more than 300 percent, during the 1990s. U.S. Latinos were responsible for some of the biggest surprises when in March, Census 2000 results were released to states for redistricting purposes.
States can use the figures to redraw federal, state and local legislative districts.
Among the surprises were where Hispanics are living and how quickly their numbers have grown. Hispanics are in a virtual dead heat with African-Americans, who have long been the largest minority and now are 12.9 percent of the total population. Latinos are expected to surpass African Americans within the next five years. There were 63 possible single and multiple race combinations. About 6 percent of Hispanics reported being of two or more races.