A Look at Intermarriage among the Chinese in the United States in 1980

Abstract

Unbeknownst to many, intermarriage among the Chinese—that is, marriages between Chinese and non–Chinese—and especially marriages between Chinese and whites, once considered taboo, is on the rise. Currently, 31.5% of all Chinese marriages involve non–Chinese. Moreover, 22% of all Chinese marriages involve white partners. Two major questions are addressed in this study: (1) What are the major patterns of Chinese intermarriage in the United States? and (2) What factors are involved in the prevalence of intermarriage among the Chinese? The 1980 U.S. Census Public Use Microdata Samples (PUMS) five percent A sample was used to answer these two questions. Patterns of Chinese intermarriage are discussed. The effects of general status, residence, socioeconomic status, and acculturation on Chinese intermarriage were examined.