Regions with significant populations | |
---|---|
The following countries or regions have a census category for "white". Many other places have significant populations which are considered white, but do not have such a category. | |
United States | 223,553,265 |
Hispanic America | 144,496,999 |
Russia | 113,545,521 |
Brazil | 91,051,646 |
United Kingdom | 54,153,898 |
South Africa | 4,586,838 |
White people is a racial classification specifier, used for people of Europid ancestry, with the exact implications dependent on context. The contemporary usage of "white people" or a "white race" as a large group of (mainly European) populations contrasting with "black", American Indian, "colored" or non-white originated in the 17th century.
It is today particularly used as a racial classifier in multiracial societies, such as the United States (White American), the United Kingdom (White British), Brazil (White Brazilian), and South Africa (White South African). Various social constructions of whiteness have been significant to national identity, public policy, religion, population statistics, racial segregation, affirmative action, white privilege, eugenics, racial marginalization and racial quotas.