Census forms will be sent to every household the United States in the next weeks. Unlike previous years there will be no separate questions on language or heritage, so there's no opportunity to mark "Dutch" on the form for those Dutch-Americans eager to indicate their heritage.

The 2010 Census aims to count all U.S. residents -- citizens and non-citizens alike. It helps to determine how more than $400 billion dollars of federal funding each year is spent on infrastructure and services.

In 2000 there were two forms, a short form and a longer form that one in every 6 households would receive. This is no longer the case; the long form has been replaced by the continuous American Community Survey. In 2004 this survey found that an estimated 5 million people in the U.S. are of Dutch descent. Incidentally, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) estimates that more than 31,000 Americans live in the Netherlands.

The 2010 census has a Dutch translation of the 10 questions on the form in a Gids voor Taalhulp (Language Assistance Guide).