Do the numbers in your social security number indicate your race?

Question

No kidding my friend works for the credit bureau and that's what she told me.

Answer 1

She should read up on it.  No  it does not.

Answer 2

Well, your friend is wrong.  They indicate the state in which the ss# was applied for.  I know, because I work for the SSA

Answer 3

No! That would be awful! they tell you the state it was registered in though!

Answer 4

They shouldn't and if they do that would be a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Answer 5

No. the first three no.s indicate what SS office you were issued from. other than that, I believe it's just a number.

Answer 6

No indicates the region of the country that you were born in.

Answer 7

i think so.......

Answer 8

Urban myth.  Some wit claimed that all blacks had an odd number in the 5th position of the SSN.  Many people looked and, lo, it was an odd number...but that's because that's the only number being used at the time.

Once these myths/emails begin, they can't be stamped out.

http://www.ssa.gov/history/ssnmyth.html

Answer 9

~~~No they absolutely do not! The only thing you can tell from one is what state issued it. My bookkeeper knew those numbers like the back of his hand and could tell you which state issued what card (an interesting thing he learned I always thought!). That is the only thing they reveal.~~~

Answer 10

The nine-digit SSN is composed of three parts:

* The first set of three digits is called the Area Number

* The second set of two digits is called the Group Number

* The final set of four digits is the Serial Number

Area Number

The Area Number is assigned by the geographical region. Prior to 1972, cards were issued in local Social Security offices around the country and the Area Number represented the State in which the card was issued. This did not necessarily have to be the State where the applicant lived, since a person could apply for their card in any Social Security office. Since 1972, when SSA began assigning SSNs and issuing cards centrally from Baltimore, the area number assigned has been based on the ZIP code in the mailing address provided on the application for the original Social Security card. The applicant's mailing address does not have to be the same as their place of residence. Thus, the Area Number does not necessarily represent the State of residence of the applicant, either prior to 1972 or since.

Generally, numbers were assigned beginning in the northeast and moving westward. So people on the east coast have the lowest numbers and those on the west coast have the highest numbers.

Note: One should not make too much of the "geographical code." It is not meant to be any kind of useable geographical information. The numbering scheme was designed in 1936 (before computers) to make it easier for SSA to store the applications in our files in Baltimore since the files were organized by regions as well as alphabetically. It was really just a bookkeeping device for our own internal use and was never intended to be anything more than that.

Group Number

Within each area, the group number (middle two (2) digits) range from 01 to 99 but are not assigned in consecutive order. For administrative reasons, group numbers issued first consist of the ODD numbers from 01 through 09 and then EVEN numbers from 10 through 98, within each area number allocated to a State. After all numbers in group 98 of a particular area have been issued, the EVEN Groups 02 through 08 are used, followed by ODD Groups 11 through 99.

Group numbers are assigned as follows:

ODD - 01, 03, 05, 07, 09------EVEN - 10 to 98

EVEN - 02, 04, 06, 08------ODD - 11 to 99

See the latest Social Security Number Monthly Issuance Table for the latest SSN area ranges issued to date. Alleged Social Security numbers containing area numbers other than those found on that table are impossible.

Serial Number

Within each group, the serial numbers (last four (4) digits) run consecutively from 0001 through 9999.

*This was taken from a previous Yahoo Answer given by JimBarnard12345

Answer 11

No, they don't. Your friend is full of it., Social Security numbers are handed out sequentially. The first three numbers belong (or used) an area, e.g. 001 to 003 belonged to New Hampshire, 261-267 belonged to Florida, the next two numbers are to break up the areas into smaller groups, the last four are your unique numbers.

Sometime in 1972 they changed the rules, it used ti indicate the office which issued the number, now it corresponds to the address which you use in your application.

Answer 12

no

Answer 13

No why else would they ask you your race. It does however have the numbers of what state and possibly year you were born in. As far as race I think that is made up!

Answer 14

no they don't, they do however indicate the state in which your number was applied for.  How do I know, I know the numbers of my self, my children and my husband, we are all the same "race" we don't have any similar numbers.

Answer 15

No, the numbers indicate the state the number was issued and whether or not the person is male or female.  It can also tell you if the person is a citizen, foreign worker, or a business.  Business tax id numbers look exactly like ssn's.

Answer 16

No they do not indicate your race.  Your friend is pulling your leg!.   Some of the numbers DO, however, indicate the city in which you lived, when you  made application for your social security number/

Answer 17

Good question. Interesting if so.

I guess if that were the case then they wouldn't need to ask what race you are on particular forms you fill out. Which I don't understand. I believe the only reason for compiling the info from that question is to promote racism.

If we are all equal why does anyone have to keep track?