The terminology wasn’t exact, but in the 19th and early 20th century, they did use the word “race” in referring to the “inferior species,” such as the Irish, Jews, blacks, Italians and Southern Europeans in general.
Margaret Sanger considered anybody who wasn’t a WASP like her to be a member of an inferior race, and these people had to be stamped out and prevented from “breeding.” And she was fully racist in her speech. Yes, that Margaret Sanger, the big feminist hero.
I have seen passenger manifests where immigrants were categorized by race but used as we would say ethnic group or nationality today rather than race.
“Yes, that Margaret Sanger, the big feminist hero”.
And Hitler admired her.