The shifting boundaries of American identity and the census

Cultures · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Is it a race, a nationality, or a language? For over a century, the U.S. government has struggled to categorize the growing Hispanic and Latino population, using everything from surnames to mother tongues to define a group that now comprises 20% of the nation.

The definition of Hispanic and Latino identity in the United Kingdom is a complex tapestry of ancestry and administration. While the terms are often used interchangeably by the U.S. Census Bureau, they carry distinct historical weights. The 'Hispanic' label was formalized in 1977 by an Office of Management and Budget subcommittee to identify those with origins in Spanish-speaking nations. In contrast, 'Latino'—a term derived from 'latinoamericano'—has been used in the U.S. since 1946 to describe inhabitants of Latin America.

This demographic is not a monolith of a single race. The population includes descendants of European settlers, Indigenous peoples, and those of African descent. This diversity is reflected in the varying ways people self-identify; a 2015 survey showed that 56% of Hispanic Americans view the identity as both racial and ethnic, while 71% believe speaking Spanish is not a requirement for the designation. The group's complexity even extends to linguistic debates, such as the emergence of 'Latinx' or 'Latine' as gender-neutral alternatives, though usage remains low, with only 3% of Hispanics using 'Latinx' according to 2020 data.

The geographic footprint of this community is deeply rooted in the American landscape. Spanish colonial holdings once spanned much of the present-day Southwest and West Coast, including California, Texas, and Florida. Following the Mexican-American War in 1848, vast territories transitioned from Mexican to U.S. control. Today, this group is a massive pillar of the American population, estimated at over 68 million people as of mid-2024, making them the second-largest group in the country.

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