National Hispanic Heritage Month

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Quick Facts:

Hispanic or Latino?

The American Heritage Dictionary offers this explanation of the differences between the terms ‘Hispanic’ and ‘Latino’:

Though often used interchangeably in American English, Hispanic and Latino are not identical terms, and in certain contexts the choice between them can be significant. Hispanic, from the Latin word for “Spain,” has the broader reference, potentially encompassing all Spanish-speaking peoples in both hemispheres and emphasizing the common denominator of language among communities that sometimes have little else in common. Latino -- which in Spanish means "Latin" but which as an English word is probably a shortening of the Spanish word latinoamericano -- refers more exclusively to persons or communities of Latin American origin.

This source goes on to note some of the subtleties involved in the terms as they relate to the Hispanic/Latino community:

For a certain segment of the Spanish-speaking population, Latino is a term of ethnic pride and Hispanic a label that borders on the offensive. According to this view, Hispanic lacks the authenticity and cultural resonance of Latino, with its Spanish sound and its ability to show the feminine form Latina when used of women. Furthermore, Hispanic -- the term used by the U.S. Census Bureau and other government agencies -- is said to bear the stamp of an Anglo establishment far removed from the concerns of the Spanish-speaking community.

Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
 

Census 2000 Numbers:

•  38.8 million

This is the estimated U.S. Hispanic population as of July 1, 2002.  Hispanics make up 13.4 percent of the total population.  (This does not include the 3.8 million Hispanic residents in Puerto Rico)

•  58

This is the percentage increase in the Hispanic population from Census 1990 to Census 2000.

•  28 million

This represents the number to U.S. residents age 5 and over who speak Spanish at home, according to Census 2000.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Facts for Features press release, Sept. 18, 2003 (http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2003/cb03-ff14.html)