What Race Are Hispanic People?

By Staff WriterLast Updated April 16, 2020

Hispanic people can be of any race, since the term “Hispanic” is most often used as a catch-all category for people who come from Spanish-speaking countries, such as Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. It is less frequently used to describe people from Spain.

Many United States citizens of technically “Hispanic” origin are actually identifying themselves as “white,” according to 2010 Census data. While this might be linked to socioeconomic factors, along with a persistent glorification of whiteness, it also demonstrates the flexibility of the term “Hispanic.”

Some other words used by Hispanic 2010 Census respondents to define their race included “Latino,” “Latin American” and “Latin.”