---
title: "Latinx Awareness Has Doubled Among U.S. Hispanics Since 2019, but Only 4% Use It"
description: "Three-quarters of Hispanics who have heard of the term Latinx say it should not be used to describe the Hispanic or Latino population."
date: "2024-09-12"
authors:
  - name: "Luis Noé-Bustamante"
    job_title: "Research Associate"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/luis-noe-bustamante/"
  - name: "Gracie Martinez"
    job_title: "Former Research Assistant"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/gracie-martinez/"
  - name: "Mark Hugo Lopez"
    job_title: "Director, Race and Ethnicity Research"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/mark-hugo-lopez/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/09/12/latinx-awareness-has-doubled-among-u-s-hispanics-since-2019-but-only-4-percent-use-it/"
categories:
  - "Hispanic/Latino Demographics"
  - "Hispanic/Latino Identity"
datasets:
  - name: "American Trends Panel Wave 138"
    url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/dataset/american-trends-panel-wave-138/"
---

# Latinx Awareness Has Doubled Among U.S. Hispanics Since 2019, but Only 4% Use It

## Table of Contents
1. [Latinx Awareness Has Doubled Among U.S. Hispanics Since 2019, but Only 4% Use It](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/09/12/latinx-awareness-has-doubled-among-u-s-hispanics-since-2019-but-only-4-percent-use-it/markdown)
   - [Among U.S. Latinos, who has heard of Latinx and who uses it?](#among-u-s-latinos-who-has-heard-of-latinx-and-who-uses-it)
   - [Hispanic and Latino are the preferred pan-ethnic terms](#hispanic-and-latino-are-the-preferred-pan-ethnic-terms)
2. [1. How well-known is ‘Latinx’ among U.S. Hispanics, and who uses it?](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/09/12/how-well-known-is-latinx-among-u-s-hispanics-and-who-uses-it/markdown)
3. [2. U.S. Latinos’ views of ‘Latinx’ and its use](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/09/12/u-s-latinos-views-of-latinx-and-its-use/markdown)
4. [3. U.S. Hispanics’ preferences among pan-ethnic terms](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/09/12/u-s-hispanics-preferences-among-pan-ethnic-terms/markdown)
5. [Acknowledgments](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/09/12/acknowledgments-78/markdown)
6. [Appendix: Supplemental table](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/09/12/latinx-appendix-supplemental-table/markdown)
7. [Methodology](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/09/12/latinx-term-methodology/markdown)

## *75% who have heard of the term say it should not be used*

**How we did this**

Pew Research Center surveyed 5,078 Hispanic adults from Nov. 6 to Nov. 19, 2023, as part of the 2023 National Survey of Latinos. We asked survey respondents about their awareness and views of the term Latinx and other labels used to describe people of Hispanic or Latino origin or descent. The sample includes 1,524 Hispanic adults who were members of Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP). It also includes an oversample of 3,554 respondents sampled from Ipsos’ KnowledgePanel. The survey was conducted online in both English and Spanish.

Both the ATP and KnowledgePanel are online survey panels that are recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. Recruiting panelists by mail ensures that nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. This gives us confidence that any sample can represent the whole population (refer to our [Methods 101 explainer](https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/05/12/methods-101-random-sampling/) on random sampling). For more information on this survey, refer to its [methodology](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/09/12/latinx-term-methodology/) and [topline](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/09/RE_2024.09.12_Latinx_TOPLINE.pdf).

**Terminology**

The pan-ethnic terms **Hispanic** and **Latino** are used interchangeably in this report.

**Latinx **and** Latine **are pan-ethnic terms used to describe people who are of or relate to Latin American origin or descent. They are regarded by some as gender-neutral or nonbinary alternatives to Latino, Latina and Hispanic.

**Immigrants **refers to persons born outside of the 50 states or the District of Columbia. For the purposes of this report, immigrants also includes those born in Puerto Rico or other U.S. territories. Although individuals born in Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens by birth, they are grouped with immigrants because they are born into a Spanish-dominant culture and because on many points their attitudes, views and beliefs are much closer to those of Hispanics born outside the U.S. than to Hispanics born in the 50 states or D.C., even those who identify themselves as being of Puerto Rican origin.

**U.S. born **refers to persons born in the 50 states or D.C.

**Second generation** in this report refers to people born in the 50 states or D.C. with at least one immigrant parent.

**Third or higher generation** refers to people born in the 50 states or D.C., with both parents born in the 50 states or D.C.

**Language dominance** is a composite measure based on self-described assessments of speaking and reading abilities. **Spanish-dominant** people are more proficient in Spanish than in English (i.e., they speak and read Spanish “very well” or “pretty well” but rate their English-speaking and reading ability lower). **Bilingual** refers to people who are proficient in both English and Spanish. **English-dominant** people are more proficient in English than in Spanish.

Throughout this report, the phrases **Democrats and Democratic leaners** and **Democrats** refer to respondents who identify politically with the Democratic Party or who are independent or identify with some other party but lean toward the Democratic Party. Similarly, the phrases **Republicans and Republican leaners** and **Republicans** both refer to respondents who identify politically with the Republican Party or are independent or identify with some other party but lean toward the Republican Party.

In the long-running debates about which terms to use to describe the U.S. population with roots in Latin America and Spain, “Latinx” has emerged as a gender-neutral alternative to Hispanic and Latino, the [two most popular pan-ethnic terms used today](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/09/12/who-is-hispanic/).

[![A line chart showing that More U.S. Hispanics have heard of ‘Latinx’ since 2019, but use remains low](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/09/RE_2024.09.12_latinx_0-01.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/re_2024-09-12_latinx_0-01/)

After years of public use by [celebrities](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/eva-longoria-zoe-saldana-join-historic-initiative-double-latino-representation-n1114421), [leaders](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2020/08/24/rising-share-of-lawmakers-but-few-republicans-are-using-the-term-latinx-on-social-media/), [media](https://www.latimes.com/newsletters/latinx-files), [academics](https://lrc.berkeley.edu/) and others, awareness of Latinx has grown among U.S. Latinos.[1. Searches for “Latinx” among the general U.S. population appeared online in the early 2000s. But the [first substantial rise](https://time.com/5191804/latinx-definition-meaning-latino-hispanic-gender-neutral/) in searches (relative to all online searches) appeared in June 2016 following a [shooting at Pulse nightclub](https://www.nytimes.com/news-event/2016-orlando-shooting), an LGBTQ+ dance club in Orlando, Florida, that was hosting its Latin Night on the [date of the attack](https://www.npr.org/2016/06/16/482322488/orlando-shooting-what-happened-update).] Nearly half (47%) say they have heard of Latinx, up from [23% who said the same in 2019](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2020/08/11/about-one-in-four-u-s-hispanics-have-heard-of-latinx-but-just-3-use-it/). Notably, awareness of Latinx has grown across nearly all major demographic subgroups of U.S. Latinos.

Still, about half of the population that Latinx is meant to describe has never heard of the term.

While awareness of the term has grown, the share who use Latinx to describe themselves is statistically unchanged: 4% of Latino adults say they have used Latinx to describe themselves, little changed from the 3% who said the same in 2019.

[![A bar chart showing that Most Latinos familiar with the term Latinx say it should not be used](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/09/RE_2024.09.12_latinx_0-02.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/re_2024-09-12_latinx_0-02/)

Importantly, the 4% of Latino adults who say they have used Latinx to describe themselves amount to an estimated 1.9 million people.[2. In 2022, about 44.8 million Hispanic adults lived in the United States, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of the [2022 American Community Survey](https://usa.ipums.org/usa/). The population estimate for Hispanic adults who say they have ever used the term Latinx to describe themselves is calculated from unrounded numbers.]

As awareness of Latinx has grown, its rise in use in some spaces has brought increased scrutiny in the [United States](https://www.forbes.com/sites/aliciagonzalez/2024/08/01/latinx-legislation-controversy-in-latino-and-hispanic-communities/) and [abroad](https://english.elpais.com/usa/2024-05-28/latino-or-latinx-which-term-does-the-community-prefer.html).

In the U.S., a Latino civil rights organization [dropped its use of Latinx in 2021](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/latino-civil-rights-organization-drops-latinx-official-communication-rcna8203), while [federal](https://thehill.com/latino/4096519-cruz-and-rubio-pitching-bill-to-ban-federal-use-of-latinx/) and [state](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/connecticut-latino-lawmakers-propose-banning-latinx-calling-offensive-rcna68712) elected officials across both major political parties have moved to ban the term. [Arkansas’ governor banned the use of Latinx](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/arkansas-gov-sarah-huckabee-sanders-bans-term-latinx-first-day-office-rcna65351) in state government documents in 2023. Meanwhile, [others remain advocates for the term](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jan/08/why-i-embrace-the-term-latinx) and [other gender-neutral alternatives](https://www.axios.com/2024/04/11/latino-latinx-latine-hispanic-term-explainer).

Latinx is broadly unpopular among Latino adults who have heard of it, according to the survey.

- 75% of Latinos who have heard of the term Latinx say it *should not* be used to describe the Hispanic or Latino population, up from 65% saying the same in 2019.

[![A bar chart showing that Latinos are more likely to say greater use of ‘Latinx’ is bad rather than good](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/09/RE_2024.09.12_latinx_0-03.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/re_2024-09-12_latinx_0-03/)

And Hispanics are more likely to view more widespread use of Latinx as a bad thing rather than as something positive. About a third (36%) who have heard of the term say it is a *bad thing* for people to use Latinx more often, while 12% say it is a good thing. Another 38% of Hispanics view growing use of the term as neither good nor bad, and 14% say they are not sure.

These are findings from a new analysis of Pew Research Center’s bilingual National Survey of Latinos, conducted Nov. 6-19, 2023, among a nationally representative sample of 5,078 Hispanic adults.

[*Jump to more on Hispanics’ views of Latinx.*](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/09/12/u-s-latinos-views-of-latinx-and-its-use/)

**The debate around Latinx  **

Critics of the term Latinx say it is an [imposition by English speakers](https://swarthmorephoenix.com/2015/11/19/the-argument-against-the-use-of-the-term-latinx/) and is disruptive to Hispanic or Latino culture. Some who oppose its use also mention that it doesn’t follow Spanish language rules and [can be difficult to pronounce and use](https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/who-are-you-calling-latinx#:~:text=Inside%20the%20community%2C).

While major English language sources such as the Oxford English Dictionary [recognize Latinx](https://www.oed.com/dictionary/latinx_n?tab=meaning_and_use#1263996940), the Real Academia Española (RAE), which many view as the official arbiter on the Spanish language, has [not included the term in its dictionary](https://dle.rae.es/latinx). The RAE has broadly [rejected the use of “x” as a gender-neutral option for the Spanish language](https://remezcla.com/culture/rae-style-manual/#:~:text=This%20week%2C%20RAE,ellx%E2%80%9D%20and%20%E2%80%9Celles.%E2%80%9D).

Yet supporters of Latinx view it as an inclusive term that serves groups that have been historically [sidelined within Hispanic or Latin American culture](https://elcentro.colostate.edu/about/why-latinx/), including those who have [felt marginalized](https://www.forbes.com/sites/aliciagonzalez/2024/08/01/latinx-legislation-controversy-in-latino-and-hispanic-communities/#:~:text=Arguments%20for%20inclusivity) by [binary gender categories](https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2022/06/07/the-experiences-challenges-and-hopes-of-transgender-and-nonbinary-u-s-adults/).

And although early uses of the term are often attributed to U.S. scholars and activists, some of its earliest uses can also be [traced to Latin America](https://abcnews.go.com/US/latinx-latino-hispanic-linguistics-expert-explains-confusion/story?id=82273936).

Despite these headwinds, it remains to be seen if growing awareness of Latinx may lead to greater adoption of the term by U.S. Latinos. In its early days, before official government recognition, the term Hispanic was less known than it is today. But with federal adoption and widespread use in [federal surveys like the 1980 decennial census](https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2010/03/03/census-history-counting-hispanics-2/), the term gained greater adoption, even if many people in the population it is meant to describe feel ambivalent about it.

Globally, movements are underway in many countries [to introduce and use gender-neutral language](https://www.un.org/en/gender-inclusive-language/index.shtml), including in the U.S.

### Among U.S. Latinos, who has heard of Latinx and who uses it?

Awareness of the term Latinx among U.S. Latino adults has increased since 2019, including across major demographic subgroups. But despite this broad increase in awareness, there are differences by demographic characteristics. College graduates (74%), lesbian, gay or bisexual adults (67%) and adults ages 18 to 29 (60%) are more likely than Latinos in general (47%) to say they have heard the term.

And about half of Latinos have heard of Latinx, regardless of political party affiliation. In contrast, in 2019, Democrats were [nearly twice as likely](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2020/08/11/about-one-in-four-u-s-hispanics-have-heard-of-latinx-but-just-3-use-it/) as Republicans to say they had heard of Latinx.

While the use of Latinx among U.S. Hispanics has not grown since 2019, some demographic subgroups are more likely than Hispanic adults overall (4%) to say they have used the term to describe themselves.

- 13% of lesbian, gay or bisexual Latinos say they have used Latinx to describe themselves.[3. Survey researchers [face several challenges in measuring LGBTQ+ identity](https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/26424/measuring-sex-gender-identity-and-sexual-orientation). One is that there is no consensus about how best to measure sexual orientation. Some researchers rely on respondents self-identifying as LGBTQ+ (the technique used in surveys from [Pew Research Center](https://www.pewresearch.org/topic/gender-lgbtq/lgbtq-attitudes-experiences/) and Gallup), while others base their estimates on reports of sexual behavior or sexual attraction, which usually results in higher estimates. Other challenges include the stigmatization of identifying as LGBTQ+ in some cultures and respondents being unfamiliar with the terms used in surveys. Responses for lesbian, gay and bisexual adults are combined because of small sample sizes. This analysis focuses on sexual orientation, not gender identity, so transgender respondents are not identified separately. For more information on how we ask about respondents’ sexual orientation and gender, refer to our report, “[Who Are You? The Art and Science of Measuring Identity](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/2024/02/12/who-are-you-the-art-and-science-of-measuring-identity/#choose-a-demographic-category).”]

- 9% of Afro-Latinos say they use Latinx.[4. Afro-Latino identity is based on self-identification. For more on Afro-Latino identity, refer to [“About 6 million adults identify as Afro-Latino.”](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/05/02/about-6-million-u-s-adults-identify-as-afro-latino/)]

Nonetheless, no major Latino demographic subgroup is close to having a majority say they have used Latinx to describe themselves.

[*Jump to more on Hispanics’ awareness and use of Latinx.*](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/09/12/how-well-known-is-latinx-among-u-s-hispanics-and-who-uses-it/)

### The emergence of another pan-ethnic term: Latine

[![A pie chart showing that About 1 in 5 Hispanics have heard of ‘Latine’](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/09/RE_2024.09.12_latinx_0-04.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/re_2024-09-12_latinx_0-04/)

As visibility and some controversy around Latinx grew in recent years, including efforts to ban its use, [another gender neutral term, Latine](https://www.axios.com/2024/04/11/latino-latinx-latine-hispanic-term-explainer), has [emerged as an alternative](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/latine-latinx-ban-softened-connecticut-lawmakers-rcna85645).

However, the November 2023 survey finds that Latine is largely unknown among U.S. Hispanics.

- 18% of Hispanic adults have heard of the term Latine, while 79% say they have not.

Similar to familiarity with Latinx, levels of awareness of Latine are also [linked to age, education and sexual orientation](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/09/12/latinx-appendix-supplemental-table/).

### Hispanic and Latino are the preferred pan-ethnic terms

[![A bar chart showing that Hispanic and Latino are preferred terms among most U.S. adults of Latin American or Spanish origin](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/09/RE_2024.09.12_latinx_0-05.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/re_2024-09-12_latinx_0-05/)

A large majority of U.S. adults who trace their roots to Spain and Latin America [continue to prefer the terms Hispanic or Latino](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2022/09/PRE_2022.09.29_NSL-politics_TOPLINE.pdf) when choosing a pan-ethnic term to describe themselves as a group (81%). Meanwhile, 15% have no preference and only 3% prefer Latinx or Latine.

Yet about one-in-four who have used Latinx to describe themselves personally (24%) prefer Latinx or Latine to describe the Hispanic or Latino population overall.

[*Jump to more on Hispanics’ pan-ethnic term preferences.*](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/09/12/u-s-hispanics-preferences-among-pan-ethnic-terms)

[]

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**Next:** [1. How well-known is ‘Latinx’ among U.S. Hispanics, and who uses it?](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/09/12/how-well-known-is-latinx-among-u-s-hispanics-and-who-uses-it.md)