---
title: "The many ways U.S. Hispanics describe their identity"
description: "Fifty years ago, Congress passed a law to improve data collection on people in the United States who have roots in Spanish-speaking countries – a group that came to be labeled “Hispanics” and “Latinos” in federal surveys and publications. The law was meant to help decision makers better understand the fast-growing Hispanic population, but it also […]"
date: "2026-07-09"
authors:
  - name: "Gabriel Piña"
    job_title: "Senior Researcher"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/gabriel-pina/"
  - name: "Mark Hugo Lopez"
    job_title: "Director, Race and Ethnicity Research"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/mark-hugo-lopez/"
  - name: "Sahana Mukherjee"
    job_title: "Associate Director, Research"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/sahana-mukherjee/"
  - name: "Dalia Fahmy"
    job_title: "Senior Writer/Editor"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/dalia-fahmy/"
  - name: "Alexandra Cahn"
    job_title: "Research Assistant"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/alex-cahn/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2026/07/09/the-many-ways-u-s-hispanics-describe-their-identity/"
categories:
  - "Hispanic/Latino Identity"
  - "Hispanic/Latino Voters"
  - "Hispanics/Latinos"
  - "Race & Ethnicity"
  - "Racial & Ethnic Groups"
---

# The many ways U.S. Hispanics describe their identity

**About this research**

This Pew Research Center analysis explores the ways U.S. Latinos express and view their national, ethnic and racial identities.

**Why did we do this?**

The Center does research to inform the public, journalists and decision-makers. This analysis builds on a quarter century of research about [Hispanic identity](https://www.pewresearch.org/topic/race-ethnicity/racial-ethnic-groups/hispanics-latinos/hispanic-latino-identity/). It is part of a larger body of work that explores the attitudes and experiences of U.S. Hispanics.

Learn more about [Pew Research Center](https://www.pewresearch.org/about/), our research on [Hispanics in the U.S.](https://www.pewresearch.org/topic/race-ethnicity/racial-ethnic-groups/hispanics-latinos/) and other research on [race and ethnicity](https://www.pewresearch.org/topic/race-ethnicity/).

**How did we do this?**

This analysis is based on Pew Research Center’s latest National Survey of Latinos, conducted from Oct. 6 to 16, 2025**,** among a sample of 8,046 U.S. adults. Some 4,923 Hispanics were surveyed, with 1,125 respondents who are members of the Center’s [American Trends Panel](https://www.pewresearch.org/the-american-trends-panel/) (ATP) and 3,798 respondents who are members of [SSRS’s Opinion Panel](https://ssrs.com/ssrs-solutions/ssrs-opinion-panel/). The survey also included 3,114 non-Hispanic ATP members. Here are the [questions](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/07/RE_2026.07.09_National-Survey-of-Latinos_Questionnaire.pdf) used for this analysis, [detailed responses](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/07/RE_2026.07.09_National-Survey-of-Latinos_TOPLINE.pdf) and the [methodology](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2026/07/09/national-survey-of-latinos-methodology/).

The survey was conducted in English and Spanish. Respondents were recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This kind of recruitment gives nearly all U.S. adults a chance of selection.

Interviews took place either online, or by telephone with a live interviewer. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education, presidential vote (among voters) and other factors. [Read more about the ATP’s methodology](https://www.pewresearch.org/the-american-trends-panel/).

**Key terms**

The terms **Hispanic** and **Latino** are used interchangeably in this analysis.

**U.S.-born** people are those born in the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, or those born in foreign countries to U.S. citizen parents.

**Immigrants** are U.S. residents born in foreign countries to parents who aren’t U.S. citizens.

Note: In this report, people born in Puerto Rico are considered immigrants. Although individuals born in Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens by birth, they are born into a Spanish-dominant culture. On many points, their attitudes, views and beliefs are much closer to Hispanics born abroad than to Hispanics born in the 50 states or D.C., even those who identify as being of Puerto Rican origin.

**Second generation** refers to U.S.-born people who have at least one immigrant parent.

**Third or higher generation** refers to U.S.-born people who have two U.S.-born parents.

Throughout this report, **Democrats** are respondents who identify with the Democratic Party or who identify as independent but lean toward the Democratic Party. **Republicans** are those who identify with the Republican Party or who identify as independent but lean toward the Republican Party.

**Validated voters** are adult citizens who told us in a postelection survey that they voted in a given general election and have a record of voting in a commercial voter file. **Trump voters** are validated voters who self-reported that they voted for Republican Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. **Harris voters** are validated voters who self-reported that they voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.

**Nonvoters** are those who did not vote in 2024 but were eligible to do so.

**Country of origin or place of origin** refers to the country or place that respondents’ families trace their heritage to. These terms are used interchangeably with similar expressions such as home country, family origins, family roots, ancestral origin and heritage.

Fifty years ago, Congress passed a law to improve data collection on people in the United States who have roots in Spanish-speaking countries – a group that came to be labeled “Hispanics” and “Latinos” in federal surveys and publications. The law was meant to help decision makers [better understand](https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/M/bo15345128.html) the fast-growing Hispanic population, but it also grouped a diverse people under a [single umbrella](https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/feature/what-census-calls-us/).

Today, Hispanics in the U.S. use a variety of labels to describe their identity, from pan-ethnic ones such as Hispanic and Latino to ancestry-based ones like Cuban American or Mexican. Some Hispanics use “American” on its own. Importantly, many Hispanics have used each of these terms at least once in their lives to describe themselves, highlighting the layers of U.S. Hispanic identity. At the same time, some terms are used more than others, reflecting the ways Hispanics understand and express who they are.

To better understand how Hispanics use, prioritize and think about identity labels, Pew Research Center conducted a bilingual survey among 4,923 Hispanic adults in October 2025. We asked respondents:

**Which labels have they used at least once in their lives to describe themselves? **[Large majorities of Hispanic adults say they have ever used](#which-labels-have-hispanics-used-at-least-once-in-their-lives-to-describe-themselves) a pan-ethnic term such as Hispanic or Latino (84%) or their country of origin or heritage on its own – for example, Puerto Rican (80%) – to describe themselves.

**Which label do they use most often to describe themselves**? Hispanics do not point to a single dominant choice. However, the [labels they use most often include their place of origin or heritage](#which-label-do-hispanics-use-most-often-to-describe-themselves), either on its own (35%) or combined with American (18%) — for example, Salvadoran or Dominican American.

**Which pan-ethnic term – Hispanic, Latino,** **Latinx or Latine – do they prefer to describe people of Hispanic or Latino origin or descent?** When labeling the entire U.S. Hispanic population, a majority say they [prefer the term Hispanic (54%) over Latino (30%)](#which-pan-ethnic-term-do-hispanics-prefer-to-describe-people-of-spanish-descent). Few say they prefer the terms Latinx or Latine, while 14% say they have no preference.

In addition, we asked respondents **if they consider themselves “a typical American.” **Hispanics are [evenly divided](#hispanics-are-divided-on-whether-they-see-themselves-as-a-typical-american) on this.

Which labels Hispanics use – and how often they use them – also varies by immigrant generation and other demographic characteristics.

*This analysis is part of a larger study about U.S. Latino identity. For a summary of the main findings, visit “[U.S. Hispanics are divided on whether their identity helps or hurts them in America](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2026/07/09/u-s-hispanics-are-divided-on-whether-their-identity-helps-or-hurts-them-in-america/).”*

#### **Defining the U.S. Hispanic population**

In 1976, the U.S. Congress passed [Public Law 94-311](https://www.congress.gov/bill/94th-congress/house-joint-resolution/92/text). This legislation defined “Americans of Spanish origin or descent” as “Americans [who] identify themselves as being of Spanish-speaking background and trace their origin or descent from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central and South America, and other Spanish-speaking countries.” This includes around 20 Spanish-speaking nations from Latin America and Spain itself, but not Portugal or Portuguese-speaking Brazil.

To implement this law, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in 1977 developed [Statistical Policy Directive No. 15](https://www2.census.gov/about/ombraceethnicityitwg/1978-statistical-policy-handbook.pdf) (SPD 15), recommending that federal agencies measure race and ethnicity separately. In a [1997 revision](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-1997-10-30/pdf/97-28653.pdf), the OMB adopted “Hispanic or Latino” as the label for reporting federal statistics on this population. In a [2024 revision](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/03/29/2024-06469/revisions-to-ombs-statistical-policy-directive-no-15-standards-for-maintaining-collecting-and), OMB proposed combining the race and ethnicity questions into a single question. Read more about [how the Census Bureau and federal agencies collect race and ethnicity data](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2025/11/03/counting-race-how-the-census-measures-identity-and-what-americans-think-about-it/) here.

### Which labels have Hispanics used at least once in their lives to describe themselves?

[![A bar chart showing 84% of Hispanics have used a pan-ethnic term to describe themselves at least once in their lives](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/07/RE_2026.07.09_national-survey-of-latinos_1-01.png?w=310){.alignright width=280}](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=329210)

Some 84% of U.S. Hispanics say they have used a pan-ethnic term (such as Hispanic, Latino, Latinx or Latine) to describe themselves *at least once in their lives*. And 80% say they have ever used their family’s country of origin on its own (such as Mexican) to describe themselves.

Fewer have ever used other terms:

- 59% of U.S. Hispanics have used the standalone term American to describe themselves at least once in their lives.

- 54% have ever used their country of origin together with American (e.g., Mexican American).

- 46% have ever used a pan-ethnic label combined with American (e.g., Hispanic American).

### Which label do Hispanics use most often to describe themselves?

[![A bar chart showing Many Hispanics refer to themselves by their country of origin](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/07/RE_2026.07.09_national-survey-of-latinos_1-02.png?w=420){.alignright width=280}](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=329211)

There is wide variation in the identity labels Hispanic adults use *most often* to describe their identity.

Some use standalone labels (such as Cuban, Hispanic or American), while others use combined labels (such as Mexican American or Hispanic American).

- 35% say they most often use a standalone label that references their country of origin or heritage (e.g., Cuban or Mexican).

- 21% say they most often use a standalone pan-ethnic term (e.g., Hispanic or Latino).

- 18% say they use the standalone label American.

- 18% use their country of origin combined with American.

- 6% use a pan-ethnic term combined with American.

Looking at it another way, 53% say their most-often-used label includes their origin country (either alone or combined with the term American), while 27% say their top label uses a pan-ethnic term (either alone or combined with the term American).

Place-of-origin labels have long been central for many Hispanics. In Center surveys of Hispanics since 2002, most have said they use labels that reference their or their family's country or place of origin over other labels.[5.numoffset="5" These phone survey results are not directly comparable to our more recent surveys due to a shift in survey mode from telephone surveys to online panels, as well as changes in question wording and response options. For more, read “[What our transition to online polling means for decades of phone survey trends](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/02/27/what-our-transition-to-online-polling-means-for-decades-of-phone-survey-trends/).”] In the October 2025 survey, Puerto Ricans are the origin group most likely to say they identify by their place of origin or heritage; 70% of U.S. Hispanics of Puerto Rican descent say they most often call themselves Puerto Rican, either alone or combined with American.

Label use also varies by immigrant generation. Among Hispanic adults born outside the U.S., around 67% use their country or place of origin – alone or combined with American – most often to describe themselves, a higher share than among second-generation (49%) or third- or higher-generation (34%) Hispanics. By contrast, third- or higher-generation Hispanics are more likely than other groups to say they most often use American by itself (40%). (Find our definitions of immigrant generations in the [Key Terms](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2026/07/09/u-s-hispanics-are-divided-on-whether-their-identity-helps-or-hurts-them-in-america/#key-terms) section.)

### Which pan-ethnic term do Hispanics prefer to describe people of Spanish descent?

[![A bar chart showing A majority of Hispanics prefer ‘Hispanic’ over other pan-ethnic terms](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/07/RE_2026.07.09_national-survey-of-latinos_1-03.png?w=420){.alignright width=280}](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=329212)

More than half of Hispanic adults say they prefer the pan-ethnic term Hispanic (54%) to describe the group of people who are of Hispanic or Latino origin or descent, while 30% prefer the term Latino. Few prefer the terms Latinx (1%) or Latine (1%). Meanwhile, 14% say they have no preference among these pan-ethnic terms.

There are differences by age, immigrant status and country of origin.

For example, Hispanic adults under 30 and Hispanic immigrants (those born outside the U.S.) are slightly less likely than their counterparts to say they prefer the term Hispanic.

But generally speaking, in almost every group we analyzed, larger shares prefer Hispanic than prefer Latino.

Respondents of South American origin are an exception, with a majority who prefer Latino (53%) over Hispanic (31%).

Historically, U.S. Hispanics overall have preferred the term Hispanic over the term Latino since the Center began [studying this topic in the early 2000s](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2002/12/17/pew-hispanic-centerkaiser-family-foundation-2002-national-survey-of-latinos/). Percentages have fluctuated slightly depending on how surveys asked the question about pan-ethnic term preferences. They have changed little since the [current question wording was](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/09/12/u-s-hispanics-preferences-among-pan-ethnic-terms/) introduced in 2023.

### Hispanics are divided on whether they see themselves as a ‘typical American’

[![A bar chart showing About half of Hispanics say they think of themselves as ‘a typical American’](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/07/RE_2026.07.09_national-survey-of-latinos_1-04.png?w=310){.alignright width=280}](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=329213)

Since American is one of the labels Hispanics sometimes use to describe their identity, the survey also asked whether respondents consider themselves “a typical American.”

Hispanics are split on whether they see themselves as a typical American (48%) or very different from a typical American (51%).

- Hispanics who are third or higher generation (72%) are more likely than second-generation Hispanics (60%) and much more likely than Hispanic immigrants (27%) to consider themselves a typical American.

- Hispanics adults ages 50 and older (54%) are more likely to consider themselves a typical American than those under 50 (45%).

Even as a growing [share of Hispanics are U.S.-born](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/10/22/key-facts-about-us-latinos/), Center telephone [surveys of Hispanic adults since 2012](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2012/04/04/ii-identity-pan-ethnicity-and-race/#:~:text=A%20Typical%20American%E2%80%94Or%20Not%3F) show that the share of Hispanics who see themselves as a typical American has changed little.[6. These phone survey results are not directly comparable to our more recent surveys due to a shift in survey mode from telephone surveys to online panels and changes in question wording and response options. For more, read “[What our transition to online polling means for decades of phone survey trends](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/02/27/what-our-transition-to-online-polling-means-for-decades-of-phone-survey-trends/).”]

---

**Next:** [Latino Trump voters are less likely than Harris voters to say being Latino is central to their lives](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2026/07/09/latino-trump-voters-are-less-likely-than-harris-voters-to-say-being-latino-is-central-to-their-lives.md)