Difference Between Hispanic and Latino

Although the US government sometimes groups people of Hispanic and Latino origin, it does not mean that the two can be considered interchangeable, as there are many differences between Hispanics and Latinos. The main difference between Hispanics and Latinos is that Hispanics are an ethnolinguistic group of Americans whose genealogical origins are in Spain, while the genealogical origins of Latinos are from Latin American countries.

What is Hispanic?

Hispanic refers to people in the Americas who speak the Spanish language and, according to some literature, to Old Roman Hispanic, which consists of the Iberian Peninsula, including the contemporary states of Portugal, Andorra, Spain, and the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. So, the term Hispanic refers to the peoples, cultures or nations that have a historical link with Spain. Some people use the term Hispanic and Latino for people from countries that were colonized by Spain such as Latin America. However, some argued that this term is restricted to Spanish-speaking cultures that are specifically from the Iberian region. Hispanics of ethnic origin share a common language (Spanish) and cultural heritage rather than race.

What is Latin?

Latino refers to people in the Americas with cultural ties to Latin America and nationalities that have historical ties to Latin America. It is a cultural heritage. Latino means only men or a combination of men and women in a group, while the term Latina is used to denote only women. The Latin world comes from the American Spanish word “lationoamericano”, which means Latin America. Currently, Latinos are the second largest ethnic group in the United States. Latino is considered as the mixture of Portuguese and French-speaking roots like Brazil and also those of Spanish-speaking origin.Key differences

1. Hispanic Americans are considered to be the second fastest growing ethnic group in the US after Asian Americans, while Latinos are currently the second largest ethnic group in the US.
2. Hispanics are an ethnolinguistic group of Americans whose genealogical origins are in Spain, while the genealogical origins of Latinos are from Latin American countries.
3. Hispanic means language and people from a country where they speak Spanish, while Latino means geography, especially in Latin America.
4. The word Hispanic comes from the Latin word “Hispania” while the term Latino comes from the Spanish word “lationoamericano”.
5. Hispanic is widely used along the East Coast, while Latino is widely used along the West Mississippi.
6. Hispanic denotes the cultures or countries that were colonized by the Spanish such as Mexico, Central America, and South America. Latin denotes the countries that were under Roman rule such as Italy, France, and Spain.