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Fri, 31 Oct, 2025
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Mestizo ( Portuguese, Mestiço; French, Métis: from Late Latin mixticius, from Latin mixtus, past participle of miscere, "to mix") is a term of Spanish origin used to designate the people of mixed European and indigenous non-European ancestry. The term has traditionally been applied mostly to those of mixed European and indigenous Amerindian ancestry who inhabit the region spanning the Americas; from the Canadian prairies in the north to Argentina and Chile's Patagonia in the south.In the other regions and countries previously under Spanish, Portuguese or French colonial rule, variants of the term may also be in usage for people of other colonial European and indigenous non-European (Asian, African, and Oceanianic, etc.) mixtures. In the Philippines, the term Mestiso, or Mistiso, is a generic reference to individuals of any non-specific foreign admixture to an ethnic Filipino base stock.
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Contents
The Americas
Asia
Africa
Trivia
Famous mestizos
The Americas - Contents
Hispanic America and Brazil
The Mestizo/Mestiço
 A representation of Mestizos in "Pintura de Castas" during the Latin American colonial period. "De español e india, produce mestizo" (Of a Spaniard and an Amerindian, produces a Mestizo).
Under the caste system of colonial Latin America and Spain, the term originally applied only to the children resulting from the union of one European and one Amerindian parent, or the children of two mestizo parents. During this era a myriad of other terms ( castizo, cuarterón de indio, cholo, etc.) were in use to denote other individuals of European/Amerindian ancestry in ratios smaller or greater than the 50:50 of mestizos. Today, mestizo refers to all people with discernible amounts of both European and Amerindian ancestry.Mestizos are thought to make up the majority of the populations of Chile1 (90%), Colombia (58%), Ecuador (65%), El Salvador (90%), Honduras2 (90%), Mexico2 (60%), Nicaragua (69%), Panama2 (70%), Paraguay (95%) and Venezuela (67%).In other American countries where mestizos do not constitute a majority, they nonetheless represent a significant portion of their populations; Argentina3 (approx. 13%), Belize (44%), Bolivia (30%), Peru (37%), and Uruguay3 (8%). In Brazil, mestiços are also commonly known as Caboclos, and they comprise approximately 12 %. In Costa Rica mestizos are combined with whites and accounted for as a single figure, together they are estimated at 94% of the population.
Porfirio Díaz Mori, President of Mexico from 1876 until 1911. Mexican mestizo of Spanish/ Mixtec ancestry.
Hispanic nations of the Caribbean are a peculiar case with respect to ancestry. At least in Puerto Rico - where broad U.S. census categories have disallowed the mixed ancestry of most Puerto Ricans to be officially acknowledged - the population has been said to comprise a White majority, an extinct Amerindian population, persons of mixed ancestry, Africans and a small Asian minority. However, recent genetic research has revealed matrilineal Native American ancestry in roughly 61% of the population and patrilineal European ancestry in 75%, thus technically deeming most to be mestizos. An overwhelming majority of Puerto Rican citizens, however, simply define themselves as "Puerto Rican", placing greater importance to national-ethnic identity rather than racial categorization.In Mexico and Peru, mestizo has also come to be used as a cultural label. In a cultural context, people are considered indígena (Amerindian) if they live following their traditional ways of life (clothing, customs and indigenous languages), otherwise they are also deemed mestizo, what in Central America would be called ladino. Additionally, in the Mexican case, most of the Afro-Mexican minority would also simply identify as mestizo, rather than black, mulatto or zambo, by virtue of their cultural traits rather than their ancestry. These cultural implications of "mestizo" can result in an overcount of the population - in the Mexican case, as high as 80% according to some sources - which would otherwise be mestizo on a racial level. Also, race is not recorded by the Mexican nor Peruvian census, so that any calculations performed by government bodies or independent agencies are always estimates.Furthermore, though Cuba and the Dominican Republic are recorded as primarily mulatto nations, evidence of Amerindian bloodlines exists and traces of indigenous Taino culture are ubiquitous.Mestizos from Hispanic America in Europe
The first mestizos of whom there is verified evidence of having set foot on European soil are the grandchildren of Moctezuma II, Aztec emperor of Mexico, whose royal descent the Spanish crown acknowledged. Of this family, the most infamous descendants are the Counts of Miravalle, in Andalucía, Spain, who even today demand the payment of the so called "Moctezuma pensions" by the Mexican government. The interest alone of said pensions would suffice for every single one of Moctezuma's modern descendants to live comfortable and luxurious lives.Martín Cortés, son of the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés and of the Náhuatl- Maya indigenous Mexican interpreter Malinche, in fact arrived first, however, he was exiled from Spain as punishment for leading a rebellion.From Peru also arrived the mestizo historian known as Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, son of conquistador Sebastián Garcilaso de la Vega and of the inca princess Isabel Chimpo Oclloun. He lived in the town of Montilla, in Andalucía, where he died in 1616.Starting from the early 1970s and throughout all of the 1980s, Europe saw the arrival of thousands of Chilean mestizos seeking political refuge during the dictatorial government of Augusto Pinochet. Today, there is a growing number of mestizo immigrants in Western Europe, primarily from Ecuador and Colombia.
Canada
The Métis
Métis woman in Saskatchewan, Canada.
In Canada, the Métis are regarded as an independent ethnic group. This community of descent consists of individuals descended from marriages of First Nation women—specifically Cree, Ojibway and Saulteaux—to French Canadian and British employees of the Hudson's Bay Company. Their history dates to the mid-seventeenth century, and they have been recognized as a people since the early eighteenth.Their territory roughly includes the 3 Prairie provinces ( Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan), parts of Ontario, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, as well as, parts of the northern United States (i.e. North Dakota, Montana).Traditionally, the Métis spoke a mixed language called Michif (with various regional dialects). Michif (a phonetic spelling of the Métis pronunciation of Métif, a variant of Métis) is also used as the name of the Métis people. The name is most commonly applied to descendants of communities in what is now southern Manitoba. The name is also applied to the descendants of similar communities in what are now Ontario, Quebec, Labrador and the Northwest Territories, although these groups' histories are different from that of the western Métis.Estimates of the number of Métis vary from 300,000 to 700,000 or more. In September 2002, the Métis people adopted a national definition of Métis for citizenship within the "Métis Nation". Based on this definition, it is estimated that there are 350,000 to 400,000 Métis Nation citizens in Canada. Many Métis classify as Métis anyone who can prove that an ancestor applied for money scrip or land scrip as part of nineteenth-century treaties with the Canadian government.The Métis are not recognized as a First Nation by the Canadian government and do not receive the benefits granted to First Nations (see Indian Act). However, the new Canadian constitution of 1982 recognizes the Métis as an Aboriginal people and has enabled individual Métis to sue successfully for recognition of their traditional rights, such as rights to hunt and trap. In 2003, a court ruling in Ontario found that the Métis deserve the same rights as other aboriginal communities in Canada.
The United States
"Mixed-Bloods" and Mestizos
 The infant Jean Baptiste Charbonneau depicted on the U.S. dollar coin with his mother, Sacagawea.
In the United States the term "mixed-blood" is more often employed for non-Hispanic individuals of mixed European and Native American ancestry, while mestizo is the term of choice for Hispanic individuals (whether U.S.-born or immigrant) of that same mixed ancestry.Of the Mexican Americans who have lived in the Southwestern United States for several generations prior to annexation and incorporation of that region into the United States - previously a part of Mexico - many classify themselves as mestizo, particularly those who also identify as Chicano. See also Tejanos.Of the over 40 million Hispanics in the United States, around half are said to be mestizos. The high birth rate among Hispanics in the United States is mostly attributed to mestizos. An additional 48% of Hispanics racially identify as White, though of these many may also possess at least some Amerindian ancestry.Renowned mixed-blooded persons in United States' history are many. One such example is Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, who guided the Mormon Battalion from New Mexico to the city of San Diego in California in 1846, and then accepted an appointment there as alcalde of Mission San Luis Rey. His father, Toussaint Charbonneau, was a French Canadian interpreter, and his mother Sacagawea was the Shoshone guide of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. He can be found depicted on the United States dollar coin along with his mother, Sacagawea.A more contemporary mixed-blood U.S personality includes internationally acclaimed actor Johnny Depp. Depp is of Cherokee, English and German ancestry. Meanwhile, an internationally known U.S. mestizo is boxing champion Oscar de la Hoya.The group of Americans in the Appalachia region known as Melungeons are another mixed-race population. See also Passing.
Asia - Contents
The Philippines
The Mestiso
 Chinese-mestizo José Rizal, national hero of the Philippines.
During the early colonial period of the Philippines, the term originally referred only to those of mixed Filipino and Spanish or Mexican ancestry. However, the term soon became generic and synonymous for "mixed race". With the Chinese presence in the Philippines always being numerically greater than that of Spaniards or Mexicans, individuals of mixed Filipino and Chinese ancestry became more prevalent than those of Filipino and Spanish or Filipino and Mexican descent.The term has since been freely used to refer to all Filipinos of mixed ancestry, irrespective of racial combination or ratio, but typically including an ethnic Filipino base stock. The combined number of all types of mestisos constitute no more than 2% of the entire Filipino population. Of that 2%, less than half are of the Spanish variety. A recent genetic study by Stanford University, however, indicates that 3.6% of the population has at least some European ancestry. See also Demographics of the Philippines and Ethnic groups of the Philippines.Modern categories of Filipino mestisos include the already mentioned Spanish-mestisos and Chinese-mestisos, as well as Japanese-mestisos (those of mixed Filipino and Japanese descent) and American-mestisos (those of mixed Filipino and American4 descent), et cetera. Those of a mixture of Filipino with another North Asian ancestry may also be commonly referred to as "Chinito/a" (diminutive of Chino/a; Chinese), though this would more correctly be applied only to those mestisos of Chinese descent. Other terms denoting Chinese-mestisos include Sangley and the vernacular "Tsinoy".Furthermore, in Filipino usage, the term is often regarded a synonym of "beauty", and is also employed to denote any unmixed Filipino of a lighter skin complexion, especially when used in its vernacular form of "Tisoy", a backformation of [mes]TISOY.Mestiso ascendancy
In contrast to Latin America, where mestizos ( European/ Amerindian) quickly came to comprise the majority of the population, in the Philippines the combined number of all types of Filipino-mestisos never accounted for more than 2% of a population which - apart from a Chinese and Spanish minority which numbered fewer than the mestisos - was mainly and predominantly native Filipino. Upon the retreat of Spain and Mexico at the end of colonial occupation, people of mestiso ancestry were able to position themselves at the top of a caste-based social structure which the Spanish had previously established and dominated. As a result, mestisos held the greatest governing influence in the country, almost absolute control of commerce and industry, and an excessively disproportionate share of wealth.Conversely, their Latino mestizo counterparts - who by then comprised the common majority of Latin America - possessed little governing influence, lived at subsistence levels, and were ruled by a well-established Criollo population (locally-born people of pure Spanish ancestry) that was to remain in power. In essence, the absence of a post-colonial Spanish Creole presence in the Philippines allowed the small minority of Filipino-mestizos to fill the roles vacated by the Spanish Creoles — unlike the situation in Latin America, where the Spanish Creoles had by that time formed a relatively large population.
 Spanish-mestisa Isabel Preysler in her youth.
 Spanish-mestisa Lalaine Vergara in a recent press release photo.
During the late 19th century, Filipino mestisos initiated most movements and revolts against Spain. One such movement lead by the national hero of the Philippines, Chinese-mestiso José Rizal, was the Propaganda Movement. Although these movements failed to achieve their intended goals, Filipino mestisos also initiated the calls for Filipino revolt and, with the aid of the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War, subsequently achieved independence. In the 1899 Constitution of Malolos, they instituted Spanish as the official language of the Philippines despite it never being spoken by more than 10% of the total population. However, it was scrapped as an official language in the 1973 Constitution under the Marcos administration, and as a college requirement in 1987 during the Aquino administration.By the time the Philippines had gained independence from Spain, Filipino mestisos had placed themselves as the fundamental role players in the founding of the modern Philippine government, and in the majority of its key positions. The first president of the First Philippine Republic, Emilio Aguinaldo, was a Chinese-mestiso, while the next and first president of the Philippine Commonwealth, Manuel L. Quezón, was a Spanish-mestiso, and the next president, Sergio Osmeña, was another Chinese-mestiso, etc. Today, despite constituting one of the smallest minorities, mestisos continue to hold a monopoly over the country’s economic and corrupt oligarchic political systems.Spanish-mestisos have long constituted the great majority of the upper class and rarely intermingle with those outside their ethnic group. Today, a great majority are either in politics or are high-ranking executives of commerce and industry and hold great control over the country's economy. An almost equally large number are also members of the entertainment industry, which they have saturated disproportionately. The biased favouritism responsible for their overwhelming presence in film and television is deeply-rooted on established Filipino "ideals of beauty" that stem from colonial concepts, and which are determined based on the possession of partial European ancestry. See also: Colonial mentality.Chinese-mestisos also form part of both the upper and middle classes. Most are successful and prosperous business people, and also highly involved in the running of the country. Some are also in the entertainment industry.Two famous Spanish-mestisas residing outside of the Philippines are Isabel Preysler, in her youth a stunningly beautiful model in Spain, mother of pop singer Enrique Iglesias and ex-wife of Spanish music legend Julio Iglesias; and Lalaine Vergara, more commonly known for playing "Miranda Sánchez" (a Mexican-American character) on Disney Channel's highly-rated show, Lizzie McGuire.
East Timor
The Mestiço
In the former Portuguese colony of East Timor, the term mestiço applied to those of mixed native East Timorese and Portuguese ancestry. They form a tiny (>1%) but economically and politically important minority.Mestiço ascendancy
Much like the mestiso minority in the Philippines, the East Timorese mestiço minority typically comprises most of the small privileged upper and upper-middle classes, sorrounded by a mass of impoverished unmixed natives.From Indonesia's invasion of the country on December 7th, 1975 - just a week after East Timor's unilateral declaration of independence from Portugal on November 28 - Timorese movements for independence from Indonesia were also largely headed by Portuguese-speaking mestiço activists.Mirroring post-independence Philippine history, following the end of Indonesia's occupation in 1999, many of the mestiço independence activists moved in to form much of the East Timorese government. Portuguese was also instituted as the nation's official language despite also being spoken by less than 10% of the population at that time.Current prominent East Timorese mestiços include president Xanana Gusmão and foreign minister José Ramos Horta, among many others.
China
Macau
In the former Portuguese colony of Macau - a small territory on the southern coast of China, previously the oldest European colony in China, dating to the 16th century - the name mestiço was applied to those of mixed Portuguese and Chinese ancestry. They form a small but relatively affluent minority of Macau's population (<5%), and are also known locally as Macanese.Broadly, "Macanese"refers to all permanent residents of Macau, more narrowly it refers to the mixed-race community, the Macanese people. Macanese may also refer to their Macanese language (Patuá or Macaista Chapado), which is almost extinct. They are typically a prosperous class.Many Macanese mestiços immigrated to Portugal when sovereignty over Macau was transferred to the People's Republic of China in 1999, and Macau became a Special Administrative Region of the PRC. Some also immigrated to the United States ( California), Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Peru.
India
Goa
In Goa - formely Portuguese India - mestiço was applied to those of mixed Portuguese and Indian ancestry. Though their European lineage is not English, they are often called Anglo Indians, as a result of the legal definition of that latter term encompassing persons "whose father or any of whose other male progenitors in the male line is or was of European descent..."
Africa - Contents
Portuguese-speaking Africa
São Tomé & Príncipe and Cape Verde
 President of São Tomé and Príncipe, Fradique de Menezes.
Prior to Portuguese exploration and settlemenment of both São Tomé and Príncipe and Cape Verde, these islands were all uninhabited.In both countries, the great majority of their current populations descend from the mixing of the Portuguese that initially settled the islands from the 1400's onwards and the black Africans they abducted from the African mainland to work as slaves - mostly from Benin, Gabon, and the Congo.Of São Tomé & Prícipe's 137,500 inhabitants, seventy-one percent are defined as mestiços, and another 71 % of the population of Cape Verde is also classified as such.Currently, the most prominent and internationally known mestiço of São Tomé and Príncipe is president Fradique de Menezes.Angola and Mozambique
In the other two Portuguese-speaking African countries - Angola and Mozambique - mestiço is also used to describe people of mixed European and native African ancestry ( Mulatto).In both countries they constitute small, but important minorities under 2 %.French-speaking Africa
Métis (feminine Métisse) in French-speaking Africa is used to describe people of mixed European and native African ancestry.In any French-speaking Africa country in which métis may be found, they constitute tiny minorities (<1%).
Trivia - Contents
The sixth book of the popular Harry Potter series, " Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" was supposed to be titled "Harry Potter y el Príncipe Mestizo" in Spanish speaking countries, a translation which introduces connotations beyond the original meaning of the title in English.It finally will be titled "Harry Potter y el misterio del Principe", or "Harry Potter and Mystery of the Prince" attending to the publisher Company last minute decision.
Famous mestizos - Contents
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Porfirio Díaz, Mexican president and dictator
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"El Inca" Garcilaso de la Vega, Peruvian poet, writer and historian
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Xanana Gusmão, president of East Timor
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Julio Jaramillo, Ecuadorian folk singer
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Jennifer López, Puerto Rican descended American actress and singer
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Diego Maradona, Argentinian soccer player
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Mario Moreno (aka Cantinflas), renowned Mexican comedian and actor
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Marcelo Ríos, Chilean tennis player
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José Rizal, national hero of the Philippines
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Thalía Sodi, (aka Thalía), Mexican actress and singer
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Mercedes Sosa, Argentinian folk singer
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