Origins & History
Mestizos, sometimes broadly grouped as Hispanic Americans or Latin Americans, are peoples of mixed European (primarily Spanish or Portuguese) and Indigenous American descent, whose identity emerged following the colonization of the Americas beginning in the late 15th century. Over five centuries, mestizo populations became the demographic majority across much of Latin America.
Geographic Distribution
Mestizos and mixed-heritage Latin Americans number over 250 million people. Mexico has around 100 million mestizos (roughly 60 to 70 percent of the population), followed by Colombia (around 40 million), Venezuela (around 20 million), and significant majorities or pluralities in Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Paraguay, Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador.
Diaspora & Migration
The mestizo diaspora is enormous, particularly through migration to the United States. Around 60 million Hispanic Americans live in the United States, with the largest populations of Mexican descent in California, Texas, and Arizona. Growing communities also live in Spain, Canada, Italy, Japan, and elsewhere.
About This Map
This map reflects perceptions of mestizo and Hispanic American populations. Results may highlight both Latin America and the extensive Hispanic communities in the United States and beyond.
The map above shows crowd opinion, not official demographic data. Vote on the main map to contribute your own perception of where Mestizos / Hispanic-Americans populations live.