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I've recently became interested in immigration from a long time ago.
I've heard various things of Mexico though, so that's why I'm asking. Some sites say that people of this descent make 15,000, then I see one that says 850,000 or 1 million. Even 13,000,000(of descent or partial descent).
so that's why I'm confused. I've read that lots of Mexicans of say German, French etc. descent changed their surname to a Spanish one to avoid discrimination or to fit in more, so a lot of Mexicans have Spanish surname when they're supposed to not have one. That this surname became this and all that stuff.
I've heard that Argentina is super white, but I've been on social media sites of Argentineans and kept clicking on their friends accounts. I thought I would keep finding non-Spanish surnames, but I only found like 2. And supposedly half of Argentina is of Italian descent, not to mention all the German and French there. Could Argentina just be exaggerating their real number of European descent people? I did hear that they did promote whiteness, while Mexico promoted mixing instead, and that a lot of white Mexicans don't identify as white or even think of themselves as white? I've witnessed this actually.
I just wanna know more about this. I'm not Latin America or live in Latin America so I'm not very knowledgeable about this.
I've recently became interested in immigration from a long time ago.
I've heard various things of Mexico though, so that's why I'm asking. Some sites say that people of this descent make 15,000, then I see one that says 850,000 or 1 million. Even 13,000,000(of descent or partial descent).
so that's why I'm confused. I've read that lots of Mexicans of say German, French etc. descent changed their surname to a Spanish one to avoid discrimination or to fit in more, so a lot of Mexicans have Spanish surname when they're supposed to not have one. That this surname became this and all that stuff.
I've heard that Argentina is super white, but I've been on social media sites of Argentineans and kept clicking on their friends accounts. I thought I would keep finding non-Spanish surnames, but I only found like 2. And supposedly half of Argentina is of Italian descent, not to mention all the German and French there. Could Argentina just be exaggerating their real number of European descent people? I did hear that they did promote whiteness, while Mexico promoted mixing instead, and that a lot of white Mexicans don't identify as white or even think of themselves as white? I've witnessed this actually.
I just wanna know more about this. I'm not Latin America or live in Latin America so I'm not very knowledgeable about this.
The answer is complex, and you won't really get exact numbers for the various ethnic groups/ancestries in Mexico like you would in the U.S.A., due to both a different way both countries do their census and how the people self identify. For example, most Mexicans, despite their ancestry, simply identify as 'Mexican' and consider themselves part of the mainstream mestizo culture that is a lot more inclusive than the Anglo WASP culture promoted in the US, and that has lead to a division of 'Americans' along ancestral lines (German-Americans, Mexican-Americans, Italian-Americans, African-Americans etc).
My point is that people on here might be able to give you some estimations/approximations, but nothing that might actually be accurate to the actual reality on the ground.
For example, my surname is French, but I definitely don't consider myself a French Mexican. No one in my family does, even though we can trace our roots back to a particular region in France (Nord-Pas-De-Calais). I also have Japanese, Eastern European and Native Mexican ancestry. My mixed heritage might seem interesting to Americans, especially those unaware of Mexico's diversity, but it isn't that unique within Mexico itself. To a lot of Americans, I also come off looking Southern European, and some of my friends (especially the Italians) insist that I am as "white" as they are and can easily be their cousin/sibling, BUT it isn't about appearance as much as it is about heritage and culture. Skin color in Mexico is used more like a descriptor (like hair color) than to assign a race. Mexicans just see themselves as Mexicans.
There is a really cool series (which is in Spanish only, unfortunately) about the various immigrant groups to Mexico called "Los que llegaron" (Those that arrived). Most of it you can find on youtube. Here are some:
I've recently became interested in immigration from a long time ago.
I've heard various things of Mexico though, so that's why I'm asking. Some sites say that people of this descent make 15,000, then I see one that says 850,000 or 1 million. Even 13,000,000(of descent or partial descent).
so that's why I'm confused. I've read that lots of Mexicans of say German, French etc. descent changed their surname to a Spanish one to avoid discrimination or to fit in more, so a lot of Mexicans have Spanish surname when they're supposed to not have one. That this surname became this and all that stuff.
I've heard that Argentina is super white, but I've been on social media sites of Argentineans and kept clicking on their friends accounts. I thought I would keep finding non-Spanish surnames, but I only found like 2. And supposedly half of Argentina is of Italian descent, not to mention all the German and French there. Could Argentina just be exaggerating their real number of European descent people? I did hear that they did promote whiteness, while Mexico promoted mixing instead, and that a lot of white Mexicans don't identify as white or even think of themselves as white? I've witnessed this actually.
I just wanna know more about this. I'm not Latin America or live in Latin America so I'm not very knowledgeable about this.
Mexico population around 120 Million
Majority of Mexicans are Mestizo about 80% of the population and this is why most have Spanish surnames.
2nd largest group is White Mexicans about 9% to 11% of the population or about 20 Million but about half of them have Amerindian ancestry to some degree.
Next largest group is full Amerindian Mexicans 5.8% of the Mexican populaiton.
Most Mexicans are of Spanish descent. Some are mixed with Native Americans, others are mixed with Native Americans and African ancestry, others are mixed with other ancestries, and others are purely of Spanish descent; but most have ancestors they can trace to somewhere in Europe, especially Spain.
In the following map are the results of the genetic input in the average Mexican based on each Mexican state. As can be clearly seen, in most places of Mexico, the typical Mexican has a considerable amount of European genes in their DNA and in quite a few states the average Mexican is of mostly European ancestry. The one thing that jumps out of the map is that the average Mexican regardless of the state has European ancestry mixed in.
Most Mexicans are of Spanish descent. Some are mixed with Native Americans, others are mixed with Native Americans and African ancestry, others are mixed with other ancestries, and others are purely of Spanish descent; but most have ancestors they can trace to somewhere in Europe, especially Spain.
In the following map are the results of the genetic input in the average Mexican based on each Mexican state. As can be clearly seen, in most places of Mexico, the typical Mexican has a considerable amount of European genes in their DNA and in quite a few states the average Mexican is of mostly European ancestry. The one thing that jumps out of the map is that the average Mexican regardless of the state has European ancestry mixed in.
I question that bottom map because Southern Mexico should be a lot more Green and less Red. It can't be the same as Northern Mexico because this has always been talk about the difference between the North and the South of Mexico.
Majority of Mexicans are Mestizo about 80% of the population and this is why most have Spanish surnames.
2nd largest group is White Mexicans about 9% to 11% of the population or about 20 Million but about half of them have Amerindian ancestry to some degree.
Next largest group is full Amerindian Mexicans 5.8% of the Mexican populaiton.
1.2% Asian population
1% Afro Mexican population.
1% Other
I'd take self-reports with a grain of salt. The studies about race are pretty much misleading If we take in account that people will identify with what is perceived as ideal or positive by certain society.
I've been a few times to mexico and there is no way that 9-11% of mexicans are of fully european ancestry.
If the figures would reach the 5% mark I'd be fully surprised.
Also Amerindian in mexico is much more than being of entirely or overwhelming native ancestry, Its about living like a native american, knowing the language and feeling part of the ancestral culture. There are tons of pure or overwhelmingly native ancestry who are culturally westernized and who consider themselves to be mixed/mmestizo.
My estimation for mexico would be:
White: 5% (only 1-2 % if you count those who are of 100% european ancestry)
MEstizo/mixed: 50-55% (typical mexicans with both notably amounts of european and native ancesry)
Native/Amerindian: 40% People with dominant or overwhelmingly native american ancestry/physical traits.
Other : 1%
Last edited by MickBlue; 11-06-2014 at 04:25 PM..
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