Hispanics now the largest demographic in Texas per Census estimate (Houston: pit bulls, cities)

[yadigggski]

Originally Posted by SanJac

The main purpose of the U.S. Census is not to collect demographic information. I'm not sure what all you Hispanics are complaining about. You ARE Hispanic aren't you? It doesn't matter if you speak the Spanish language or not. It doesn't matter if you are light-skinned, brown-skinned, or Black-skinned. It's in your DNA. Accept your heritage and move on. Be proud of it.

Huh? I'm not hispanic and apparently a lot of other commenters aren't either.

My point was I think it's misleading to be labeled as something because you checked a box when the reality is a lot of the time there's more depth to it. Again, in San Antonio, a LOT of people are mixed White/Hispanic or even mixed Black/Hispanic. Not sure what the latter gets classified as, but for example, people that are 80% White and 20% Hispanic getting marked down by the census "Hispanic" is misleading. Just my 2 cents.

I think if they're going to categorize races/ethnicities, they should do White/Hispanic/Black/Asian (Only) and then have a more thorough way to categorize people that are mixed.

As far as the Filipino part goes, that's true too. My cousins are half Filipino/White and have a Spanish surname. They look more Hispanic than Asian too. Not sure what they get categorized as.

[supfromthesite]

Originally Posted by brock2010

You bring up good points. This is off topic but are Filipinos considered Latin or Hispanic? A lot have Spanish surnames and were colonized by Spain and many are mixed with European (Spanish).

Filipinos are considered Asian but some of them like to be called Pacific Islanders for some reason (maybe to distinguish themselves from other Asians)?

Lots of Filipinos came here when their country was a Us colony so this is why they are often more “Americanized”.

I don’t think many Filipinos speak Spanish. The ones in my family don’t. They look much more favorably upon Americans than Spanish people.

From what I know, I think the Spanish gave them names, but they aren’t actual Spanish names, they are Spanish sounding. The Filipinos in my family have a name that sounds Spanish but it is not an actual last name used anywhere besides in the Philippines. It’s pretty interesting actually.

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Originally Posted by supfromthesite

Filipinos are considered Asian but some of them like to be called Pacific Islanders for some reason (maybe to distinguish themselves from other Asians)?

Because it’s a matter of opinion

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Originally Posted by supfromthesite

From what I know, I think the Spanish gave them names, but they aren’t actual Spanish names, they are Spanish sounding. The Filipinos in my family have a name that sounds Spanish but it is not an actual last name used anywhere besides in the Philippines. It’s pretty interesting actually.

Not true. Filipino surnames are often 100% Spanish last names. I.e. Rodriguez.

When I first learned to speak their language, I was shocked at how many Spanish words they incorporated into the Filipino languages and dialects.

[supfromthesite]

Originally Posted by yadigggski

Huh? I'm not hispanic and apparently a lot of other commenters aren't either.

My point was I think it's misleading to be labeled as something because you checked a box when the reality is a lot of the time there's more depth to it. Again, in San Antonio, a LOT of people are mixed White/Hispanic or even mixed Black/Hispanic. Not sure what the latter gets classified as, but for example, people that are 80% White and 20% Hispanic getting marked down by the census "Hispanic" is misleading. Just my 2 cents.

I think if they're going to categorize races/ethnicities, they should do White/Hispanic/Black/Asian (Only) and then have a more thorough way to categorize people that are mixed.

As far as the Filipino part goes, that's true too. My cousins are half Filipino/White and have a Spanish surname. They look more Hispanic than Asian too. Not sure what they get categorized as.

Is it a last name used in Spain and former colonies? Maybe some of them do have actual Spanish names.

I’m not sure what you mean by looking more Hispanic than Asian. In a sense Filipinos look sort of like American Indians more than Chinese, if that’s what you mean. Very few Filipinos have more than a tiny amount of Spanish dna. I think on average they have more Chinese than Spanish dna because there were a decent amount of Chinese that used to live there.

Latin Americans on the other hand are anywhere from 20-90% Spanish. Mexicans are on average half and half. Some of the Central Americans are more like 10-30% Spanish. Argentinians and Uruguayans are almost completely European, mostly Spanish and Italian.

As far as white/Hispanic mixed people they can pretty much choose what they want to be called. I always put down Hispanic and I’m 1/4 Hispanic. My ex was half and she would put white non Hispanic lol. So it’s sort of a case by case basis. There’s no “getting marked down as” anything, you can literally say whatever you want. If you are black and want to put down you are white on the census there is nothing stopping you. The census taker HAS to put down whatever you tell them.

[supfromthesite]

Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag

Not true. Filipino surnames are often 100% Spanish last names. I.e. Rodriguez.

When I first learned to speak their language, I was shocked at how many Spanish words they incorporated into the Filipino languages and dialects.

The 3 Filipino names of people I know very well all are Spanish sounding but are not found outside of the Philippines. I wonder if the ones with common names have Spanish paternal ancestry, or what the de is with this discrepancy.

Side note: some common Hispanic names that are found in texas but not in Mexico or the rest of Latin America are because they are the names of the original Spanish colonists that settled here. There are lots in San Antonio and the rest of south texas and I’m sure by now they exist in other parts of texas with people moving to different cities and perhaps even common outside of texas. I’m sure there are some common names in New Mexico that are like this as well.

[supfromthesite]

While we are on the topic of Filipinos they were actually the first Asians that settled in America. There was a community that settled the marshlands near New Orleans in at least the early 19th century (probably the 18th century). They intermarried with local Indian and Cajun groups. Many south Louisianans are descended from these people today and have a trace of southeast Asian blood because of this. Here’s an article that talks about it.

https://www.history.com/.amp/news/fi...lipino-st-malo

[SanJac]

Originally Posted by supfromthesite

The 3 Filipino names of people I know very well all are Spanish sounding but are not found outside of the Philippines. I wonder if the ones with common names have Spanish paternal ancestry, or what the de is with this discrepancy.

Side note: some common Hispanic names that are found in texas but not in Mexico or the rest of Latin America are because they are the names of the original Spanish colonists that settled here. There are lots in San Antonio and the rest of south texas and I’m sure by now they exist in other parts of texas with people moving to different cities and perhaps even common outside of texas. I’m sure there are some common names in New Mexico that are like this as well.

Filipinos I know identify themselves as Asian. Yes, there are some similarities with Spanish words. For example, I think they call their uncles "Tito" and in Spanish it is "Tio."

What are examples of Hispanic names that are found in Texas but not Mexico or the rest of Latin America? Hidalgo was a common Spanish name back in the day. I'm curious what others you have identified.

[ParaguaneroSwag]

I also used to think the Filipino languages had only few similarities with Spanish. Until I began to learn the language. Even many essential structural Filipino words (can, but, etc) are identical to the Spanish counterpart. You can’t understand Tagalog/Visayas/etc just by knowing Spanish but a very large amount fully translate.

[supfromthesite]

Originally Posted by SanJac

Filipinos I know identify themselves as Asian. Yes, there are some similarities with Spanish words. For example, I think they call their uncles "Tito" and in Spanish it is "Tio."

What are examples of Hispanic names that are found in Texas but not Mexico or the rest of Latin America? Hidalgo was a common Spanish name back in the day. I'm curious what others you have identified.

I should have clarified. I would guess most of these names are found in Mexico but they seem to be more common among Hispanics in south texas than in Mexico. I didn’t mean to imply that nobody in Latin America has these names.

Tejano names:
Garza
Cantu
Chapa
Trevino
Guajardo
Canales
Longoria
Medina
Deleon or de Leon