American Culture New Student Orientation 2025

“Latin Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Spanish Americans” are terms that have been interchangeably used over the years to reference to Spanish speaking people in the U.S., in reality they are distinctive terms with slightly different denotations. The difference in meaning has more to do with the people’s ancestry and citizen status than on their spoken language. To make this distinction clear, Library of Congress (LC) has established a series of subject headings to represent each of these unique, but somewhat similar groups. The headings come in different categories and can be assigned as follows:

I. Ethnic groups/nationalities headings:

Latin Americans – Here are entered works on citizens of Latin American countries. This includes Mexico and the countries in Central America, Caribbean, and South America where Romance languages are predominantly spoken. This subject heading can be subdivided geographically.  

Latin Americans–United States – Here are entered works on citizens of Latin American countries in the United States. Cannot be subdivided geographically.

Hispanic Americans – Here are entered works on United States citizens of Latin American descent. Can be subdivided geographically.

Spanish Americans – Here are entered works on citizens or permanent residents of the United States who trace their heritage directly to Spain. Can be subdivided geographically.

Spanish Americans (Latin America) – For Spanish-speaking Latin Americans. Can be subdivided geographically.

Latinos/Latinx (cross-reference) – These terms are not established subject headings, but cross-references to the heading Hispanic Americans. They refer to theUnited States citizens of Latin American descent.