Demographics

Hispanics comprise large and diverse populations and usually identify with the country their family originated from. The Hispanic population is also referred to as Latino/Latina and by the latest term, Latinx. If a person identifies with Latina, Latino, or Latinx it means that they and/or their ancestors come from a Latin American country, including Mexico, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba, French-speaking Caribbean nations, or Central or South America regardless of race. Hispanic, on the other hand, describes all individuals born in, or who have descended from individuals born in Spanish-speaking countries. Among college students, for example, 36 percent identify as Latinx or Hispanic.

Today, Hispanics are the fastest-growing and the second-largest population in the United States. There are an estimated 63.7 million Hispanics in the US, which means that 1 in 5 people and 1 in 4 children are Hispanic. Hispanics now account for 51 percent of the country’s overall population growth (US Census Bureau, 2023). Mexicans comprise the largest group of Hispanics at about 37.4 percent, followed by Puerto Ricans at 5.9 percent of the US population, and another 3.2 million who live on the island of Puerto Rico. Other Hispanic populations with more than a million people include Salvadorans, Cubans, Dominicans, Guatemalans, Colombians, and Hondurans.

In Alabama, the Hispanic population has grown by nearly 4 percent or approximately 250,000 people since 2010.

Traditional Family Life

The Hispanic family is considered a very close-knit group and the most important social unit among this population. The term family (familia) usually goes beyond the nuclear family. The Hispanic family unit includes not only the parents and their children, but also the extended family, such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Furthermore, godfathers and godmothers, who may not necessarily be blood-related are also considered family members.

Traditionally, in most Hispanic families, the father is the head of the family and the mother is responsible for the home. Individuals within the family unit have a moral responsibility to aid other members of the family who may be experiencing financial difficulties, unemployment, poor health, or other pressing life issues.

Since family ties are very strong, for example, when someone in the family travels to another town, city, or even country for education or for a short visit (business, vacation, or medical reasons), staying with relatives or even with friends of relatives is a common practice.

Entire families and even friends of the family often gather to celebrate birthdays, baptisms, first communions, graduations, weddings, and holidays. Hispanic families instill in their children the importance of honor, dignity, pride, and respect for authority and the elderly. An example of the latter is the use of titles of respect before people’s first names such as Don or Doña.

Other Key Facts

• Preserving the Spanish language within the family unit is a common practice in most Hispanic homes; however, English is spoken more frequently. According to the Pew Research Center, 72 percent of Hispanics age 5 or older are proficient in English.
• As more Hispanics pursue higher education with 20 percent earning an undergrad degree, fewer Hispanics are living in poverty. The overall poverty rate has decreased from 34 to 20 percent.
• An estimated 29 million Hispanics comprise the labor force and that number is projected to reach 36 million by 2030.
• In addition, nearly 1 in 4 new businesses in the US are Hispanic-owned, contributing nearly 800 billion to the US economy.

The Hispanic population continues to increase and progress across the nation, setting new records of growth and prosperity.

Extension Programming

Alabama Extension offers several programs in Spanish regarding entrepreneurship, family and child development, health, and money management. Contact Juani Christian at (256) 582-2009.