The terms "Hispanic" and "Latino" refer to ethnicity, culture, and identity. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, "Hispanic" is an ethnicity and not a race, and Hispanics can be of any race. The term "Latino" and its variations refer to a person with origins from anywhere in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) defines "Hispanic or Latino" as a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race.

It is important to note that the terms "Hispanic" and "Latino" are not interchangeable, and some people from these communities have complex feelings about what term(s) they prefer. The terms are based on shared culture rather than skin color. The Census Bureau estimates that there were roughly 63.7 million Hispanics in the U.S. as of 2022, making up 19% of the nations population.