Multiracial people

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The terms multiracial people or mixed-race people refer to people who are of more than one race,^[1] and the terms multi-ethnic people or ethnically mixed people refer to people who are of more than one ethnicity.^[2][3] A variety of terms have been used both historically and presently for mixed-race people in a variety of contexts, including multiethnic, polyethnic, occasionally bi-ethnic, Métis, Muwallad,^[4] Melezi,^[5] Coloured, Dougla, half-caste, ʻafakasi, mestizo,^[6] mutt,^[7] Melungeon,^[8] quadroon,^[9] octoroon, sambo/zambo,^[10] Eurasian,^[11] hapa, hāfu, Garifuna, pardo, and Gurans. A number of these once-acceptable terms are now considered offensive, in addition to those that were initially coined for pejorative use.

Individuals of mixed-race backgrounds make up a significant portion of the population in many parts of the world. In North America, studies have found that the mixed-race population is continuing to grow. In many countries of Latin America, mestizos make up the majority of the population and in some others also mulattoes. In the Caribbean, mixed-race people officially make up the majority of the population in the Dominican Republic (73%), Aruba (68%), and Cuba (51%).^[12]