White Mexicans

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White Mexicans (Spanish: Mexicanos blancos) are individuals in Mexico who identify as white, often due to their physical appearance or their recognition of European ancestry.^{[8][failed verification]} The Mexican government conducts ethnic censuses that allow individuals to identify as "White,"^[9] but the specific results of these censuses are not made public. Instead, the government releases data on the percentage of "light-skinned Mexicans" in the country, with 12.5% of Mexican people surveyed choosing the three lightest shades in 2017.^[10] Using the same skin tone categories, a 2022 survey found that 10.2% chose the three lightest shades.^[11] The term "Light-skinned Mexican" is preferred by both the government and media to describe individuals in Mexico who possess European physical traits when discussing ethno-racial dynamics.^[12] However, "White Mexican" is still used at times.^{[13][14][15][16][17][18]}

Estimates of Mexico's white population vary significantly due to different methodologies and percentages. Unofficial sources such as the World Factbook, which base their estimates on the 1921 census results, suggest a white population of just 10% ^[19] However, the accuracy of the 1921 census results has been contested by historians and are considered inaccurate,^[20] with independent research in 2008 also suggesting that Mexicans may not identify in the way the 1921 census indicate.^[21] Other sources such as Encyclopædia Britannica do not give an exact percentage, albeit estimate it at about two-fifths of the population.^[2]

Surveys considering phenotypical traits and field research yield higher percentages of white Mexicans. For instance, one study using blond hair as a reference found that 23% of the Metropolitan Autonomous University of Mexico population could be classified as white.^[22] The American Sociological Association obtained a nationwide percentage of 18.8% using a similar method.^[23] Another study conducted by the University College London in collaboration with National Institute of Anthropology and History found that 18% of Mexicans had blond hair, and 28% had light eyes.^[24] Nationwide surveys from the National Council to Prevent Discrimination using skin color as a reference report percentages of 53.5% of the women and 39.4% of the men choosing the 3 lightest shades. ^[3]

The presence of Europeans in Mexico dates back to the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, and during the colonial period, most European immigration was Spanish. However, in the 19th and 20th centuries, significant waves of European and European-derived populations from North and South America immigrated to Mexico. This intermixing between European immigrants and Indigenous peoples resulted in the emergence of the Mestizo group, which became the majority of Mexico's population by the time of the Mexican Revolution.^[8]

Some scholars challenge this narrative, citing church and census records that indicate interracial unions in Mexico were rare among all groups.^[25][26] These records also dispute other academic narratives, such as the idea that European immigrants were predominantly male or that "pure Spanish" individuals formed a small elite. In fact, Spaniards were often the most numerous ethnic group in colonial cities^[27][28] and there were menial workers and people in poverty who were of full Spanish origin.^[26] There were also impoverished individuals of full Spanish origin.

In addition to White Mexicans and Indigenous populations, there is a group known as Mestizos who have varying degrees of European and Indigenous ancestry, with some having European genetic ancestry exceeding 90%.^[29] While genetic evidence suggests that most European immigrants to Mexico were male, and that the modern population of Mexico was primarily formed through the mixing of Spanish males and Native American females,^{[30][31][32][33]} how pronounced said gender asymmetry was varies considerably depending on the study. The Native American maternal contribution figures range from 90% to 59%,^[34] while research on the X chromosome shows less variation, with the reported Native American female contribution oscillating between 50%^[29] and 54%.^[35] The criteria for defining what constitutes a Mestizo varies from study to study, as in Mexico a large number of European-descended people have been historically classified as Mestizos. After the Mexican Revolution the Mexican government began defining ethnicity on cultural standards (mainly the language spoken) rather than racial ones.^[36]