Creole (people)

Creole (people), term first used in the 16th century in Latin America to distinguish the offspring of European settlers from those born elsewhere and from Native Americans. In colonial America the designation originally applied to any American-born descendant of a non-native person. The term—a French word believed to come from the Spanish criollo, which means “native”—has since acquired varying meanings in different regions and periods of history.

By the 19th century Creoles were generally classified into two groups: white Creoles and Creoles of color. White Creoles were the descendants of early French, Spanish, or German settlers. Creoles of color were of mixed African and European heritage. Historically, Creoles of color differentiated themselves from African Americans, although the two cultures have integrated somewhat over time. Today, Creoles of color are sometimes known as Afro-Creoles.

In the United States, the state of Louisiana has a large and diverse Creole population. The Creoles of Louisiana are most often characterized as a group of mixed-race, French-speaking, and Roman Catholic people. They have their own culture and customs and even a composite language (see Creole language) derived from French.

In Latin America the term Creole may refer to people of exclusively Spanish heritage or to members of families whose ancestry can be traced to the colonial period. In the West Indies the word Creole is used to identify descendants of any European settlers.