Spanish Filipinos

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Spanish Filipinos
Hispano Filipinos

Total population
History Spanish colonial statistics: 5% of the Philippine population during the 1700s. Present 2007-2024 statistics: 672,319 Hispanic Filipino diaspora worldwide.
Regions with significant populations
Diaspora
Spain	200,000 (2018 census)
Mexico	200,000 (2007)
Australia	128,693 (2021 census)
United States	0.4% (2021 census)
Puerto Rico	91,620 (2014 census)
Canada	41,575 (2021 census)
Latin America	5,479 (2024 census)
Philippines	4,952 (2020 census)
Languages
Spanish (Philippine • Castilian) Spanish creole (Chavacano) English (Philippine, (Konyo)) Filipino (Tagalog • Indigenous Philippine languages)
Religion
Christianity • Roman Catholic
Related ethnic groups
Spanish diaspora (Basque diaspora) • Latin Americans • other Filipinos (including Filipino Mestizos)

Spanish diaspora

Flag of the Hispanic people
Regions with significant populations
Metro Manila, Bais City, Dumaguete City, Zamboanga City, Cebu City, Vigan, Iloilo City, Bauang
Languages
Spanish (Philippine), Filipino, other Philippine languages, English (Konyo) and Chavacano
Religion
Roman Catholic

Spanish Filipino or Hispanic Filipino (Spanish: Español Filipino, Hispano Filipino, Tagalog: Kastílang Pilipino, Cebuano: Katsílà) are people of Spanish and Filipino heritage. The term includes all individuals of Spanish descent in the Philippines, including criollos and mestizos who identify with Spanish culture, history and language.

According to the 2020 Philippine census, 4,952 individual citizens self-identified as ethnically Spanish in the Philippines.

Forming a small part of the Spanish diaspora, the heritage of Spanish Filipinos may come recently from Spain, from descendants of the earlier Spanish settlers during the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines, or from Spain's viceroyalties in Hispanic America, such as Mexico, whose capital Mexico City held administrative power over the captaincy general of the Philippines in the colonial era.

Many of their communities in Spain, the Americas, Australia, and the Philippines trace their origin to the early settlers from Europe and Mexico during the Spanish colonial period as well as native populations of Southeast Asia, and in recent overseas migration in the 1900s.

In the Philippines depending on the specific provinces, in the late 1700s to early 1800s they formed as much as 19% in the capital city of Manila at formerly named Tondo province,^: 539 and about 1.38% of the Ilocos region,^: 31 2.17% of Cebu^: 113 or 16.72% of Bataan^: 539 and other parts of the country.

It is a common misconception that the word "Filipino" only referred to the Spanish population that settled in the Philippines during the colonial period. But in his book Barangay, the American historian William Henry Scott wrote that, though the Spaniards called the natives of the islands they named Filipinas, indios, ". . . when it was necessary to distinguish the indios of the Philippines from those of the Americas, they were called Filipinos. So Pedro Chirino’s 1604 Relación has a chapter on “The food and terms of course and food manners of the Filipinos” (Chirino 1604, 36), and Juan Francisco de San Antonio devotes a chapter of his 1738 Crónicas to “The letters, languages, and politeness of the Philipinos” (San Antonio 1738, 140), . . . In short, the people of the Philippines were called Filipinos when they were practicing their own culture — or, to put it another way, before they became indios”. He later on explains the misconception: “In the nineteenth century, Spaniards born in the colony began to be called Españoles filipinos to distinguish them from Spaniards born in Spain, a designation which was logically contracted to Filipinos when speaking of Spaniards. . . Sinibaldo de Mas (1843, 138) in his 1842 population estimates, more neutrally divides Spaniards and Filipinos into the following categories — Filipinos (indios), Espanoles filipinos, and Españoles europeos. “Indio filipino” was just how Francisco Suárez signed himself a century before when he engraved a portrait of Philip V for Pedro Murillo Velarde’s 1743 Cusus Juris Canonici (frontispiece), and native Filipinos were still using the term in the next century. As Jose Rizal (1887,111) said of the Philippine community in Madrid, “Creoles, Mestizos and Malays, we simply call ourselves Filipinos.” Furthermore, a manuscript prepared by Filipinas Royal Commissioner Don Sinibaldo de Mas, which was published in Madrid in 1843, referred to the natives as ‘filipinos’ who "originated in Borneo" and "believed in a powerful God they called Bathala Maykapal". de Mas furthermore iterated that the Spaniards "improperly" called the natives indios/Indians, and that there were many inhabitants in the islands who "passed as Filipinos and paid tribute", though they had European ancestry.

Spaniards, Latin Americans and Spanish-speaking Filipinos were referred to by native Filipinos as "Kastila", a word for "Castilian" which means the region and language of Castile.

Filipinos of Spanish backgrounds numbered at about 4,952 people, while Mestizo Filipinos of mixed native Filipino and European ancestry made up about 5% of the Philippines' population during the 1700s.

The abrupt decline of Spanish Filipinos as a percentage of the population is due to the events of the Philippine Revolution during the Philippine Republic in the late 1800s, as Filipinos of Spanish heritage choose to identify themselves as native Filipino, as part of establishing a united national identity in the country, or some have relocated back to Spain, or have migrated to other countries during that period.

During and after the second phase of the Philippine Revolution, the term "Filipino" included people of all nationalities and race, born in the Philippines.

Today, Hispanic Filipinos are found in all social classes worldwide, from upper wealthy to lower poor disadvantage backgrounds, and from high profiled individuals to ordinary unknown people. They have long integrated into the native communities living their lives as ordinary citizens. However most of the successful individuals are present in economics and business sectors in the Philippines and a few sources estimate companies which comprise a significant portion of the Philippine economy like Ynchausti y Compañia, MBC Media Group, Ayala Corporation (Ayala Land, Bank of the Philippine Islands, Globe Telecom, Integrated Micro-Electronics, Inc.), Aboitiz & Company, (Aboitiz Power, Union Bank of the Philippines), ANSCOR (Amanpulo), Razon & Co. Inc. (International Container Terminal Services Inc., Manila Water, Solaire Resort & Casino, Apex Mining Co., Inc.) and Central Azucarera de La Carlota, to name but a few are owned by Hispanic Filipinos.

History

The history of the Spanish Philippines covers the period from 1521 to 1898, beginning with the arrival in 1521 of the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan sailing for Spain, which heralded the period when the Philippines was an overseas province of Spain, and ends with the outbreak of the Spanish–American War in 1898.

The Spanish discovery of the American continent by the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus in 1492, an expedition sponsored by Queen Isabella I of Castille and King Ferdinand II of Aragon, laid the foundation of settlements and explorations in the New World. Spain became the first European country to permanently colonized the American continent in 1492.

In 1541, Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos was commissioned by Antonio de Mendoza, the viceroy of New Spain and first colonial administrator in the New World, to send an expedition to the Philippines to establish a larger Spanish presence there as a base for trade with the Spice Islands and China and to extend Spanish control over the Moluccas in the Portuguese East Indies. The expedition ultimately failed, with Villalobos dying in a Portuguese prison on Ambon Island in 1546.

In 1564, conquistadors led by Miguel López de Legazpi, prompted the colonization of the Philippine Islands that lasted for 333 years. The Philippines was a former territory of New Spain until the grant of independence to Mexico in 1821 necessitated the direct government from Spain of the Philippines from that year. Early Spanish settlers to the Philippines were mostly explorers, soldiers, government officials, religious missionaries, and among others, who were born in Spain or in Mexico called "Peninsulares" (Spanish migrants living in the colony). Their succeeding generation known as "Criollos" (Spaniards of pure White blood, born and raised in the colony) contributed to the population's development.

For centuries several hundreds of Spaniards settled in the islands along with their families to start a new beginning in the New World, to take advantage of the rich and exotic resources the colony had to offer. Some of these individuals married or inter-bred with the indigenous Filipino population while most married only other Spaniards. Their descendants consisting of "Criollos" or "Insulares" and "Mestizos" (those of "mixed-blood" individuals) became part of the island's indigenous society; some became town officers and farmers, and others became ordinary citizens.

Government officials and those of high ranks were granted with haciendas (plantation estates) by the Spanish government. In some provinces like, Vigan, Iloilo, Cebu, Pampanga, and Zamboanga, The Spanish government encouraged foreign merchants from Southeast Asia and the Asian continent to trade in the colony, along with the European and indigenous population, but they were not given certain privileges such as ownership of land.

Contacts with Europeans, social intercourse between foreign merchants, and indigenous people resulted in a new ethnic group. These groups were called Mestizos (mixed-race individuals), who were born from intermarriages from European Spaniards and indigenous Austronesian-speaking Filipino natives. Some of their descendants emerged later as an influential part of the ruling class called the "Principalía" (Nobility) class.

The Spanish implemented incentives to deliberately entangle the various races together in order to stop rebellions. According to a historical colonial conversation that was published, stated by a government official explains: "It is needful to encourage public instruction in all ways possible, permit newspapers subject to a liberal censure, to establish in Manila a college of medicine, surgery, and pharmacy: in order to break down the barriers that divide the races, and amalgamate them all into one. For that purpose, the Spaniards of the country, the Chinese mestizos, and the Filipinos shall be admitted with perfect equality as cadets of the military corps; the personal-service tax shall be abolished, or an equal and general tax shall be imposed, to which all the Spaniards shall be subject. This last plan appears to me more advisable, as the poll-tax is already established, and it is not opportune to make a trial of new taxes when it is a question of allowing the country to be governed by itself. Since the annual tribute is unequal, the average shall be taken and shall be fixed, consequently, at fifteen or sixteen reals per whole tribute, or perhaps one peso fuerte annually from each adult tributary person. This regulation will produce an increase in the revenue of 200,000 or 300,000 pesos fuertes, and this sum shall be set aside to give the impulse for the amalgamation of the races, favoring crossed marriages by means of dowries granted to the single women in the following manner. To a Chinese mestizo woman who marries a Filipino shall be given 100 pesos; to a Filipino woman who marries a Chinese mestizo, 100 pesos; to a Chinese mestizo woman who marries a Spaniard, 1,000 pesos; to a Spanish woman who marries a Chinese mestizo, 2,000 pesos; to a Filipino woman who marries a Spaniard, 2,000 pesos; to a Spanish woman who marries a Filipino chief, 3,000 or 4,000 pesos. Some mestizo and Filipino alcaldes-mayor of the provinces shall be appointed. It shall be ordered that when a Filipino chief goes to the house of a Spaniard, he shall seat himself as the latter's equal. In a word, by these and other means, the idea that they and the Castilians are two kinds of distinct races shall be erased from the minds of the natives, and the families shall become related by marriage in such manner that when free of the Castilian dominion should any exalted Filipinos try to expel or enslave our race, they would find it so interlaced with their own that their plan would be practically impossible".

Filipinos and other Asians were brought to Mexico as slaves and servants, while some Africans were brought to the Philippines by the Portuguese traders, to work on plantation settlements as slave workers or settlers working in the colony. Between 1565 and 1815, both Filipinos and people from Latin America and Spain sailed to, and from the Philippines in the Manila galleon trade to Acapulco, assisting Spain in its trade on the colony.

Population

Colonial statistics

Joaquín Martínez de Zúñiga Census

In the late 1700s to early 1800s, Joaquín Martínez de Zúñiga, an Agustinian Friar from Spain, in his Two Volume Book: "Estadismo de las islas Filipinas" compiled a census of the Spanish-Philippines based on the tribute counts (Which represented an average family of seven to ten children and two parents, per tribute) and came upon the following statistics:

Data reported for the 1800 as divided by ethnicity and province

Province	Native Tributes	Spanish Mestizo Tributes	All Tributes
Tondo: 539	14,537-1/2	3,528	27,897-7
Cavite: 539	5,724-1/2	859	9,132-4
Laguna: 539	14,392-1/2	336	19,448-6
Batangas: 539	15,014	451	21,579-7
Mindoro: 539	3,165	3-1/2	4,000-8
Bulacan: 539	16,586-1/2	2,007	25,760-5
Pampanga: 539	16,604-1/2	2,641	27,358-1
Bataan: 539	3,082	619	5,433
Zambales: 539	1,136	73	4,389
Ilocos: 31	44,852-1/2	631	68,856
Pangasinan: 31	19,836	719-1/2	25,366
Cagayan: 31	9,888	0	11,244-6
Camarines: 54	19,686-1/2	154-1/2	24,994
Albay: 54	12,339	146	16,093
Tayabas: 54	7,396	12	9,228
Cebu: 113	28,112-1/2	625	28,863
Samar: 113	3,042	103	4,060
Leyte: 113	7,678	37-1/2	10,011
Caraga: 113	3,497	0	4,977
Misamis: 113	1,278	0	1,674
Negros Island: 113	5,741	0	7,176
Iloilo: 113	29,723	166	37,760
Capiz: 113	11,459	89	14,867
Antique: 113	9,228	0	11,620
Calamianes: 113	2,289	0	3,161
TOTAL	299,049	13,201	424,992-16

The Spanish-Filipino population as a proportion of the provinces widely varied; with as high as 19% of the population of Tondo province^: 539 (The most populous province and former name of Manila), to Pampanga 13.7%,^: 539 Cavite at 13%,^: 539 Laguna 2.28%,^: 539 Batangas 3%,^: 539 Bulacan 10.79%,^: 539 Bataan 16.72%,^: 539 Ilocos 1.38%,^: 31 Pangasinan 3.49%,^: 31 Albay 1.16%,^: 54 Cebu 2.17%,^: 113 Samar 3.27%,^: 113 Iloilo 1%,^: 113 Capiz 1%,^: 113 Bicol 20%, and Zamboanga 40%. According to the 1893 data in the Archdiocese of Manila which administers much of Luzon under it, about 10% of the population was then Spanish-Filipino.^: 539 Overall the whole Philippines, even including the provinces with no Spanish settlement, as summed up, the average percentage of Spanish Filipino tributes amount to an estimated 5% of the total population.

Manuel Buzeta and Felipe Bravo Census

The previously cited census record, summing up the tributes from the late 1700s, is also corroborated by another census finished in year 1818, also headed by clergy, this time by the two Priest-Scientists, Fr. Manuel Buzeta and Fr. Felipe Bravo, concluded that there were 1,522,221 souls represented by 312,251 tributes or families across the islands.^: 55 Within which; 400 tributes representing the pure Spanish showing the same number of pure Spanish families; 8,584 Spanish-mestizo tributes representing the same number of Spanish-mestizo families;^: 55 and 9,901 Chinese-mestizo tributes representing the same number of Chinese-mestizo families.^: 55 If calculating for the family size of a tribute which is 1 tribute to 9 persons in a family. "1:9" (1 Father and 8 Children as per the average number of children in the census, and disregarding the race of the mother that legally follows that of the husband upon marriage) 8,584 Spanish-mestizo tributes plus 400 pure Spanish tributes sum up to 8,984 Spanish-blooded tributes and when multiplied by 9 result to 71,872 Spanish-blooded citizens which is about 4.72% of the 1,522,221 living in the Spanish-Philippines, similar to 5% ratio stated in the earlier census by Joaquín Martínez de Zúñiga.

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As outlined below are the primary statistics of the said census.

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Albay, 1818)^: 603

Provinces	Pueblos	Native Families	Spanish Filipino Families	Negrito Families	Chinese Filipino Families
Albay	Albay, Cabicera	5,515		2	2
	Manito	240	4
	Bacon	2,119	45
	Cuba	2,162	52
	Casiguran	1,025	28
	Juban	396	18
	Sorsogon	1,783	149
	Bulusan	1,777	19
	Bulan	714	16
	Donsol	241
	Quipia	269
	Lilog	821	33	23
	Bacacay	1,295	77
	Malilipot	981	53
	Tabaco	3,347	225
	Malitao	2,844	241
	Tibi	2,069	157	110
	Lagonoy y su anejo	1,669	18	521
	San Jose	1,829	114	470
	Caramoan	641		72
Total		31,737	1,249	1,198	2

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Isla De Ticao, 1818)^: 603

Provinces	Pueblos	Native Families	Spanish Filipino Families	Negrito Families	Chinese Filipino Families
Isla de Ticao	San Jacinto	266	8
Total		266	8

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Isla De Masbate, 1818)^: 603

Provinces	Pueblos	Native Families	Spanish Filipino Families	Negrito Families	Chinese Filipino Families
Isla de Masbate	Mobo	912	1
Total		912	1

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Isla De Catanduanes, 1818)^: 603

Provinces	Pueblos	Native Families	Spanish Filipino Families	Negrito Families	Chinese Filipino Families
Isla De Catanduanes	Virac	1,581	91
	Calolbon	847	3
	Eiga	847	3
	Payo y sus anejos Bagamanoc y Ooc	644	17
	Pandan y Caramoan	489	2
Total		4,408	116

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Antique, 1818)^: 302

Provinces	Pueblos	Native Families	Spanish Filipino Families	Chinese Filipino Families
Antique	San José de Buenavista, cabecera	5,925	6
	San Pedro de Balbalan	2,247
	Sibalom	4,665	2
	Patnongon y su visita Coritan	2,097	3
	Bugason	3,060	1
	San Antonio de Nalupa, su anejo Culari y visitas Tibiao, Bitad, Tun, Bacafan y Batunan	2,542	19
	Pandan	300
	Antique	2,304	12
	Dao	1,296	7
	Cagayan Chico en la isla del mismo nombre	527
Total	(Across the Province)	24,963	50	40

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Bataan, 1818)^: 357

Provinces	Pueblos	Native Families	Spanish Filipino Families	Moreno Filipino Families	Negro (Black) Filipino Families	Chinese Filipino Families
Bataan	Balanga, cabecera	1,608	12		18	8
	Abucay	1,406	20		3	5
	Samar	1,000	4		1
	Orani	1,000	25			8
	Llana-Hermosa	716	1
	San Juan de Dinalupijan	451	19		7	3
	Pilar	899
	Mariveles y su visita Morong	1,522	3	1	5
	Orion ú Odiong	1,550	8	2	18	3
Total		10,152	92	3	52	27

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Batangas, 1818)^: 394

Provinces	Pueblos	Native Families	Spanish Filipino Families	Chinese Filipino Families
Batangas	Balayan, cabecera.	4,521	22
	Lian.	629	7
	Nasugbů.	866		2
	Rosario	1,758	4
	Santo Tomas.	1,256
	San Pablo de los Montes	1,948	7
	Taal	8,312
	Baoan ó Banang	5,813
	Batangas	6,889
	San José	2,427
	Tanauan.	2,106
	Lipa	4,104
Total		40,629	40	2

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Bulacan, 1818)^: 414

Provinces	Pueblos	Native Families	Spanish Filipino Families	Converted Negro Families	Chinese Filipino Families
Bulacan	Bulacan, cabecera.	5,200
	Bigáa.	1,876
	Guiguinto.	1,291
	Malolos.	8,110
	Paombon.	1,058
	Hagonoy.	4,572
	Calumpít.	2,628
	Quingua.	2,912
	San Isidro.	2,560
	Baliuag.	4,296
	San Rafael.	1,650	10
	Angat.	5,441
	San José.	219
	Santa María de Pandi.	1,588	17
	Bocaue.	2,550	88		2
	Marilao.	881	28	5	1
	Meycauayan.	2,375	46
	Polo.	3,160	44		4
	Obando.	2,493
Total		54,360	233	5	7

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Cagayan, 1818)^: 466

Province	Pueblo	Native Families	Spanish Filipino Families
Cagayan	Lal-lo, cabecera.	975	313
	Camalaniugan.	1,156
	Piat y su visita.	899
	Tabang..	201
	Cabagan.	3,543
	Malaveg con su visita Mabanaug.	524
	Tuao..	1,393
	Iguig y su visita Amulong.	403
	Tuguegarao.	5,072
	Aparri..	1,715
	Abulug.	1,162	1
	San Juan y su visita Masi.	913
	Nasiping y su visita Gataran.	573
	Ilagan..	1,150
	Gamú y su visita Furao.	586	16
	Tumauini.	827
	Bugay..	299
	Aritao..	580
	Dupax.	867	6
	Bambang..	893
	Bayombong.	771
	Lumabang.	332
	Bagabag y su Fuerza.	508
	Carig y su Fortaleza el Sto. Niño.	305
	Camarag.	488
	Angadanan.	320
	Cauayan.	318
	Calaniugan.	135
TOTAL		26,726	336

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Calamianes, 1818)^: 456

Province	Pueblo	Native Families	Spanish Filipino Families
Islas de Calamianes
Calamianes	Culion en la de Calamianes, Isla de Linacapan, e Isla de Coron.	1,044	2
Isla de Paragua
	Taytay, Silanga, Meitejet, Pancol, Guinlo, y Barbacan.	1,424	4
Islas de Dumaran y Agutay
	Isla y pueblo de Dumaran e Isla y pueblo de Agutay.	632
Islas de Cuyo
	Isla y pueblo de Cuyo y su anejo, Canipo, e Isla de Pagaguayan.	2,430	25
TOTAL		5,530	31

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Camarines, 1818)^: 605

Province	Pueblo	Native Families	Spanish Filipino Families	Lacandula Families	Negro Filipinos	Chinese Filipinos
Partido de Vicol (Ciudad de Nueva-Caceres)
Camarines	Tabaco y Santa Cruz.	3,593	301		4	3
	Naga.	956
	Camaligan.	1,388
	Canaman.	1,589
	Magarao ó Mangarao.	1,862
	Bombom ó Bonbon.	1,245
	Quipayo.	784
	Calabanga.	1,174
	Libmanan ó Libnanan.	1,490	1
	Milaor.	1,902	7
	San Fernando.	688	2
	Minalabag.	901
Partido de la Rinconada
	Bula.	471
	Bao ó Baao.	1,538	37		4
	Nabua.	2,612	2		2
	Iriga.	2,040	1
	Buhi ó Buji.	1,979	10
	Bato.	495
Partido de la Iriga
	Libon.	410	4
	Polangui.	2,903	15
	Ors ú Oas.	3,614
	Ligao.	2,968	24
	Guinobatan.	2,605	1
	Camalig.	2,330	39		9
	Cagsava.	2,870
Monte Isaroc
	Pueblo y Mision de Manguirin.	160			629
	Goa, Tigabon y Tinambag.	1,123		2	625
Partido de la Contra-Costa
	Sipocot, Lupi y Ragay.	406
	Daet.	1,449	26		10
	Talisay.	1,055	2
	Indan.	675	6
	Paracale.	697	34
	Mambulao.	950
	Capalonga.	137			4
TOTAL		50,762	512	2	1,287	3

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Capiz, 1818)^: 606

Province	Pueblo	Native Families	Spanish Filipino Families	Lacandula Families	Negro Filipino families	Chinese Filipino families
Capiz	Capiz y su visita Ibisan.	2,650
	Panay.	2,275
	Panitan.	1,485
	Dumalag y sus visitas Dao y Tapas.	3,158
	Dumarao.	2,600
	Mambusao y sus visitas Sigma y Jamindan.	1,924	13
	Batan y su visita Sapiang.	2,255	56
	Banga y su visita Madalag.	1,579	8
	Malinao.	1,487	11
	Calibo y su visita Macao.	2,700	167
	Ibajay.	1,268	30
Isla de Romblon
	Romblon.	1,514	15
Isla de Sibuyan
	Cauit, Pagalar, y Cajidiocan.	1,114
Isla de Banton
	Banton.
Isla de Tablas
	Guintinguian, Aghagacay, Odiongan, Lanan, y Loog.
Isla de Simara
	San José, Coloncolon.
Isla del Maestre de Campo
	Sibali.
TOTAL		26,009	285

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Caraga, 1818)^: 542

Province	Pueblo	Native Families	Spanish Filipino Families	Lacandula Families	Negro Filipino families	Chinese Filipino families
Distrito de Surigao y Siargao
Caraga	Surigao (cabecera), Tagauan, Gigaquit ó Higaguit, Cabubungan, Isla y pueblo de Dinagat, Caco en la isla de Siargao, Dapa en dicha isla, Cabuntug en la misma isla, Sapao en la citada isla.	2,475	25
Distrito de Butuan y Talacogon
	Butuan, Habungan, Tabay, Maynio, Talacogon.	1,593	10
Distrito de Cantilan y Mision de San Juan
	Lutao, Hingoog, Cantilan, Tago, Tandac, Lianga y la Mision de San Juan.	1,155
Distrito de Bislic y Mision de Caraga
	Jinatuan, Bislic, Catel, Bagangan y la Mision de Caraga.	955
TOTAL		6,178	35

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Cavite, 1818)^: 564

Province	Pueblo	Native Families	Spanish Filipino Families	Lacandula Families	Negro Filipino families	Morenos	Chinese Filipino families
Cavite	Plaza y puerto de Cavite.	221	153			5	100
	San Roque.	3,906	443			3	35
	Cavite viejo.	1,855	55				4
	Bacood ó Bacor.	1,729	19				4
	San Francisco de Malabon.	1,510	69				3
	Santa Cruz de Malabon.	2,090	3			1	2
	Pueblo y Hacienda de Nait.	942	3			4	2
	Marigondon.	2,043					3
	Indan.	2,759	36				2
	Silang.	2,255	6			1	4
	Imus.	2,015	125				5
TOTAL		21,325	912			14	164

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Cebu, 1818)^: 609

Province	Pueblo	Native Families	Spanish Filipino Families	Lacandula Families	Negro Filipino families	Chinese Filipino families
Isla de Cebu
Cebu	Cabecera, El Sto. Nombre de Jesus.	868	255
	Parian, Yutaos y Sogod con la visita de este, Simugui.	1,795	109
	San Nicolás y sus visits Talisay, Lipata, Tansan, y Pitao.	2,420
	Opon y Talamban.	2,850
	Mandave ó Mandaui.	2,729	20
	Danao y Catmon.	2,656	57
	Barili y sus visitas Duman, Jod, Malhual, Coston, Badian y Taiuran.	1,943	14
	Samboan y sus visitas Jiratilan, Malabuyot, y Taburan.	2,496	69
	Bolojon y sus visitas Tayon, Calob, Mambuji y Yunan.	2,420
	Dalaguete.	2,556
	Argao y Carcar.	3,250
Isla de Bantayan
	Bantayan y sus visitas Octon y Davis, Daan, Bantayan y sus visits Sogod y Cavit.	2,169	75
Isla de Siquijor
	Siquijor y su visita Canoan.	2,450	46
Isla de Bohol
	Inabangan y sus visitas Pampan, Corte, Taoran, Canogon, Tubigon, Ipil, Talibon, Tabigui, Inbay, y Cabulao.	1,815	41
	Gindulman y sus visitas Quimale y Cugton.	1,500	6
	Jagna.	3,255
	Dimiao.	2,016
	Loay.	1,614	5
	Lobog y su anejo S. Isidro.	3,852
	Baclayon.	3,549	5
	Tagbilaran.	2,370	2
	Pimin-vitan.	1,414
	Malabohoo.	2,269
	Loon y su visita Catarbacan.	1,990
	Calape y sus visitas Bintig y Mondoog.	1,932
Isla de Davis
	Davis.	2,055	9
	Panglao.	1,350
Isla de Camotes
	Poro y sus visitas (administración de Mandave).
TOTAL		60,305	638

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Ilocos Norte, 1818)^: 95

Province	Pueblo	Native Families	Spanish Filipino Families	Lacandula Families	Negro Filipino families	Chinese Filipino families
Ilocos Norte	Bangui.	1,449	5
	Nagpartian.	423
	Pasuquin.	1,530
	Bacarra.	4,901
	Vintar.	2,064
	Sarrat ó San Miguel de Cuning.	2,755
	Pigdig y su visita Santiago.	4,015
	Dingras.	4,559
	Laoag.	12,055
	San Nicolás.	3,498
	Batac.	7,026
	Paoay.	7,447
	Badoc.	3,356
TOTAL		55,078	5

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Ilocos Sur, 1818)^: 505

Province	Pueblo	Native Families	Spanish Filipino Families	Lacandula Families	Negro Filipino families	Chinese Filipino families
Ilocos Sur	Sinait.	2,625
	Cabugao.	3,595
	Lapoc.	1,791
	Masingal.	2,740
	Bantay y su visita San Ildefonso.	5,535
	Santo Domingo.	2,912	36
	San Vicente Ferrer.	2,113	10
	Santa Catalina.	4,292
	Vigan.	6,849	421			14
	Santa Catalina V. y M.	1,750
	Narvacan.	4,185
	Santa Maria.	2,985
	San Esteban.	819
	Santiago.	1,023
	Candong.	5,709
	Santa Lucia y su visita Santa Cruz con la mision de Ronda.	3,690
	Tagudin y Ous.	2,620
	Mision llamada Sevilla.
	Mision de Argaguinan.
	Bangas y sus misiones.	2,582
	Villa-Cruz y San Rafael.
	Namacpacan.	2,564
	Balaoan.	2,703
Distrito del Abra
	Tayum en el Abra.	1,307	4
	Bangued en idem.	1,836	9
TOTAL		61,397	530			14

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Iloilo, 1818)^: 506

Province	Pueblo	Native Families	Spanish Filipino Families	Lacandula Families	Negro Filipino families	Chinese Filipino families
Iloilo	Iloilo (cabecera) y Guimaras.	1,594	103
	Molo.	3,457	23
	Mandurrio.	5,966
	Barotac, Asuy y Batag.	1,200
	Ooton.	5,395
	Tigbauan.	3,248
	Guimbal y Tabungan.	4,209
	Miagao.	4,096
	San Joaquin.	1,180
	Igbaras.	3,329
	Camando.	1,974
	Alimodian y San Miguel.	4,230
	Ma-asin.	2,880
	Cabatuan.	6,470
	Xaro.	6,871
	Santa Bárbara.	3,600
	Janiuay.	4,158
	Lambuso.	1,040
	Calinog.	960
	Pasi y Abaca.	2,637
	Laglag y Diale.	2,252
	Pototan.	3,000
	Dumangas, Anilao, Banate y Barotac.	3,200
TOTALS		77,862	126

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Laguna, 1818)^: 507

Province	Pueblo	Native Families	Spanish Filipino Families	Lacandula Families	Negro Filipino families	Morenos	Chinese Filipino families
Laguna	Pagsanjan, cabecera.	4,785	7
	Lumban.	1,983
	Paete.	1,088
	Longos con su anejo San Antonio del Monte.	944
	Paquil.	628
	Panguil.	1,030
	Siniloan.	1,911
	Mavitac.	525
	Santa Maria Caboan.	257
	Cavioli.	854
	Majayjay.	4,948
	Lilio.	2,168
	Nagcarlan.	2,557
	Santa Cruz.	2,528
	Bay.	668
	Pueblo y hacienda de Calauang.	610	2
	Pila.	1,117	3
	Los Baños.	460					5
	Calamba.	959	4				15
	Cabuyao.	1,755			1		14
	Santa Rosa.	1,760					9
	Biñan.	2,598	8		2	2
	San Pedro Tunasau.	1,112	2			1
	Pililla.	1,096
	Tanay.	1,352
	Binangonan de Bay.	1,234
	Moron.	1,747
	Baras.	486	3
	Pueblo y hacienda de Angono.	513	2		2	3
TOTAL		40,239	34		5	6	41

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Leyte, 1818)^: 508

Province	Pueblo	Native Families	Spanish Filipino Families	Lacandula Families	Negro Filipino families	Chinese Filipino families
Leyte	Taclovan (cabecera) y Palo.	2,290	11
	Tanauan.	2,155	29
	Dulag y Abuyog.	2,229	14
	Barayuen, Haro y Alang-alang.	864
	Barugo y San Miguel.	626
	Carigara y su visita Leyte.	2,253
	Palompon, Ogmug y Baybay.	826
	Hilongos, Bato, Matalom, y Cajanguaan.	1,231	2
	Indan, Dagami, e Isla de Panamao.	1,978
Islas de Biliran y Maripipi
	Biliran, Isla de Maripipi, y Maripipi.	538
Isla de Panahon y Costa Sur
	Isla de Panahon, Ma-asin, Sogod, Cabalian, y Liloan.	1,450
TOTALES		16,244	56

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Mariana Islands, 1818)^: 308

Provinces	Pueblos	Native Citizens	Spanish Citizen
Marianas Islands	(Across the Province in General)	7,555	160

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Mindoro, 1818)^: 513

Province	Pueblo	Number of Native Families	Number of Spanish Filipino Families	Lacandula Families	Negro Filipino families	Morenos	Chinese Filipino families
Mindoro	Calapan (cabecera) y sus anejos Baco, Sabuan, Abra de Ilog y Dongon.	970	8
	Naujan y sus anejos Pola, Pinamalayan, Mamalay, Manaol, Bulalacao, Bongabon, Manjao, Manguirin y la Isla de Ilin.	924	6
Isla de Marinduque
	Santa Cruz de Napo.	1,600	1
	Boac.	1,908	31		4
	Gazan.	316	1		1
Isla de Luban
	Luban.	1,699
TOTAL		7,455	47		5

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Misamis)^: 514

Province	Pueblo	Number of Native Families	Number of Spanish Filipino Families	Lacandula Families	Negro Filipino families	Morenos	Chinese Filipino families
Partido de Misamis
Misamis	Plaza y presidio de Misamis, y su anejo Loculan.	334
	Presidio de Iligan, con su anejo Initao.	169
Partido de Dapitan
	Dapitan, y su visita San Lorenzo de Ilaya.	666	2
	Lobungan, y sus visitas Dipolog, Piao, Dohinog, y Dicayo.	701
Partido de Cagayan
	Cagayan, y sus visitas Iponau, Mulingan, Agusan, Cagaloan, Lasaan, Balingasay, Salay, Quinoquitan ó Bacay, Mubijut, y la Mision de Pinangudan.	3,177	1
Isla de Camiguin (Partido de Catarman)
	Catarman, y sus visitas Mambujao, Guinsiliban, y Sagay.	1,693	35
TOTAL		6,740	38

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Samar, 1818)^: 113

Provinces	Pueblos	Native Families	Spanish Filipino Families	Negrito Families	Chinese Filipino Families
Samar	Samar island, in general.	16,671	174

Felipe Bravo Census Demographics (Zamboanga, 1818)^: 482

Provinces	Pueblos	Native Citizens	Spanish Filipino Soldiers	Kapampangan Soldiers	Spanish and Mexican Citizens
Zamboanga	Zamboanga-province and peninsula .	8,640	300	100	A very large but unknown amount of the civilian population, they are mostly employed in the navy and shipping.

Anthropology

Main article: Genetic and anthropology studies on Filipinos

A 2018-2020 Census research data shows that it may be incomplete as there was a large span of time ever since racial statistics were recorded in Spanish censuses and the new Philippine censuses does not account for racial differences, thereby ignoring foreign ancestry that has been compounding in time. To address this, scientists have undergone Anthropology studies of Filipinos to measure ethnic ratios in the population. Scientist, Matthew C. Go, in a Trihybrid Ancestry Variation Analysis approach to Admixture in Filipinos, published a study wherein it was discovered that upon exhuming the remains around the public cemetery of the "Manila North Cemetery" as well as other public cemeteries across the Philippines, and practicing forensic anthropology on them, Matthew C. Go estimated that 71% of the mean amount, among the samples exhumed, have attribution to Asian descent while 7% is attributable to European descent. Filipinos have significantly less Asian ancestry compared to other Asian nationalities like the Koreans who are 90% Asian, Japanese at 96%, Thai at 93%, and Vietnamese at 84%.

Nevertheless, a 2019 Anthropology Study by Beatrix Dudzik, while using skeletons collated by the University of the Philippines and sampled from all across the Philippines, thus published in the Journal of Human Biology, using physical anthropology, estimated that, 72.7% of Filipinos are Asian, 12.7% of Filipinos can be classified as Hispanic, 7.3% as Indigenous American, African at 4.5% and European at 2.7%. However, this is only according to an interpretation of the data wherein the reference groups, which were attributed to the Filipino samples; for the Hispanic category, were Mexican-Americans, and the reference groups for the European, African, and Indigenous American, categories, were: White Americans, Black Americans, and Native Americans from the USA, while the Asian reference groups were sourced from Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese origins.

In contrast, a different anthropology study using Morphoscopic ancestry estimates in Filipino crania using multivariate probit regression models by J. T. Hefner, published on year 2020, while analyzing Historic and Modern samples of skeletons in the Philippines, paint a different picture, in that, when the reference group for "Asian" was Thailand (Southeast Asians) rather than Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese; and the reference group for "Hispanic" were Colombians (South Americans) rather than Mexicans, the combined historical and modern sample results for Filipinos, yielded the following ratios: Asian at 48.6%, African at 32.9%, and only a small portion classifying as either European at 12.9%, and finally for Hispanic at 5.7%.

Religion

The majority of Spaniards, Latin Americans and Hispanic Filipinos are Christians, with most adhering to Roman Catholicism.

Language

Spanish, Spanish creole (Chavacano), English, Tagalog and other Indigenous Filipino languages are spoken in their community.

Economy

Jaime Ayala

"Criollo (Insulares)"

Enrique Razon

"Criollo (Insulares)"

Andrés Soriano


"Criollo (Insulares)"

Ramón Aboitiz

"Torna atrás"

Prominent Philippine billionaire businessmen are descendants of White Europeans (Spanish) "Peninsulares" and "Criollo" (Insulares) settlers.

Support from wealthy Hispanic, Chinese, and Indian communities in the country has played an important part of helping shape both the economy and traditional identity of the people.

The most successful Hispanic individuals are found in the upper-class society, most of whom are highly educated and are involved in business and economic sectors.

They support and contribute to some of the Philippines's most important investments in infrastructures such as telecommunication, technology, electricity, water, transport, banking, land economy, tourism, sport and entertainment, shipping trade and marketing.

Legacy

Culture

Hispanic Filipinos share some similarities to cultural practices from people in Latin America and Spain, including a shared history, tradition, names, arts and literature, music, food, religion and language.

They have also taken some influences from the United States, as evidenced by their admiration for Anglo-American Popular culture.

Literature

Main articles: Spanish literature, Latin American literature, and Philippine literature

Cover of the Doctrina Christiana featuring Saint Dominic with the book's full title. Woodcut, c. 1590.

Pages of the Doctrina Christiana, an early Christian book in Spanish and Tagalog. The book contained Latin and Baybayin suyat scripts (1593).

Sport

Main articles: Sport in Spain, Sport in South America, and Sports in the Philippines

Football is the most watched and played sport in Spain and in Latin America. In the Philippines football is also popular particularly among the Hispanic communities and fans of the sport.

Tennis, basketball, beach volleyball, volleyball, baseball, boxing, UFC, cycling, motor sports and water sports are also widely appreciated in the Spanish community.

The game of basketball is one of Spain's most popular sports and is second only to football, played at a professional level, while in the Philippines it is considered its national sport.

Notable people

This The section needs reducing as it has an article dedicated to the list may be too long to read and navigate comfortably. Consider splitting content into sub-articles, condensing it, or adding subheadings. Please discuss this issue on the article's talk page. (October 2026)

See also

• Philippines–Spain relations
• Spanish people of Filipino ancestry
• Mexican settlement in the Philippines
• Filipino immigration to Mexico

Notes

References

Sources

• The Conquest of Paradise: Christopher Columbus and the Columbian Legacy, Kirkpatrick Sale (1990–1991)
• Conquistadors: The Rise and Fall (Documentary Series, 2023)
• Antonio García, Spanish Settlers in the Philippines 1571–1599, Universidad de Córdoba España, www.uco.es
• Francisco de Sande, Juan de Ovando, "Spanish Settlers in the Philippines (1571-1599)," President of the Council to the Indies New Spain, 1574

External links

• Ethnicity in the Philippines (2020) Census of Population and Housing Republic of the Philippines - Philippine Statistic Authority, www.psa.gov.ph
• Filipino Migration in Spain (Province of Origin) Office of the President of the Philippines, www.cfo.gov.ph
• Filipino Migration in Spain (Overview) Office of the President of the Philippines, www.cfo.gov.ph
• Spanish Settlers in the Philippines (1571-1599) Universidad de Córdoba España, www.uco.es
• The genetic legacy of the Manila Galleon Trade in Mexico The Royal Society Publishing, www.royalsocietypublishing.org
• Ethnohistory - Philippine Indios in the Service of the Empire: Indigenous Soldiers and Contingent Loyalty, 1600-1700 University of Cambridge United Kingdom, www.api.repository.cam.ac.uk