Salvadoran American - Race and Ethnicity

Race and Ethnicity

Much of the Salvadoran population that came to the U.S. are of mixed Native American/White (more specifically mostly Spanish) ancestry. The Salvadorans of mixed ancestry Mestizos, can be varied differently from European and Native American ancestry. There are some others also with Afro-Salvadoran ancestry.

Among Salvadorans who also identify themselves as Mestizo culturally are Salvadorans who are racially European/White, especially Mediterranean, Indigenous Salvadorans who do not speak indigenous languages nor are they acculturated into Indigenous Salvadoran culture, and partial European/White Salvadorans of Nordic ancestry. The Indigenous Salvadorans are mostly of Pipil and Lenca ancestries, some are Mayan. Many of the mixed (more specifically mostly Mestizo) and White Caucasian Salvadorans have ancestry from, Italy, Portugal, Germany, Turkey, France, Switzerland, England, and Ireland.

Salvadorans also have Arab ancestries that include Lebanon, Syria, Iran and the majority come from Palestine that immigrated to El Salvador. There is a significant number of Jewish Salvadoran families in the country.