Spanish Argentines

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Spanish Argentines
Hispano-argentinos (Spanish)
Hispano-arxentinos (Galician)
Hispano-argentinarrak (Basque)
Flag of Argentina.svg Flag of Spain.svg
Colectividad espanola de Trelew.JPG
Spanish community from Trelew (Chubut) during a parade for May 25.
Total population
200,000 (by birth, 2024) [1]
unknown
(Only Criollos and Castizos)
Regions with significant populations
Throughout Argentina
(The Pampas, the Cuyo, the North and the Patagonia)
Languages
Majority: Spanish
Minority: Galician, Catalan, Ladino, Basque and Asturleonese.
Religion
Majority: Roman Catholicism
Minority: Irreligion
Related ethnic groups
Spaniards, Galicians, Castilians, Catalans, Asturians, Cantabrians, Aragonese, Basques and Sephardic Jews

Spanish Argentines (Spanish : hispano-argentinos) are Argentine-born citizens who are predominantly or totally of Spanish descent. The arrival of Spanish emigrants in Argentina took place first in the period before Argentina's independence from Spain, and again in large numbers during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Between the 15th and 19th centuries, the Spanish Empire was the sole colonial power in the territories that became Argentina after the 1816 Argentine declaration of independence. Thus, before 1850, the vast majority of European settlers in Argentina were from Spain and they carried the Spanish colonial administration, including religious affairs, government, and commercial business. A substantial Spanish descended Criollo population gradually built up in the new cities, while some mixed with the amerindians ( Mestizos ), with the slave population sub-saharan descended ( Mulattoes ) or with other European immigrants. Currently, a large part of Argentines can be considered Criollos or Castizos.

Contents

Since a great portion of the immigrants to Argentina before the mid-19th century were of Spanish descent, and a significant part of the late-19th century/early-20th century immigrants to Argentina were Spaniards, almost all Argentines are at least partly of Spanish ancestry. Indeed, the 20 most common surnames in Argentina are Spanish. The prevalence and the numerous shared cultural aspects between Argentina and Spain (the Spanish language, Roman Catholicism, Criollo/Hispanic traditions) has been mixed with other European and Latin Mediterranean cultures with the immigration to Argentina during the 20th century. This has led to a hybrid Argentine culture which is among the most distinct from traditional Spanish culture in Latin America. Furthermore, a large proportion of Spanish immigration to Argentina during the 20th century was from the North Western region of Galicia, which has a separate language and distinct culture from other parts of Spain.

History

The interplay between Argentine and Spanish culture has a long and complex history. Spanish settlements date back to 16th century, and from then on, many Criollo Spaniards populated the area of Argentina, some of whom intermarried with non-Spaniards. Spain established a permanent colony on the site of Buenos Aires in 1580, although initial settlement was primarily overland from Peru. The Spanish further integrated Argentina into their vast empire by establishing the Vice Royalty of Rio de la Plata in 1776, and Buenos Aires became a flourishing port. Argentina would become a crucial part of the Spanish Empire in South America.

The Argentine independence movement drastically changed earlier Argentine-Spanish relations. The Argentine movement for independence from Spain began in the powerful city of Buenos Aires on May 25, 1810, and the whole new country formally declared independence from Spain on July 9, 1816, in the city of San Miguel de Tucumán. Following the defeat of the Spanish, centralist and federalist groups engaged in a lengthy conflict to determine the future of the nation of Argentina. Prior to its independence, Spaniards in Argentina who were against the rule of the Spanish Empire and desired their independence came to be known as Argentines, and those who were opposed to independence continued to be identified as Spaniards. But a few generations after independence, and particularly after recent immigration, most Argentines began to see themselves as purely Argentine out of pride in their new developing nation.

Spanish immigration

A Spanish immigrant family in the town of Arias, Cordoba. Inmigrantes espanoles en el pueblo de Arias, provincia de Cordoba, Argentina.jpg
A Spanish immigrant family in the town of Arias, Córdoba.
Percentage of Spanish immigrants in the provinces and territories of Argentina, according to the 1914 Argentine census. Inmigrantes de Espana en Argentina (1914).svg
Percentage of Spanish immigrants in the provinces and territories of Argentina, according to the 1914 Argentine census.

In the post-colonial period (1832-1950), there would be a further influx of Spanish immigrants to Argentina from all over Spain during the Great European immigration wave to Argentina, after the creation of the modern Argentine state. Between 1857 and 1960, 2.2 million Spanish people emigrated to Argentina, mostly from Galicia, the Basque Country, Asturias, Cantabria, and Catalonia in northern Spain, while significantly smaller numbers of immigrants also arrived from Andalusia in southern Spain.

Galicians make up 70% of the Spanish post-colonial immigrant population in Argentina. The city with the world's second largest number of Galician people is Buenos Aires, where immigration from Galicia was so profound that today all Spaniards, regardless of their origin within Spain, are referred to as gallegos (Galicians) in Argentina. The Argentine stereotype about gallegos is that they are dull, stubborn and stingy. [2]

Roughly 10-15% of the Argentine population are descended from Basque people, both Spanish and French, and are described as Basque Argentines. They gather in several Basque cultural centers in most of the large cities in the country. A common practice among Argentines of Basque origin is to identify themselves "French-Basques". This is because of French culture being considered more "fashionable" than Spanish among the average Argentine.

In 2013, there were 92,453 Spanish citizens born in Spain living in Argentina and another 288,494 Spanish citizens born in Argentina. [3]

Many of the Argentine migrants to Spain are the descendants of Spaniards or Italians that can easily acquire European citizenship under laws of return.

Modern times

Diego Armando Maradona was a descendant of Galician immigrants. Argentina celebrando copa.jpg
Diego Armando Maradona was a descendant of Galician immigrants.
Juan Martin del Potro, the most recognized Argentine tennis player. Del Potro Washington 02.jpg
Juan Martín del Potro, the most recognized Argentine tennis player.

While there continues to be strong interest among the population in European affairs and their European heritage, the Argentine culture today varies considerably from the Spanish much like the American or Australian cultures vary from the British.

Spanish culture has left a great mark on modern Argentine culture. Bilateral relations have always been of a privileged strategic nature. Meanwhile, prospective and all-round cooperation also experienced periods of acute disagreement. In recent years, Madrid diplomacy has been trying to regain its shaken prestige and influence over Argentina and its closest neighbors. The most significant preparations for this were made during the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America. However, despite some "warming" in relations between the countries, the former level of trust and contacts is not observed. Attempts at cultural cooperation face two significant obstacles. Firstly, Spain does not have a sufficient amount of free funds that must be invested in lending to the Argentine economy, and secondly, the “syndrome of betrayal” that Argentines feel in relation to Spain is not likely to be easily overcome. [4]

Figures

Yale university report states that 2,080,000 Spanish immigrants entered Argentina between 1857 and 1940. Spain provided 31.4% (Italy 44.9%) of all immigrants in that period. [5] Nevertheless, due to prior Spanish immigration occurring throughout the colonial period, around 20 million Argentines are descendants of Spanish to some degree, with the 20 most common surnames in the country being all from Spain. [6]

Another report gives net migration data as follows:

Spanish net migration to Argentina from 1857 to 1976
Year periodSpanish immigrants
1857–18601,819
1861–187015,567
1871–188024,706
1881–1890134,492
1891–190073,551
1901–1910488,174
1911–1920181,478
1921–1930232,637
1931–194011,286
1941–1950110,899
1951–196098,801
1961–19709,514
1971–1976-2,784
Total1,380,140

Spanish-born in Argentina in 2010

Percentage of Spanish-born in Argentina by province according to the 2010 census. Espanoles en Argentina por provincia - 2010.png
Percentage of Spanish-born in Argentina by province according to the 2010 census.

The 2010 Argentine census recorded 94,030 people born in Spain. The following table shows the distribution in the 23 provinces and the capital: [7]

RankProvinceBorn in Spain %
1Bandera de la Provincia de Buenos Aires.svg  Buenos Aires Province 48,01951.06 %
2Bandera de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires.svg  Buenos Aires (CABA) 26,28228.00 %
3Bandera de la Provincia de Mendoza.svg  Mendoza 4,1304.39 %
4Bandera de la Provincia de Santa Fe.svg  Santa Fe 3,2923.50 %
5Bandera de la Provincia de Cordoba 2014.svg  Córdoba 3,2563.46 %
6Flag of Rio Negro Province.svg  Río Negro (Argentina) 1,2471.32 %
7Flag of the San Juan Province.svg  San Juan 1,1871.26 %
8Flag of chubut province in argentina - bandera de chubut.svg  Chubut 1,0521.12 %
9Bandera de la Provincia de Tucuman.svg  Tucumán 7360.78 %
10Bandera de la Provincia de Salta.svg  Salta 7320.77 %
11Bandera de la Provincia de Santa Cruz.svg  Santa Cruz 6950.74 %
12Flag of Neuquen province in Argentina.svg  Neuquén 5550.59 %
13Flag of Entre Rios.svg  Entre Ríos 4370.46 %
14Bandera de la Provincia de Misiones.svg  Misiones 3270.35 %
15Flag of Chaco province in Argentina 2007.svg  Chaco 3260.34 %
16Flag of San Luis Province.svg  San Luis 3040.32 %
17Bandera de la Provincia de La Pampa.svg  La Pampa 2830.30 %
18Flag of Santiago del Estero.svg  Santiago del Estero 2490.26 %
19Flag of the Civil Freedom of Argentina.svg  Jujuy 2320.24 %
20Bandera de la Provincia de Tierra del Fuego.svg  Tierra del Fuego 2270.24 %
21Bandera de la Provincia de Corrientes.svg  Corrientes 2040.21 %
22Bandera de la Provincia de Catamarca.svg  Catamarca 970.10 %
23Flag of La Rioja province in Argentina.svg  La Rioja (Argentina) 940.10 %
24Flag of Formosa.svg  Formosa 710.07 %
TOTALFlag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 94,030100 %

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buenos Aires</span> Capital and most populous city of Argentina

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spaniards</span> Nationals of Spain

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The Basque diaspora is the name given to describe people of Basque origin living outside their traditional homeland on the borders between Spain and France. Many Basques have left the Basque Country for other parts of the globe for economic and political reasons, with a substantial population in Chile and Colombia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Immigration to Argentina</span>

The history of immigration to Argentina can be divided into several major stages:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Criollo people</span> Latin Americans of Spanish descent

In Hispanic America, criollo is a term used originally to describe people of full Spanish descent born in the viceroyalties. In different Latin American countries, the word has come to have different meanings, mostly referring to the local-born majority. Historically, they have been misportrayed as a social class in the hierarchy of the overseas colonies established by Spain beginning in the 16th century, especially in Hispanic America. They were locally-born people–almost always of Spanish ancestry, but also sometimes of other European ethnic backgrounds.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethnic groups of Argentina</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Basque Argentines</span> Argentine citizens of Basque descent

Basque Argentines are Argentine citizens of Basque descent or people from Basque residing in Argentina. Basque Argentines are one of the largest Basque diaspora groups in the world.

White Latin Americans or European Latin Americans are Latin Americans of European descent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Afro-Argentines</span> Argentines of Sub-Saharan African descent

Afro-Argentines, are Argentines who have predominantly or total Sub-Saharan African ancestry. The Afro-Argentine population is the result of people being brought over during the transatlantic slave trade during the centuries of Spanish domination in the region and immigration.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spaniards in Mexico</span> Ethnic group

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French Argentines refers to Argentine citizens of full or partial French ancestry or persons born in France who reside in Argentina. French Argentines form one of the largest ancestry groups after Italian Argentines and Spanish Argentines. Between 1857 and 1946, 261,020 French people immigrated to Argentina. Besides immigration from continental France, Argentina also received, as early as the 1840s, immigrants with French background from neighboring countries, notably Uruguay, which expanded the French Argentine community., it was estimated that around 8 million Argentines had some degree of French ancestry, up to 17% of the total population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Argentines</span> People of the country of Argentina or who identify as culturally Argentine

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spanish diaspora</span> Emigrants from Spain and their descendants

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Argentines of European descent</span> Ethnic group

European Argentines or White Argentines belong to several communities which trace their origins to various migrations from Europe and which have contributed to the country's cultural and demographic variety. They are the descendants of colonists from Spain during the colonial period prior to 1810, or in the majority of cases, of Spanish, Italians, French, Russians and other Europeans who arrived in the great immigration wave from the mid 19th to the mid 20th centuries, and who largely intermarried among their many nationalities during and after this wave. No recent Argentine census has included comprehensive questions on ethnicity, although numerous studies have determined that European Argentinians have been a majority in the country since 1914.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great European immigration wave to Argentina</span> Major immigration event took place in the late 19th and early 20th century

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spanish Uruguayans</span> Ethnic group

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Immigration to Uruguay</span>

Immigration to Uruguay began in several millennia BCE with the arrival of different populations from Asia to the Americas through Beringia, according to the most accepted theories, and were slowly populating the Americas. The most recent waves of immigrants started with the arrival of Spaniards in the 16th century, during the colonial period, to what was then known as the Banda Oriental.

References

  1. "Datos sociodemográficos por país de nacimiento". RENAPER - Dirección Nacional de Población. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  2. "El estereotipo "gallego", un invento bien piola y argentino" (in Spanish). Clarín. 4 February 2009. Archived from the original on 10 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020. El gallego es, de acuerdo al estereotipo cristalizado en la cultura argentina, bruto, tozudo, tacaño, torpe, franco, ingenuo. Puede ser el portero o el almacenero pero nunca un artista, pensador o intelectual. Y claro, se llamará indefectiblemente José o Manuel.
  3. (in Spanish) Archived 15 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  4. "Argentina, en el mundo: Macri muestra en España un proyecto serio para la recuperación de su país". El País. 2017.
  5. "90.01.06: South American Immigration: Argentina". www.yale.edu. Archived from the original on 16 April 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  6. Clarin.com (12 November 2015). "Cuáles son los 200 apellidos más populares en la Argentina". clarin.com. Archived from the original on 6 December 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  7. National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (Argentina) (2010). topic_id_1=2&topic_id_2=41&topic_id_3=135 "2010 Census - Total population born abroad by place of birth, according to sex and age group (see by province)". Archived from =2&id_topic_2=41&id_topic_3=135 the original (.xls) on 19 December 2015. Retrieved 27 December 2016.{{cite web}}: Check |archive-url= value (help); Check |url= value (help); Unknown parameter |filedate= ignored (help)