Spanish Uruguayans

Spanish Uruguayans (Spanish: hispano-uruguayos) are Uruguayans whose ancestry originates wholly or partly from Spain. They are the longest-established European group in the country, as Spanish immigrants began arriving during the colonial period, prior to independence, when administrative roles were held by European-born settlers and criollos under Spanish rule.^[1][2] Along with the massive waves of immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries, it is estimated that around 70% of the Uruguayan population has Spanish ancestry to varying degrees.^[3]

Spanish Uruguayans
Hispano-uruguayo

Regions with significant populations
Throughout Uruguay
Languages
Rioplatense Spanish · Galician · Catalan · Basque
Religion
Roman Catholicism · Others
Related ethnic groups
Spanish Argentines

Following independence, Spaniards—together with Italians—were the principal source of immigration from the mid-19th century onward, forming a foundational pillar of modern Uruguayan culture and society.^[4] In relative terms, Uruguay received the highest number of Spanish immigrants in proportion to its population.^[3]

History

Colonial era

Between the 15th and early 19th centuries, the Spanish Empire was the sole colonial power in the Banda Oriental. Thus, before 1811, a great part of the European settlers in Uruguay 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 indigenous populations (mestizos), with the Black slave population (mulattoes) or with other European immigrants.

Spanish settlement along with the Italians, formed the backbone of today's Uruguayan society. Like its neighbour country Argentina, the culture of Uruguay exhibits significant connections to Spanish culture; in terms of language, customs and traditions.

Post independence

The Spanish immigrants who arrived between 18th and 20th century have different origins, but a significant number of them came from Galicia,^[5][6] the Basque Country,^[7] and Asturias;^[8] with smaller but notable numbers from Valencia^[9] and the Canary Islands.

Many Uruguayans who have a Spanish lineage include those of post-independence Spanish immigrant descent, as long as they have retained a Spanish cultural identity. Large proportions are of Galician descent. During the Spanish Civil War, thousands of Spaniards fled from Spain to Uruguay. The Spanish republicans fled Franco's regime as well, seeking to escape retribution from the new government.

Present

The 2011 Uruguayan census revealed 12,776 people who declared Spain as their country of birth.^[10] Thousands of Uruguayan nationals are holders of Spanish passports.^[11]

See also

• Uruguay portal
• Spain portal

• Uruguayan people
• Criollo people
• Spain-Uruguay relations
• White Latin Americans
• Spanish colonization of the Americas
• Uruguayans in Spain

Bibliography

• Goebel, Michael. "Gauchos, Gringos and Gallegos: The Assimilation of Italian and Spanish Immigrants in the Making of Modern Uruguay 1880–1930," Past and Present (August 2010) 208(1): 191–229 doi:10.1093/pastj/gtp037