Criollo people

In Hispanic America, criollo (Spanish pronunciation:) is a term used originally to describe people of full and near complete Spanish descent born in the New Worldviceroyalties, under the Spanish crown. In different Hispanic American countries, the word has come to have different meanings, mostly referring to the local-born majority. Beginning in the 16th century, especially in Mexico and Peru, they were a social class near the top of the casta hierarchy of the overseas realms, but below peninsular European-born Spaniards, for whom the top administrative, clerical and political positions were reserved. They were locally born people — almost always of Spanish ancestry, but also sometimes of other European ethnic backgrounds.

Their identity was strengthened as a result of the Bourbon reforms of 1700, which changed the Spanish Empire's policies toward its colonies and led to tensions between criollos and peninsulares. The growth of local criollo political and economic strength in the separate colonies, coupled with their global geographic distribution, led them to each evolve separate (both from each other and Spain) organic national identities and viewpoints. During the Spanish American Wars of Independence, criollos like Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín became the main supporters of independence from Spanish rule in their respective countries.

In contemporary colloquial speech in many regions, the word has come to be variously used as an adjective or an informal demonym, mostly referring to what's "local", "folksy", autochthonous to the region or very typical of a particular Latin American country, as in- cocina criolla (local cuisine), música criolla (local music), viveza criolla, criollada.