Hispanic and Latino are often used interchangeably though they actually mean two different things. Hispanic refers to people who speak Spanish or are descended from Spanish-speaking populations, while Latino refers to people who are from or descended from people from Latin America.

Why do they ask if Im Hispanic or Latino?

We ask about the Hispanic or Latino origin of community members in combination with information about housing, voting, language, employment, and education, to help governments and communities enforce antidiscrimination laws, regulations, and policies.