De León, a Tejano Family History

Notes on Terminology

Notes on Terminology There has been much controversy over the correct terms to use for those of Mexican heritage in Texas. I have chosen to use the term Tejano (pronounced teh-hah'-no) for those who lived in Texas during the years prior to Anglo colonization. These are the families whom the later Anglo arrivals calledthe‘‘oldSpanishfamilies.’’IhavecontinuedtouseTejanothroughout the book to differentiate these early settlers and their descendants from Spanish, those born in Spain or who lived under Spanish rule, and from the later arrivals from Mexico, for whom I have used the term Mexican. Finally, by , it was appropriate to use the term Mexican American for immigrants from Mexico who accepted American citizenship. The ‘‘old Spanish families’’ remained the original Tejano settlers. I have used the termHispanicforresidentsofTexastodaywhoareinanywayrelatedtoor descended from anyone of Spanish or Mexican ancestry. To avoid further confusion, I have not used terms such as Latino, Ladino, or Chicano. For those from the United States, I have used the term Anglo or Anglo American. Mexicans object to the United States usurping the term American , since Mexico, too, is part of the American continent. There is also a problem with the term Anglo, which commonly refers to those of ProtestantBritishancestry .TheCatholicIrishprefernottobeincludedwiththe British, and the term Celt or Anglo Celt has been used by some scholars. I have chosen to simply use the term Irish. For those of other European descent, I have used their nationalities. vii THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK ...