in 2018, "hispanic or latino origin" was the self-identification of 59.8 million americans comprising 18.3% of the total u.s. population. it includes people who are of full or partial hispanic or latino origin. they chiefly have origins in the spanish-speaking nations of latin america. very few also come from other places, for example: 0.2% of hispanic and latino americans were born in asia. the group is heterogeneous in race and national ancestry.