The term Criollos refers to Latin Americans who were full or near full of Spanish descent but who were born in a Spanish colony.
The Criollos were a social class in the cast system of the oversees colonies established by Spain in the 16th century. The term was used to differentiate the Crollos from multi-racial Latin Americans and Latin Americans of European immigrant origins.
The Criollos were legally Spaniards but they ranked below the Iberian-born Peninsulares ( people who lived in the colony but were born in Spain). Nevertheless, they ranked higher in social hierarchy than people of mixed descent, Amerindians and enslaved Africans.
The word Criollo stems from 19th century Spanish 'native to the locality'.
