Genizero

/ɡəˈniːzəroʊ/ noun

Definition

A person of Spanish and Native American descent, particularly in colonial New Mexico; a member of a specific social class.

Etymology

From Spanish, possibly derived from 'genízaro' with unclear exact origins, but used in colonial Spanish America to denote a specific mixed-heritage social group in the Spanish colonial system.

Kelly Says

Genizeros in colonial New Mexico occupied a unique social position—they were sometimes former captives or mixed-heritage peoples who became a distinct community with their own identity, distinct from both Spanish and Pueblo peoples.

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