Hispanic ( ) is a term that historically denoted relation to the ancient Hispania (geographically coinciding with the Iberian Peninsula). During the Modern Era, it took on a more limited meaning relating to the contemporary nation of Spain.

Still more recently, the term is used to describe the culture and people of countries formerly ruled by Spain, usually with a majority population of substantial Spanish heritage and speaking the Spanish language. These include Mexico and most Central and South American countries, most of the Greater Antilles, and the African nation of Equatorial Guinea. There is also Spanish influence in the cultures of the Asia-Pacific nations and territories of the Philippines, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Terminology

thumb|right|200px|Trajan was a Hispano-Roman Emperor, born in Hispania Baetica (modern-day Spain). The term Hispanic is derived from Hispanicus, which derived from Hispania (Iberian Peninsula), both of them Latin terms. Hispania may in turn derive from Latin Hispanus (Spaniard), or from Greek Hispania (Spain) and Hispanos (Spanish, a Spaniard), probably from Celtiberian. Also: etymology of "Spain", on the same site. The words Spain, Spanish, and Spaniard are of the same etymology as Hispanic, ultimately.

Hispanus was the Latin name given to a person from Hispania during Roman rule. In English the term Hispano-Roman is sometimes used. The Hispano-Romans were composed of people from many different tribes. Some famous Hispani (plural of Hispanus) were Seneca the Elder, Seneca the Younger, Lucan, Martial, Prudentius, the Roman Emperors Trajan and Theodosius I, and also Magnus Maximus and Maximus of Hispania.

Here follows a comparison of several terms related to Hispanic:

• Hispano-Roman is used to refer to the culture and people of Hispania, ancestors of the Portuguese and Spanish peoples.
• Hispania was known as Iberia to the Greeks, while the native land of the Hispano-Romans later became a province of the Roman Empire, and even later became known as Gothland to the Visigoths, and Al-Andalus to Muslim occupiers which heavily influenced the development of the Andalusian civilization.
• Hispanic is used to refer to modern Spain, to the Spanish language, and to the Spanish-speaking nations of the Americas.
• Spanish is used to refer to both to the Spanish language itself and to the culture and the people of Spain
• Spaniard is used to refer to the people of Spain

Prior to the marriage of Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon in 1469, the four Christian kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula, namely the Kingdom of Portugal, the Crown of Aragon, the Crown of Castile, and the Kingdom of Navarre, were collectively referred to as Hispania, the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula. This usage in medieval times appears to have originated in Provençal, and appears to be first documented at the end of the 11th century. In the Council of Constance, the four kingdoms shared one vote.