New 2010 Census data suggest that about three of every four Utah Latinos are of Mexican descent — 72.3 percent, to be exact. That is up from 67.7 percent in 2000. Data also indicate that 9 percent of all Utahns are of Mexican descent, or about 1 of every 11 people. The number of Utahns of Mexican descent increased by a huge 90 percent during the past decade — from 135,416 people to 258,905.
El Salvador is in a far-distant second place as a country of origin for Utah Latinos, with only 2.5 percent of all Latinos from there. But virtually all Spanish-speaking countries are represented among Utah’s Latinos, with a few dozen to a few thousand people each.
Latinos from other countries often grew even faster, by percentage, but involved far fewer people. For example, those from Spain grew ninefold to 8,184 people; Paraguayans quadrupled, but only to a 158 people statewide; Uruguayans more than tripled to 1,011 people; Dominicans also tripled to 1,252 people. Salt Lake Tribune
