Hidalgo

Hidalgo is a name used in Spanish-speaking contexts to refer to a historical social rank, a surname, places, and cultural works. The word hidalgo denotes a member of the lower nobility in the Spanish and colonial period, often translated as “nobleman” or “gentleman,” and the term has given its name to various places and institutions in the Spanish-speaking world.

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla (1753–1811) was a Mexican priest and revolutionary leader whose Grito de Dolores on September 16, 1810, sparked the Mexican War of Independence. He is commonly called the Father of Mexican Independence.

Hidalgo, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Hidalgo, is one of Mexico’s 32 federal entities. It lies in central-eastern Mexico and is named in honor of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. Its capital is Pachuca de Soto. The state has varied terrain from rugged highlands to valleys and hosts industries including mining, agriculture, and manufacturing.

The name Hidalgo is used elsewhere in the Americas as a place name and surname. There is Hidalgo County in Texas, United States, and several towns and municipalities across Spanish-speaking countries. In popular culture, Hidalgo refers to the 2004 film about a long-distance horse race, and to various institutions and geographic features named in honor of Miguel Hidalgo.