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The Spanish surnamed people of the Southwest form a large complex ethnic grouping. A well-known indicator is the many names that members will adopt for purposes of ethnic self-identification. Chicano, [...], Many ethnic labels and attending ideological identities vie for acceptance among the Spanish surnamed people of the Southwest. Taking a historical approach, this article searches for the meanings that 50 blue-collar respondents in Albuquerque, New Mexico, attached in 1983 to their preference for the term Spanish American. A set of qualitative interviews reveals a lack of sure ideological or knowledgeable ethnic identity. To distinguish themselves from other groups, participants relied on surface trait characteristics (categorical awareness) rather than deep cultural differences. A combination of ethnic flux and class dynamics accounts for the lack of a full-fledged ethnic identity.