Are Chileans Favoring Western European Migrants? Analyzing Presidential Origins Over the Past 70 Years

El Ciudadano

Original article: ¿Los chilenos los prefieren migrantes europeos occidentales? Destacan el origen de los presidentes en los últimos 70 años

Origins of European Migrant Presidents in Chile:

«What if your last name isn’t González or Tapia?» Historian and genealogy expert Cristián Cofré León, from the Families and Last Names portal (Apellidos.cl), has published an analysis revealing intriguing facts about the origins of Chilean leaders, showcasing a marked contrast between the 19th and 20th centuries.

According to his research, all presidents from the 19th century up to 1920 were direct descendants, via the paternal line, of Spanish ancestry. However, in the last 70 years, the composition has shifted significantly. Among the 11 leaders during this period, only three trace their first surname back to Spanish lineage: Salvador Allende, Ricardo Lagos, and Sebastián Piñera.

The expert elaborates that there are now diverse European origins prevalent in this group of leaders. For instance, Carlos Ibáñez del Campo, a descendant of Juan Ibáñez (a Spanish name), and Patricio Aylwin Azócar, a great-grandson of the Englishman Richard Aylwin, have British ancestry. Augusto Pinochet Ugarte, a seventh-generation Chilean of Breton descent through Guillermo Pinochet, and Michelle Bachelet Jeria, great-granddaughter of the French winemaker Louis Joseph Bachelet, also contribute to this diversity.

Additionally, Jorge Alessandri Rodríguez descends from the Italian Pietro Alessandri; Arturo Alessandri Palma has unclear origins; Eduardo Frei Montalva and Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle descend from the Austrian Eduard Frei. Moreover, Gabriel Boric Font, the current president, has a grandfather who immigrated from Croatia, while the recently elected José Antonio Kast Rist is of German descent.

Cofré León highlights two notable points: Kast and Eduardo Frei Montalva are the first generations born in Chile from their respective European ancestors, and they are the only two whose migrant ancestors arrived in the 20th century.

Finally, the genealogist raises a thought-provoking question: «Could it be that to be president, one should have less traditional last names? Perhaps Chileans tend to view foreigners more favorably. Are they seen as more suitable than a González or Tapia? This trend seems evident in the last two presidential elections,» he observes.

What is the reason behind this trend?

Watch his video on Instagram: