text: im filipino, but the surnames in my family come from a different origin, does that mean im not pure filipino? both of my parents are from the philippines and i don't even look filipino. i have been mistaken for another race (spanish,white) plenty of times and so were my parents. i've tried finding the origins of my mom and dad's maiden names and last names, and some of them came from another country. does all of this mean, i'm not pure filipino? am i mixed? to my mind, being born in a particular country determines your nationality, regardless of where your parents are from. having been born in the philippines, you're just as much a fillipino as any other person born there. that you have been mistaken to be white indicates that your ancestors were either european (most likely spanish) or american. both spain and the us have controlled the philippines in the past, so that is most likely where your heritage comes from. in the end, your family's heritage does not determine your nationality. you're fillipino by birth.