A member of an old mixed-race or triracial group, formed by people of mixed white, black and Native American ancestry before the Civil War. Derived from Mestis in Middle French, which became Metis in modern French, which is used for mixed groups in Canada. Cognate with Mestizo in Spanish.
Examples of a Mestee group are Melungeon, Brass Ankle, Mayle, Redbone, Red Bone, Carmel Indian, Goinstown Indian.
by Mike Nassau March 15, 2008