My family is pre-statehood as well, and my dad HATED, HATED the word "chicano." I thought about earlier, when you mentioned my demographic group, I think first and foremost it's "cute ,brilliant, mean, Texan women under 35."
I'm in love (except for the "mean part)!
I see on your profile page you imply it used to not be cool for texans to be conservative. Texans have ALWAYS been conservative, and independent. It just took them a long time to admit that Democrats had become socialists. You can hardly blame them, being one of the states that were brutally occupied by the Radical Republicans. Those kinds of memories are passed down through the generations. Many of them grew up with the thought drilled into them that republicans were the anti-fredom party (which they used to be, and I'm afraid are going that direction again). I should say, though, that my grandpa HATED FDR during WWII, which, of course, took a lot of guts (and understanding).
I don't blame your dad for hating the term "chicano." Actually, we "Anglos" in NM usually just called the latinos "Spanish." Actually, Spanish is about as accurate as any other term to describe those folks. Those towns in NM vary a lot. You can go to one town, and meet friendly country folks who are just like people in Alabama with a different last name and a deferent accent, then go to another town and they all hate your guts there because you have light skin, and don't have a New Mexican accent.
Unfortunately, like the Blacks, they always support scoundrels in politics, as a group. That's why NM produces murderous bastards and FOBs like Bill Richardson.
Ah, cultures and society - I could blab about them all night.
You can trace your heritage to pre-1836 Texas? Wow.
Cute, mean, brillo-for-brains, 35yo third-gen Texan here.