Indigenous peoples, also referred to as First people, Aboriginal people, Native people, or autochthonous people, are culturally distinct ethnic groups who are native to a particular place. The term "indigenous" was first in its modern context by Europeans who used it to differentiate the indigenous peoples of the Americas from black people who were brought to the Americas as slaves from Africa. It may have first been used in this context by Sir Thomas Browne in 1646, who stated "and although in many parts thereof there be at present swarms of "Negroes" serving under the "Spaniard", yet were they all transported from "Africa", since the discovery of "Columbus"; and are not indigenous or proper natives of "America"."