Where I'm from (Mississippi) "Creole" refers to a person of Spanish or French descent (mostly French though). It can also also apply to blacks that are also of mixed Spanish and/or French descent too.
I do think the term is archaic and is a throwback from a time long gone - when color/skin tone issues were used to divide us. Technically, I am because of my father, but I just consider myself black.
Plus, where I grew up, its really not that distinguishable from being southern in general (speaking in terms of the culture). In my experience, only people in the south really know what a Creole is or has even heard of the term outside of food. lol