The Anza Expedition of 1775-76: Members and Their Families

In January of 1776, Juan Bautista de Anza arrived in Alta California with just over 200 men, women and children from Tubac in today’s Arizona.

Origin of the Trek

Anza had been ordered by Governor of California Felipe de Neve to recruit settlers to bolster the presence of families in Alta California. They had started their trek in late 1775, and a number of children had been born along the way. Most of the men were soldiers, though a few were civilians who came as pobladores or vecinos (settlers). By bringing his colony, Anza practically doubled the Spanish population of Alta California in one blow and set the stage for the creation of towns.

The following list contains the surnames of the colonists, as well as the members of their family party as of 1775, when they were recruited. The modern spelling of the names is listed, along with the spelling used at the time they arrived, as well as the status of the male members, whether soldado or poblador. Source: William Marvin Mason, The Census of 1790: A Demographic History of Colonial California.

Soldados and their families

Aceves

Antonio Quiterio (husband) (35)
María Feliciana Cortés (wife) (30)
María Petra (12)
José Cipriano (6)
Juan Gregorio (4)
María Gertrudis (3)
Juan Pablo (1)
José Antonio (20)

Altamirano

Justo Roberto (husband) (30)
María de Loreto Delfin (wife) (27)
José Antonio (7)
José Matías (7 mo)

Álverez de Acevedo

Luis Joaquín (husband) (35)
María Nicolasa Ortiz (wife) (30)
Juan José (12)
María Francisca (6)

Alviso

Domingo (cabo) (husband) (35)
María Ángela Chumacero [Trejo] (wife) (30)
Francisco (14)
Francisco Xavier (12)
María de Loreto (8)
Juan Ignacio (5 mo)

Amézquita

Juan Antonio (husband) (35)
Juana Gaona (wife) (30)
María Josefa (12)
María Dolores (8)
María Matilde (4)
María de los Reyes (3)

Amézquita

Salvador Manuel (husband) (14)
Rosalía Zamora (wife) (13)

Bernal [Vernal] 

Juan Francisco (husband) (38)
Anna María Soto (wife) (35)
José Dionisio (17)
José Joaquín (15)
Juan Francisco (14)
José Apolinario (10)
Thomas Anuario (7)
Anna María (5)
María Theresa (2)

Bojórquez [Bohórquez]

Pedro (husband) (21)
María Francisca de Lara (wife) (18)
María Agustina (1)

Bojórquez [Bohórquez]

Ramón (husband) (32)
María Francisca Romero (wife) (30)
María Gertrudis (14)
María Michaela (12)

Castro

Joaquín Isidro de (husband) (43)
María Martina Botiller (wife) (40)
Ignacio Clemente (22)
Anna Josefa (18)
José Mariano (14)
Francisco Antonio (9)
María Encarnación (8)
José Joaquín (7)
Francisco (5)
María Martina (4)
Carlos Antonio (6mo)

Féliz

Vicente (34)(widower of Manuela Piñuelas)
​José Francisco (12)
José Doroteo (10)
María de Loreto (8)
María Antonia (6)
María Manuela (4)
José de Jesús (2)
José Antonio Capistrano (born on trail)

Gallegos

Carlos (husband) (34)
María Josefa Espinosa (wife) (17)

García

José Antonio (husband) (42)
Petronila Josefa (wife) (28)
José Vicente (12)
José Francisco (9)
María Graziana (7)
Juan Gillermo (5)
María Josefa (3)

Grijalva

Juan Pablo (sargento) (husband)  (33)
María Dolores Valencia (wife) (31)
María Josefa (6)
María del Carmen (5)
Claudio [Alvírez] (21)

Gutiérrez

Ignacio María (husband) (30)
Anna María de Osuna (wife) (25)
María de los Santos (8)
María Petra (7)
Diego Pascual (born on trail)

Linares

Ignacio (husband) (30)
Gertrudis Rivas (wife) (22)
María Gertrudis (7)
José Ramón (4)
María Juliana (3)
Salvador Ignacio (born on trail)

López

Sebastián Antonio (husband) (47)
Felipa Neri (wife) (45)
María Tomasa (20)
Sebastián Antonio (17)
María Justa (5)

Mesa [Meza]

Valerio (cabo) (husband) (33)
María Leonor Borboa (wife) (30)
José Joaquín (13)
José Ignacio (12)
José Dolores (9)
María Manuela (8)
José Antonio (7)
Juan (5)

Moraga

José Joaquín (alférez) (34)

Muñoz

Francisco (unknown age)

Pacheco

Juan Salvio (husband) (46)
María Carmen del Valle (wife) (40)
Miguel (25)
Francisco (15)
María Gertrudis (13)
Bartholomé (10)
Bárbara (8)

Peralta

Gabriel de (cabo) (husband)  (40)
Francisca Manuela Valenzuela (wife) (33)
Juan José (18)
Luiz María (16)
Pedro Regalado (15)
María Gertrudis (9)

Pico

Santiago de la Cruz (husband) (38)
María Jacinta Bastida (wife) (26)
José María (7)
José Dolores (6)
Francisco Xavier (5)
José Miguel (4)
José Patricio (3)
María Gertrudis Thomasa (2)
María Josefa (15)

[Pinto] Pintto

Pablo (husband) (43)
Francisca Xaviera Ruelas (wife) (40)
Juan María (16)
José Marcelo (14)
Juana (12)

Ramírez de Arellano

Manuel (husband) (33)
María Águeda López de Aro (wife) (17)
Mariano (1)
Matías Vega (25)

Sánchez

José Antonio (husband) (29)
María Dolores Morales (wife) (26)
María Josefa (3)
José Antonio (2)

Sotelo

José Antonio (husband) (29)
Gertrudis Peralta (wife) (25)
Juan Antonio (12)
Ramón (5)

Soto [Sotto]

Ignacio de (husband) (27)
Bárbara de Espinosa (wife) (18)
Simón Antonio (14)
José Antonio (2)
María Francisca (1)

Tapia

Felipe Santiago (husband) (39)
Juana María Cárdenas (wife) (23)
María Rosa (13)
María Antonia (12)
José Bartolomé (11)
Juan José (9)
José Christóval (8)
José Franciso (7)
María Manuela (6)
María Isidora (5)
José Victorio (6 mo)

Valencia [Valenzia]

José Manuel (husband) (36)
María de la Luz Muñoz (wife) (30)
María Gertrudis (7)
Francisco María (5)
Ignacio María (2)

Valenzuela

Agustín de (husband) (30)
Petra Ignacia de Ochoa (wife) (20)
Maria Zeferina (3)

Vázquez

Juan Tiburcio (husband) (20)
María Antonia Bojórquez (wife) (16)

Vázquez

Juan Atanasio (husband) (40)
María Gertrudis Castello (wife) (25)
José Antonio (8)
Pedro José (7)

Villela​

Marcos (33)

Vecinos or Pobladores

Arballo [Arvayo]

María Feliciana (widow of José de Gutiérrez) (25)
María Tomasa [Gutiérrez] (4)
María Eustaquia [Gutiérrez] (1 mo)

Berrellesa [Berrelleza]

María Isabel  (sister) (18)

Nicolás Antonio (brother) (15)

Galindo

Nicolás (husband) (33)
María Theresa Pinto (wife) (18)
Juan Benancio (5 mo)

González

José Manuel (husband) (35)
María Michaela Ruiz (wife) (28)
María Gregoria (15)
Juan José (14)
María Anna (8)
Ramón (6)
Francisco (1)

Higuera [Iguera]

Ignacio Anastasio de (husband) (18)

Pérez de la Fuente

Pedro (28)

Sandoval

Gregorio Antonio (husband) (30)
María Dolores Ontiveros (wife) (19)

Varela [Barela]

Casimiro (husband) (27)
Juana Santa Ana Pinto (wife) (25)
Juan Antonio (5 mo)

For more information:

• Listen to the interview with Greg Bernal-Mendoza Smestad, Anza expedition descendant.
• Greg has developed a host of informational items about the Anza trail and the people who traveled it.
• Learn about the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail operated by the National Park Service.
• The Anza Society International celebrates the life and times of Juan Bautista de Anza.
• Los Californianos is the organization founded by descendants of the early settlers of Alta California, including the Anza expedition of 1775-76.