Articles

Aguascalientes, Genealogy, Jalisco John Schmal Aguascalientes, Genealogy, Jalisco John Schmal

The Ruvalcaba Lineage Report

The following lineage report traces the ancestors of Jose Geronimo Ruvalcaba (1817-1884) who lived in Rincón de Romos, Aguascalientes. As is the case for many inhabitants of Aguascalientes, he was a descendant of the Ruiz de Esparza and Rubalcava families that came to Mexico in the Sixteenth Century. The origins of the González de Rubalcava family will be discussed in greater detail at the end of the report.

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Researching Otomí Roots in San Luis Potosí

Tracing an indigenous family across the generations is challenging, but it is definitely possible when the records you are exploring are indexed. In order to provide your links to the past, you want to find as many direct bloodline ancestors as possible, but it is good to also find the records of collateral ancestors [siblings of your ancestors]. Sometimes, the records of siblings can be useful in assembling your lineage. The baptism of the sibling may be more readable and more detailed than the baptism of your direct ancestor.

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Genealogy John Schmal Genealogy John Schmal

Searching for Your Ancestors Who Came From Spain to the Americas

Many family history researchers are interested in finding out when their ancestors came from Spain and what part of Spain they came from. For some people, this is the high point of their research journey. It’s not always possible to find that immigrant ancestor you are looking for, but there are resources available to help you find such records, and some of those records can be very detailed and interesting.

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Genealogy, Jalisco John Schmal Genealogy, Jalisco John Schmal

The Early History and Settlement of Guadalajara

Do you have ancestors who settled in Guadalajara in the 1530s or 1540s? Or do you have ancestors that lived in the region of the Cocas and Tecuexes long before there was a place the Spaniards named Guadalajara? Most likely, you have both. We will talk about the foundation and the early evolution of Guadalajara, which today is the second largest city in Mexico.

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Guanajuato, Genealogy, Indigenous Insights John Schmal Guanajuato, Genealogy, Indigenous Insights John Schmal

Tracing Indigenous Guanajuato Roots: A Lineage Report

Doing research on one’s indigenous roots in Guanajuato can be a challenge. In the Eighteenth Century, many Indigenous People simply did not have surnames. Instead, they were likely to have two given names. Other Indigenous People would carry a Spanish surname for a period of time and then discard it in favor of another surname, or none at all.

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Genealogy John Schmal Genealogy John Schmal

Researching Your Mexican Roots For Beginners

Each of us has two parents, four grandparents, eight great-grandparents and 16 great-great-grandparents. Fourteen generations ago – around 1540 – you had 16,384 12th great-grandparents.
Many people need to research their Mexican ancestors in America back two, three or four generations to the point at which they came to America. This involves research in American records: county histories (biographies), census records, church records (baptisms, marriages, and burials), county records (vital statistics), border-crossing records, immigration records, obituaries, land records, etc.

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Genealogy John Schmal Genealogy John Schmal

Surname Research: Techniques and Websites

This presentation will discuss certain research techniques and websites for researching your ancestral surnames. Common surnames are hard to track through surname databases, but if some of your ancestors had surnames that were not very common, a surname database may help you locate where those ancestors came from. Databases for Germany, Spain, England, Ireland, Luxembourg, Ukraine and Italy will be discussed.

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Genealogy, Census, Politics, Ethnic Identity John Schmal Genealogy, Census, Politics, Ethnic Identity John Schmal

Spanish Immigration to Mexico

From 1521 to 1821, Mexico was a colony of Spain. During this period, hundreds of thousands of Spaniards crossed the Atlantic to begin new lives in the Americas. But the newly independent nation of Mexico – bitter from three centuries of sometimes oppressive colonial rule – enacted legislation to ban and expel many Spanish immigrants. However, relations between Spain and Mexico improved after Spain recognized Mexico’s independence (1836). Recognizing the similarities of their linguistic and cultural heritage, millions of Spaniards would make their way (or flee) to Mexico during the next century-and- a-half.

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Genealogy, Jalisco, Ethnic Identity John Schmal Genealogy, Jalisco, Ethnic Identity John Schmal

Tracing One Mixed-Race Family Across the Generations

This article explores the genealogy and history of a mixed-race family within its historical context. It includes discussions of past events, social norms, and terminology that were used during different periods. We approach these historical aspects with the intention of providing historical insights. We aim to foster understanding of diverse historical experiences while respecting sensitivities.

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Genealogy, Ethnic Identity Sindy Valdez Genealogy, Ethnic Identity Sindy Valdez

Understanding the Mexican Casta System: A Historical and Cultural Perspective

Before delving into the historical intricacies of the Mexican Casta system, it is crucial to acknowledge the sensitive nature of this topic. The Casta system, with its complex layers and implications, was a product of colonial rule that deeply influenced societal structures and racial perceptions. Studying this part of history is not an endorsement of its principles but a recognition of its significant impact on the formation of modern Mexican society and culture. Understanding our past, however uncomfortable, is essential for appreciating the diversity and resilience of cultures shaped by historical events.

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Genealogy Donna S. Morales & John Schmal Genealogy Donna S. Morales & John Schmal

The Lost Connection - A Journey of Heritage

My name is Donna S. Morales, and I am a Mexican American woman born and bred in America's heartland, Kansas City. I am as American as apple pie and my family is proud to be American. It's almost hard to believe that 110 years ago, my family was still living in Mexico, speaking the Spanish language, and working as laborers in the mines of northern Zacatecas and on the haciendas of Aguascalientes and Jalisco. But, like most American families, we came from another place, and we adapted to our new environment.

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Genealogy, Jalisco, Indigenous Insights John Schmal Genealogy, Jalisco, Indigenous Insights John Schmal

Tracing Your Indigenous Roots in Jalisco

Today, Jalisco is the seventh largest state of Mexico with the fourth largest population. Its diverse terrain gave rise to an incredible diversity of tribal groups. Professor Eric Van Young has noted that the area of central Jalisco “supported relatively dense populations” and a “considerable ethnolinguistic variety prevailed within a fairly small geographic area.” But thanks to the Spanish conquest, Dr. Van Young also notes that “the extensive and deep- running mestizaje of the area has meant that at any time much beyond the close of the colonial period the history of the native peoples has been progressively interwoven with (or submerged in) that of non-native groups.”

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An Indigenous Family from Ayutla, Jalisco

Exploring the genealogy of an Indigenous family in Ayutla, Jalisco, throughout the 17th and 18th centuries highlights the vital role of post-1800 baptism records from Jalisco in advancing genealogical research. Ayutla, situated within Jalisco, was home to Indigenous communities fluent in Náhuatl and Cuyuteco languages. This journey reveals intriguing patterns, where some Indigenous individuals maintained consistent surnames across generations, while others embraced surnames solely upon marriage or the birth of their children.

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The Indigenous Tolentino Family of Nochistlán, Zacatecas: Seven Generations

Researching the ancestry of Indigenous families in historical Jalisco, Zacatecas, and Aguascalientes presents unique challenges. During the 17th and 18th centuries, it was common for many Indigenous People not to have consistent surnames. This inconsistency could be attributed to various factors, including changes in employment or land ownership. Unlike the Spanish who typically maintained a strong attachment to their surnames, Indigenous People often adapted or altered their surnames, sometimes opting not to use one at all. This fluid approach to naming makes tracing lineage a complex but fascinating endeavor.

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Jalisco, Genealogy, Indigenous Insights John Schmal Jalisco, Genealogy, Indigenous Insights John Schmal

Tracing Six Indigenous Generations in Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco

Tracing an indigenous family backwards in time can be an interesting challenge for the Jalisco Researcher. Many Indigenous people in the 17th and 18th Century Jalisco, Zacatecas and Aguascalientes did not even have surnames. Or they had surnames that changed from generation to the generation, possibly depending on their employer or owner of the land they lived on. In many areas, Indigenous people – for very understandable reasons – did not have the same loyalty to their surnames as Spaniards did. Hence, one surname might be discarded for another surname… or no surname at all.

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Genealogy, New Mexico John Schmal Genealogy, New Mexico John Schmal

New Mexico Genealogy

New Mexico Expeditions (1539-1583)
From 1539 to 1583, four separate expeditions passed through New Mexico. The most famous expedition was the Coronado Expedition of 1540-1542, in which 300 soldiers and 800 Indian allies from New Spain (Mexico) passed through the Rio Grande Valley while looking for the fabled Seven Cities of Gold.

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Genealogy John Schmal Genealogy John Schmal

The Baptisms of Famous Mexicans

Famous men and women of Mexico have gained the attention of both the nation and the world. But all of Mexico’s famous historical characters started out the same: as the infant children of two parents. The following are extracts from the baptism records of several famous Mexican individuals. The following baptisms have been reproduced and translated, but some Spanish words have been misspelled in the documents. The English translations are approximate translations, not literal translations, and include the spelling out of some abbreviated terms. Several words that were not clearly understood were left out.

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Aguascalientes, Genealogy John Schmal Aguascalientes, Genealogy John Schmal

Moctezuma’s Descendants in Aguascalientes

For many years, Aguascalientes and Nueva Galicia researchers have agreed that one branch of Moctezuma’s descendants ended up in Aguascalientes. However, the paper evidence for this theory has been difficult to assemble. And, at this point in time, there are still some gaps. It is believed that the researchers Guillermo Tovar de Teresa and Mariano Gonzalez-Leal have put together more detailed analysis on this lineage, but at this time, we will present what we have, which present parts of the picture.

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Searching the Early California Population Project (ECPP) Database

This presentation will discuss the ECPP database, with suggestions on how to use it. To the beginner, this database -- with dozens of search fields -- seems challenging and confusing, but John Schmal will describe how to use it effectively, and after that will do selected searches to show examples of baptism and marriage documents of California Mission Indians and of Mexican soldiers and their families.

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