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.
However, there are some Indigenous families in Zacatecas, Jalisco and Aguascalientes that adopted surnames in the 17th Century and continued to pass them down from one generation to the next. Many Indigenous people adopted (or were given) surnames because a Catholic priest needed a parishioner with a saint’s name to perform a baptism or marriage ceremony. As such, many indigenous people took on Christian surnames like de la Cruz, de los Reyes, and Santiago. And it seems likely that some Indigenous people took on the names of the saints.
In Lagos de Moreno, one of the earliest Spanish settlements in Jalisco, there lived a de Luna family. It is likely that they did not have any surname before 1687, but in that year, Patricio de Luna was recorded as the father of a son. His wife was called Maria de la Cruz, but she would later take on the name Maria de Alarcon. She would give birth to several children with that surname. As for Patricio de Luna, his male offspring would continue to carry his surname into the period of Mexican independence.
| Generation 1: Patricio de Luna |
| Lived in Lagos de Moreno |
| Racial Classification: Indian |
| Married to: |
| Generation 1 Spouse: Maria Alarcon, known earlier as Maria de la Cruz |
The Baptism of a Child of Patricio de Luna (1687)
Patricio de Luna is the first generation of the de Luna Descendancy. His wife would be known first as Maria de la Cruz and later as Maria Alarcon. They had several children, but earliest known child was a son named Joseph, an Indian, who was baptized on April 13, 1687, as the son of Patricio de Luna and Maria de la Cruz.
At some point in the 1690s, Maria de la Cruz became Maria Alarcon. They continued having children in the 1700s. Below is the baptism of Andrea on Nov. 7, 1705, who listed as the legitimate daughter of Patricio de Luna and Maria De Alarcon.
| Generation 2: Geronimo Patricio de Luna |
| Son of Patricio de Luna and Maria de Alarcon |
| Baptized: April 6, 1695 • Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco, Mexico |
| Married: Feb. 4, 1722 • Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco |
| Racial Classification: Indian |
| Married to: |
| Generation 2 Spouse: Manuela Lopez |
| Daughter of Joseph Lopez and Marthia Ana de la Cruz |
The Baptism of Geronimo (1695)
Text: On the 6th of April of 1695, I baptized and poured oil on Geronimo, Indian, legitimate [son] of Patricio de Luna and Maria de Alarcon…
The Marriage of Geronimo Patricio Luna (1722)
In the Margin: Doñ Geronimo Patricio, Indian originally from and a resident of La Cañada de los Ricos and Manuela Lopez, originally from and a resident of Buenavista, Married.
Text: In the Parish Church of the Villa de Lagos on the 4th of February of 1722…I asked for the consent of Doñ GERONIMO PATRICIO DE LUNA Y TAPIA, Indian originally from and a resident of La Cañada de los Ricos, legitimate son of Patricio de Luna y Tapia and resident of the said pueblo, and of Maria del Alarcon, deceased, and MANUELA LOPES, Indian, originally from and a resident of the Pueblo of Buena Vista, legitimate daughter of Joseph Lopez and Marthia Ana de la Cruz, residents of the said pueblo…
Document Location:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9392-K97X-9?i=41&cc=1874591
| Generation 3: Patricio de Luna |
| Son of Geronimo Patricio de Luna and Manuela Lopez |
| Born: June 2, 1746 • Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco, Mexico |
| Baptized: June 12, 1746 • Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco, Mexico |
| Married: Jan. 11, 1767 • Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco |
| Racial Classification: Indian |
| Married to: |
| Generation 3 Spouse: Lorenza de Jesus (also Leonarda) |
| Daughter of Nicolas de los Reyes and Maria Balvanera |
The Baptism of Patrizio Patrisio López (1746)
In the Margin: Patricio de Trinidad of La Canada de los Ricos
Text: In the Parish of Lagos on the 12th of June of 1746, I, Father Juan Fernandez, deputy priest, baptized solemnly Patricio de la Trinidad, an Indian, 10 days after his birth in La Canada de los Ricos, legitimate son of Geronimo Patricio and Manuela Lopez…
The Marriage of Patricio Trinidad de Luna (1767)
In the Margin: Doñ Patricio de la Trinidad, Indian, and Lorenza de Jesus, Indian
Text: In the Parish of Lagos on the 11th of January of 1767… no impediments resulting, I, Father Joseph Aniceto Ximenez, asked for the consent of Doñ
PATRICIO DE LA TRINIDAD DE LUNA, INDIAN, originally from and a resident of this parish in La Cañada de los Ricos, legitimate son of Doñ Geronimo de Luna (deceased) and Manuela Lopes, with LORENZA DE JESUS, Indian, originally from and a resident of the Pueblo of La Laguna in this parish, legitimate daughter of Juhn Nicolas de los Reyes and Maria Balvanera, deceased…
Important Note: It is very important to note that INDIAN MEN IN COLONIAL MEXICO WERE VERY RARELY ADDRESSED AS DON.
| Generation 4: Antonio Dionicio de Luna |
| Son of Patricio de la Trinidad de Luna and Lorenza de Jesus |
| Baptized: April 11, 1769 • Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco, Mexico |
| Married: Aug. 31, 1793 • Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco |
| Racial Classification: Indian Cacique (Chief) |
| Married to: |
| Generation 4 Spouse: Luciana de Ortega |
| Daughter of Juan Antonio de Ortega and Maria Guadalupe Ortis |
The Baptism of Antonio Dionicio de Luna (1769)
In the Margin: Dionicio Antonio Saturnino, Indian of La Cañada.
Text: In the Parish of Lagos on the 11th of April of 1769, I, Father Miguel Flores de la Torre baptized solemnly DIONICIO ANTONIO, INDIAN of La Cañada, legitimate son of Patricio de la Trinidad de Luna and Lorenza de Jesus…
The Marriage of Antonio Deonicio de Luna (1793)
In the Margin: Antonio Deonicio de Luna, Indian Casique [Cacique?] of La Cañada de los Rios and Maria Luciana Ortega, Mestiza of this Villa.
Text: In the Parish of Lagos de Moreno on the 31st of August of 1793… I presumed the consent of ANTONIO DEONICIO DE LUNA, Indian Casique [Cacique – Chief] of La Cañada de Los Rios, legitimate son of PATRICIO DE LA TRINIDAD DE LUNA AND MARIA LEONARDA DE REYES, married to Luciana Ortega, mestiza of this villa, legitimate daughter of Juan Antonio de Ortega and Maria Guadalupe Ortis…
Document Location:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9392-VP6P-J?i=321&cc=1874591
| Generation 5: Estefana Luna |
| Daughter of Antonio Dionicio de Luna and Maria Luciana Arteaga (Ortega) |
| Baptized: January 4, 1794 • Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco, Mexico |
| Married: Sept. 10, 1818 • Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco |
| Racial Classification: Mestizo at Baptism, Indian at Marriage |
| Married to: |
| Generation 5 Spouse: Francisco Xavier Peres |
| Son of Silvestre Peres and Guadalupe Belasquez |
| Racial Classification: Spanish at Marriage |
The Baptism of Maria Estefania Luna (1794)
According to the baptism of MARIA ESTEFANIA, a mestizo from Canada de los Ricos, she was baptized on January 4, 1794 as the daughter of Dionicio Luna AND Maria Villagran.
The Marriage of Francisco Xavier Peres and Estefana Luna (1818)
In the Parish of Lagos, on the 10th of September 1818, having performed the banns of matrimony… I, Father Domingo Esquibel, asked for the consent of Francisco Xavier Perez, Spanish of this villa, legitimate son of Silvestre Peres and Guadalupe Belasquez (deceased), widower of Guadalupe Garcia who was buried eight months ago in this Parish, married to Estefana de Luna, Indian of this Villa, legitimate daughter of Antonio Luna (deceased and Luciana Ortega…
Document Location:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9392-V134-Y?i=161&cc=1874591
| Generation 6: Rosa Peres |
| Daughter of Francisco Xavier Peres and Maria Estefania Luna |
| Baptized: Sept. 6, 1819 • Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco, Mexico |
| Married: Unknown Date • Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco |
| Racial Classification: Spanish at Baptism |
| Married to: |
| Generation 6 Spouse: Marcelino Amesquita |
The Baptism of Rosa Peres (1819)
In the Margin: Rosa Maria, Spanish from Jesus.
Text: In the Parish of Lagos on the 6th of September of 1819, I, Father Miguel Parada, deputy priest, baptized solemnly Rosa de Jesus, Spanish, eight days after her birth in Terrero, legitimate daughter of Xavier Peres and Estefana Luna…
Racial Classification Note: Rosa Peres was classified as Spanish at her baptism, probably because her father was also classified as Spanish and in spite of the fact that her mother was classified as Indian.