About

"Californio" or "Californiano" are terms for Hispanic settlers of early California (and their descendants). I'm a Californio, a 7th descendant of Luis Maria Peralta who once owned Rancho de San Antonio which covered almost 45,000 acres in the East Bay area of California. Now, you will see parks, street names, schools, historical land marks and more, bearing the Peralta name across the Bay Area.

Before I became interested in researching my familial roots, my mother, aunt and grandmother made significant headway in researching our Spanish genealogy. They gave me all sorts of lineage documents and maps that I rummaged through, trying to piece it all together. Yet, I had more questions about my family's history such as emigrations and migrations, settlements, land grants, etc. As a novice sleuth, the quest to find answers was daunting. Though, I cannot complain because my mother, aunt and grandmother conducted genealogy research in the "olden days" when the internet didn't exist. Luckily, the internet has made genealogical research less cumbersome. This blog serves to make historical and genealogical research easier for others and includes information on current events related to California's history and Californios.

If you're a descendent of a Californio and can document your lineage, consider joining the Los Californianos Heritage Association. Visit their website at: www.loscalifornianos.org

-Alta Californianos