Californio landholding families
The Alvarado family
Patriarch: Juan Bautista Alvarado 'the elder' (soldier, Portolà expedition, 1769); the family's peak figure was his grandson Gov. Juan Bautista Alvarado (1809–1882)
The Monterey Alvarados, descended from a Portolà soldier and intermarried with the Vallejos, produced Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado, the leading political figure of 1836–42. Because he governed, 'Alvarado' register entries mix personal grants with his role as grantor, and a separate San Diego Alvarado family (Rancho Peñasquitos) shares the name, so surname-level grouping is uncertain.
Origin
The elder Juan Bautista Alvarado enlisted under Portolà in 1769; his grandson, Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado, was raised by his maternal Vallejo grandparents, tightly linking the Alvarado and Vallejo families. A separate Alvarado family (Francisco María Alvarado) was prominent at San Diego.
Members
| Name | Relation | Ranchos |
|---|---|---|
| Juan Bautista Valentín Alvarado | grandson of the elder Juan Bautista; nephew-by-blood of the Vallejos | Rancho El Sur and others associated with the governor; issued many grants as governor 1836–42 |
| Francisco María Alvarado | unrelated San Diego Alvarado line | Rancho Peñasquitos (San Diego, 1823) |
Genealogical confidence: medium
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Bautista_Alvarado
- https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/M37N-NNY/governor-juan-bautista-valentin-alvarado-1809-1882
- https://sites.google.com/sanpablohistoricalsociety.com/museums/pioneer-profiles/juan-bautista-alvarado