Ranchos de Alta California

Californio landholding families

The Soberanes family

Patriarch: José María Soberanes (1753 – 1803)

The Soberanes were the great Salinas-valley/Monterey ranching family, holding Buena Vista, El Alisal, San Lorenzo, Soledad and Sanjón de Santa Rita. Founded by a Portolà soldier, the family bound itself by marriage to the Castros (from the first grant) and to the Vallejos.

Origin

José María Soberanes joined the 1769 Portolà expedition to San Francisco Bay at age 16, later married María Josefa Castro, and with his father-in-law Joaquín Isidro Castro received Rancho Buenavista (1795), tying the Soberanes and Castro dynasties from the start.

Members

NameRelationRanchos
José María SoberanespatriarchRancho Buena Vista (1795, jointly with father-in-law Joaquín Isidro Castro)
Feliciano Soberanesson of José MaríaRancho El Alisal (1833, with brother Mariano); Rancho San Lorenzo (1841); Rancho Ex-Mission Soledad (1845)
Mariano Soberanesson of José MaríaRancho El Alisal (jointly); Rancho Los Ojitos
Francisco María Soberanesgrandson (next generation)Rancho Sanjón de Santa Rita (1841)

Genealogical confidence: high

Sources

All families · The full register