San Juan Capistrano

The Whole Truth and Nothing But The Truth

These are the Generations-Old Faces of San Juan Capistrano

Many of these families are the very descendants of those that built the Old Mission and contributed to the building up and vibrancy of the town of San Juan Capistrano.
Pictured here are the generations-old descendants of the pre-mission era, early Spanish California Ranchos, and early European settlers to the San Juan Capistrano Valley. These families still make San Juan Capistrano their home.

Families include Arce, Rios, Avila, Nieblas, Garcia, Yorba, Hunn, Stanfield, Valenzuela, Manriquez, Oliveras, Ramos, Romero, Wattenburg, Jimenez, Etcheberria, Oyharzabal, Belardes, Charles-McMullen, Stoffel, Lobo, Rosenbaum, Forster, Velasquez, Aguilar, Sanchez, Labat, Oliveras-Herrera, and Father Joe Scerbo, S.A. (deceased).

Remembering the 10th anniversary of the protest against the closure of our historic cemetery…where it all began

Video courtesy of Linda Ivanov

We/many protested this action in memory of our Ancestors, our rich history, and for all the historic families of San Juan Capistrano who have generations of family buried at this historic sacred site.

We thank the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange for their decision to keep our historic cemetery open and for their continued support.

Statement provided by Jerry Nieblas, Capistrano Historical Alliance Committee President, and the direct descendant of the ancient village of Putuidem/Sagavit, Zodut, Zoget, and Maria Bernarda Chigilia and Early Californio Rancho Yorba and Rios familia.