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LOS CALIFORNIANOS
​Vocabulario Californio 

This glossary includes many of the words found in documents written in Alta California before 1848 and defines such words as they were used at that time. Note that although accent marks (diacritical marks) are used in this list, such marks were sometimes omitted in the handwritten documents.

The following rules/explanations should be kept in mind.

Spanish words ending with 'a' are feminine, with 'o' are masculine. 

The initial 'h' may be omitted.

The following letter pairs are interchangeable: 
'b' = 'v'; 'i' = 'y'; 'x' = 'j'; 'f' = 'ph'; 's' = 'z'; 'ze' = 'ce'. 

The letter "ñ" is a separate letter of the alphabet which follows "n."

At one time "ch" and "ll" were also separate letters of the alphabet, but we are using the modern Spanish alphabet for this list. 


A
abajo/a = under, below, lower.
abilitado - see habilitado. 
abordo = aboard. 
abuelo/a = grandparent .
abuelos maternos = mother's parents. 
abuelos paternos = father's parents. 
adoptivo/a  = adoptive, adopted. 
afinidad = relationship, usually a relationship by
    marriage or an illicit sexual 
relationship which
    required a dispensation to be married. 

agregado = gathered together, included. 
ahorcado (orcado)= hanged. 
ajusticiado = executed. 
alajas = valuables. 
a la mañanita = at day break. 
al anochecer = at nightfall. 
alamito = small cottonwood.
álamo = cottonwood. 
albañil = mason, usually a stonemason. 
alcalde = official of a community; head of the local
    council, having both executive 
and judicial, as well
    as some legislative powers. Appointed or elected for
    one year. 

alférez = lowest rank of army officer, corresponding to
    ensign in the U.S. Navy, 
or second lieutenant in the  
    U.S. Army. Not to be confused with the Spanish term 

    "teniente," which was a much higher rank. 
alférez de defensores = public defender, defense attorney. 
aliso = alder tree, the native alder is the white alder. 
alto/a = high, tall; upper. 
Alta California = "Upper" California, roughly what is
    now the current states of 
California, Nevada, Utah,
    and Arizona north of the Gila river. 

amansebados (amancebados) = living in concubinage;
    unmarried. 

ambos = both. 
anclado = anchored. 
antes = before. 
Antigua California = Baja California
Antigua España = Spain (in Europe). 
año = year. 
armada = navy. 
arreglo = government regulation. 
arribo/a = above, higher. 
arriero = muleteer. 
articulo de la muerte = at the point of death. 
asesor = a legally trained person who served as a
    consultant to a lay judge, 
governor, or a legislative
    body. (California had very few of these.) 

asistencia = a chapel in an outlying area where services
    were held by mission
 priests at irregular intervals. 
aspirante = candidate for military or public office. 
avecinado = residing. 
averiguación = investigation.
ayudante = assistant, aide. 
ayuntamiento = governing body, usually the city council
    of a pueblo. 


B
baile = dance, ball. 
Baja California = "Lower" California, the peninsula
    comprising the current Mexican 
states of Baja  
    California and Baja California Sur. In this time period,
    the religious,
 military, and civil center was Loreto. 
balazo = gunshot. 
bandido = bandit, outlaw. 
bastante = sufficient. 
bautismo = baptism. 
bautizar = to baptize. 
bautize = I baptized. 
boca = mouth. In place names, the mouth of a stream or river. 
bolsa = pocket, neck of land between water or swamp. 
borregas = lambs. 
brea = tar, used as a roofing material. 
buque = ship. 


C
c.c. (casado con) = married to. 
cemo. (cementerio) = cemetery. 
comande. (comandante) = commandant.
comde. (comandante) = commandant.
compa. (compañía) = company. 
corl. (coronel) = colonel.
​-------------------------------

caballería = cavalry. 
caballero = cavalryman, gentleman.
cabo = corporal (military). 
cadete = cadet (military). 
cajón = box canyon, place boxed in by hills. 
calesa = two or four wheeled carriage. 
calofate del buque = ship's caulker. 
Californiano = a resident of either Alta or Baja California.
Californias = term referring to both Alta and Baja California.
     In earlier documents, 
Nueva and Antigua California. 
Californio = a resident of either Alta or Baja California.
    Neophytes from Baja 
were referred to as Californios. 
Cámara de Diputados = Mexican House of
    Representatives, in Mexico City. 

Campo Santo = holy ground, a cemetery consecrated by
    the Catholic Church. 

canales (Canales) = canals, the name of a presidio in
    Durango; channels, the Santa 
Barbara area (Channel
    Islands). Sometimes the Santa Barbara presidio was 

    called Presidio de Canales. 
cantero = stonecutter. 
cañada = glen or dale. 
capellán = chaplain.
capitán = captain, a high military rank, approximately
    equal to colonel in the
 U.S. Army. Also used to refer
    to the Indian chief of a ranchería. 

carnal = closely related by blood. 
carta = letter, chart, document.
casado con (c.c.) = married to.
casta = a term referring to non "Españoles."
Catalonian Volunteers = see Voluntarios de Cataluña. 
Cataluña, Cathaluña = Catalonia Spain. 
cementerio (cemo., zemo.) = cemetery. 
cepo (zepo) = stocks. 
cerca = near. 
cerrito = small hill. 
chanter = (an English word) one who chants. In this
    period, one who 
chanted Gregorian chants, which
    was a prominent part of Catholic masses; 
also one
    who led the padre into the church at the beginning of
    mass. 

chico/a = small. 
chiquito/a = very small. 
ciego = blind. 
ciénega = marsh, swamp. 
cinco = five.
cirujano = surgeon. 
cocina = kitchen. 
cocinero = cook. 
comandante (comande.,  comde.) = commandant.
comisionado = those empowered by the government to
    perform some official function.
Comisionado de Policia = police inspector. Usually the
    head of a civil body charged
 with enforcing the laws. 
como = about, approximately. 
compañía (compa.) = company. 
complir con = comply with. 
conjuges = married couple. 
conquistadores = conquerors; the very early Spanish    
    soldiers in New Spain. For services 
to church and  
    crown, they and their descendants were given special privileges.
consanguinidad = relationship by blood. 

consorte = husband/wife, spouse. 
conste lo firme = that it be so, I signed it. 
contramaestre = boatswain. 
contrayento = betrothed. 
convinado = belonging. 
coronel (corl.) = colonel. 
costura = seamstress. 
coyote = a person of mixed race: Español, Indian, and Negro. 
criado = manservant. 
cual = which. 
cuatro = four. 
cundado/a = sister/brother-in-law.


D
d. (día) = day. 
dfto/a. (difunto/a) = deceased person. 
dho/a. (dicho/a) = aforesaid.
Dn. (Don) = mister, sir. 
Dna. (Doña) = lady.
​-------------------------------

de la mañana = in the morning. 
de la tarde = in the afternoon. 
desfiliado/a = neophyte removed from the rolls of a
    mission. 

desgraciado = unfortunate. 
día (d.) = day. 
día antecedente = the day before. 
día anterior = the day before. 
diablo = devil. 
días tras días = day after day.
dicho/a (dho/a.) = aforesaid. 
Diegueños = early Spanish name for San Diego Indian
    tribes, now called Kumya'ay.

diez = ten.
difunto/a (dfto/a.) = deceased person.
diligencias matrimonial - see informaciones. 
diputación = council, usually elected. 
diseño = map, sketch attached to land claims.
di sepultura eclesiática = gave ecclesiastical burial. 
doce = twelve. 
domiciliados = residing. 
Domingo de Ramos = Palm Sunday (used as a name).
Don (Dn.) = mister, sir. 
doncella = young lady, unmarried.
Doña (Dna.) = lady. 
duda = doubt.


E
ECN (en casu necessitatis) = in case of necessity.
EPM (en peligro de muerte, en periculo mortis) = in peril
    of death.

ebrio = drunk, inebriated. 
edad = age. 
ejército = army. 
encargado de justicia = a judge similar to juez de paz. 
en casu necessitatis (ECN) = in case of necessity.
encinitos = small live oaks. 
encinos = live oaks, evergreen as opposed to "robles"
    which were deciduous oaks. 

enfermero = nurse. 
en la mar = at sea. 
en peligro de muerte (EPM) = in peril of death. 
en periculo mortis (EPM) = in peril of death. 
entonce = formerly, then. 
entrada = entrance, entry. 
enyervado = poisoned. 
errero see herrero. 
escándalo = scandal. 
escolta = the squad of soldiers assigned to protect a mission or a pueblo 
    (normally five soldiers and one corporal). 
escuadra = squadron (military).
español = a person of primarily Spanish ancestry. In
    practice in California, 
sometimes applied to anyone
    who had fully assimilated into the Hispanic 

    culture including Indian, mestizo, mulatto and coyote. 
esperanza = hope. 
espiritual = related spiritually through the godparent relationship. 
esposo/a = spouse. 
estero = tidal creek, salt marsh. 
expósito/a = foundling, abandoned child.


F
falleció = died. 
feligrés = parishioner. 
fiscal = prosecuting attorney, specially appointed to
    handle a particular case 
on behalf of the public
    interest. 

fondo piadoso = the Pious Fund, a benevolent fund of
    the Catholic Church 
to promulgate the faith and care
    for the needy. 

fragata = frigate. 


G
gobr. (gobernador)  = governor.
govr. (gobernador) = governor.
​-------------------------------
gemelo/a = twin. 
gente de razón = "people of reason," non-Indian; a
    member of the established Christian 
community. This
    sometimes included second generation Indians, as
    well as some 
neophytes who had assimilated into the
    community. 

gentile = in this period, applied to Indians who had not been baptized. 
gobernador (gobr., govr.)  = governor. 
golpe = a blow. 
Guatmotal = place name, probably near Capistrano. 

H
h.l. (hijo/a legitimo/a) = legitimate child.
​-------------------------------
habilitado = paymaster, quartermaster. 
hacienda = large home. 
hechar el agua = sprinkle water (baptize). 
hermano/a = sister/brother. 
herrero = blacksmith. 
hijo/a = son, daughter.  from Diccionario de la Real
    Academia

   ~ = hijo~ espurio, ria.1. m. y f.
 hijo bastardo.2. m. y . hijo ilegítimo de padre desconocido.~ habido, da, en buena guerra.1. m. y. hijo habido fuera del matrimonio.~ ilegítimo, ma.1. m. y . hijo de padre y madre no unidos entre sí por matrimonio.~ incestuoso, sa.1. m. y f. hijo habido por incesto.~ legitimado, da.1. m. y f. hijo natural que se equipara en todo al legítimo por subsiguiente matrimonio de los padres o parcialmente por concesión real.~ legítimo, ma.1. m. y f. hijo nacido de legítimo matrimonio~ mancillado, da.1. m. y f. hijo espurio.~ natural. 1. m. y f. hijo habido de mujer soltera y padre libre, que podían casarse al tiempo de tenerlo.2. m. y f. Corrientemente se toma por hijo ilegítimo.
hijo/a espurio = illegitimate children of parents who
    could not marry, where one 
or both parents were  
    currently married to someone else. The term appears 

    infrequently, when the padre was annoyed with one
    or both of the parents. 

hijo/a legitimo/a (h.l.) = legitimate child. 
hijo/a natural = properly, illegitimate son or daughter of
    parents who could marry. 
Actually used generally for
    illegitimate children. 

hoy (oi) = today. 
huérfano/a = orphan. 
huerta = garden, orchard. 
huesos = bones. 


I
indio/a = Indian. 
informaciones = documents establishing that a couple
    were eligible to marry 
under the rules set up by the
    Council of Trent. They were required for all
    marriages. 

ingle = groin.
inominado/a = unnamed. 
in periculo mortis = in peril of death. 
inválido = retired soldier. 
item = ditto. 

J
jacalón = hut made of branches. 
jarazo = wound with a dart. 
juez de campo = acted as judge and jury at a rodeo to
    decide the ownership of 
disputed animals. His
    decision was final. 

juez de paz = justice of the peace, who handled local
​    disputes, primarily civil. 

junta = a group joined together to pursue a cause.
    Sometimes applied to 
governing councils. 

K

​L

leguas = leagues (about 3.5 miles).
legitimate = make legitimate by subsequent marriage previous hijos naturales. 
    Theoretically hijos espurios could not be legitimatized, however, it is clear 
    that this occurred.
Libro de Bautizados = Book of Baptisms, where all
    baptisms were recorded, 
includes the full names of
    both parents, sometimes with all grandparents, 

    occupation of the father, and always the padrinos. 
Libro de Confirmaciones = Book of Confirmations,
    where all confirmations were 
recorded, included the
    name of the confirmed, parents of children, madrino 

    or padrino, and sometimes the age. (Boys had
    padrinos, girls madrinas, which 
is helpful to
    determine the sex of the child.) 

Libro de Difuntos = Book of Deaths, where all deaths  
    were recorded, usually 
the parents were named, or
    spouse for adults, and sometimes the baptismal 

    number for Indian deaths. 
Libro de Matrimonios = Book of Marriages, where all
    marriages were recorded, 
included the names of
    bride and groom, whether they were single, widow or 

    widower, usually the names of their parents,
    dispensations if any, and the 
names of witnesses. 
line = one twelfth of an inch. 
llamada = named.
lugar = place. 


M
M-R (Monte-Rey) = Monterey.
Misn. = Mission.
​------------------------------- 
madre = mother. 
madrina = godmother. 
madrugada = dawn. 
maestre = mate of a merchant ship. 
maestro = master, highly skilled artisan. 
mala vida = "bad life", a euphemism for prostitute; also
    applied to women of 
notoriously bad moral
    character. 

mallorquín = of or from Majorca.
mañana = tomorrow, later, never; morning. 
marido/a = spouse. 
marinero = mariner, sailor. 
mayordomo = steward, overseer. 
media- = half- (as media hermana = half-sister). 
media noche = midnight. 
medio día = noon. 
mes = month. 
mestizo = of mixed Spanish-Indian blood. 
mismo = same. 
modo = manner. 
monte = mountain, hill; back country. 
Monte-Rey (M-R) = Monterey.
morador = resident. 
morba = disease. 
mozo = young man, man-servant, bachelor. 
mucho/a = much, many. 
muchacho/a = girl/boy. 
muger = wife, woman. 
mulato/a = person of mixed Black and European
    ancestry. 


N
n. = no name. 
n.n. (notario nombrado) = notary.
N.S. (Nuestra Señora) = Our Lady.
natl. (natural) = native of.
no. (nuevo) = new.
​-------------------------------
nacer = to be born. 
nacido/a = born. 
natural (natl.) = native of. 
neofito/a = local Indian, baptized, but not fully
    assimilated into the Hispanic
 society, a neophyte. 
nieto/a = grandchild. 
nino/a = girl/boy. 
notario nombrado (n.n.) = notary. 
noche = night. 
noche antes = the night before. 
novio/a = fiancée, fiancé, sweetheart. 
nuevo/a (no.) = new. 
Nueva California = Alta California.
nueve = nine.
Nuestra Señora (N.S.) = Our Lady.
nutria = otter. 

O
ocho = eight. 
oi - see hoy.
once = eleven. 
orcado - see ahorcado.
orejano = unbranded calf or colt of uncertain
​    parentage. 

originario = originally a resident of. 
orilla = edge, shore.

 
P
p. (padre) = father; priest.
p.n.c. (padre no conocido) = father unknown.
pdo = presidio.
pps. (padres) = parents.
privadmte. (privadmente)  = privately. 
prova. (provincia) = province. 
​-------------------------------  
padrasto = stepfather.  
padre (p.) = father; priest .
padre no conocido (p.n.c.) = father unknown.
padres (pps.) = parents.
padrino = godfather. 
padrinos = godparents, with the obligation to ensure  
    the proper spiritual
 upbringing of a child and also to
    provide support and care in case of death 

    or disability of the parents. Also, the sponsor at
    confirmation. 

padrón = census, also the ongoing record of all Indian
    neophytes and families 
belonging to a mission. 
palo = tree.
playa = beach. 
paquebot = packet (ship).
párroco (parroquia) = parish.
parto = childbirth. 
párvulo/a = young child. 
perteneciente = pertaining, belonging. 
pila = font (baptismal).
piquete = picket, a small body of troops. 
plantar = establish, settle. 
plaza = place, position. 
pluma = quill, writer, scribe. 
poblador = settler. Usually applied to the first settlers
    of a pueblo. 

poco = little, few. 
poniendome = placing on me. 
por la tarde = in the afternoon. 
por necesidad = of necessity. 
prefect = local official. 
pregunta = question.
presbitero = priest. 
presidario = convict, prisoner. 
presidio = garrisoned fort. There were five in the
    Californias: Loreto, San Diego, 
Monterey, San
    Francisco, and Santa Barbara. A fully manned
    garrison was fifty-five, 
including officers, although it
    was frequently less, from which the escoltas were 

    drawn for each mission and pueblo. 
preso = prisoner. 
primo/a = cousin. 
primer (o) = first, chief, leading. 
privadmente (privadmte.)  = privately. 
propio = proper, one's own.
provincia (prova.) = province. 
pueblo = specifically, chartered town, i.e., San Jose,
    Los Angeles, and Branciforte. 
After secularization,
    there were others. 

puente = bridge. 
puerto = seaport. 
punta = point of land. 

Q
quince = fifteen.

R
r.n. (recién nacido) = recently born.
rancha. (ranchería) = Indian village. 
rl. (real) = royal.
rn (recién nacido) = recently born.
​-------------------------------
rana = frog. 
ranchería (rancha.) = Indian village. 
rancho = large land holding with cattle. 
real (rl.) = royal. 
reales = Spanish coins, 1/8 of a peso, about 12.5 cents,
    a "bit."

recién nacido (r.n./rn) = recently born.
refugio (Refugio) = refuge. (Also, a given name.) 
regidor = councilman (lower than alcalde).
reino = kingdom. 
repentimente = suddenly. 
respuesta = reply, answer. 
retirado = retired. 
rey (rei) = king. 
rico = rich. 
rincón = nook, small piece of land. 
rodeo = round up of stock. 

S
s. (soldado) = soldier.
s.c. (soldado de cuera) = leather jacket soldier.
s.v. (soldado voluntario = volunteer soldier, Catalonian
    volunteer. 

sargto. (sargento) = sergeant (military).
sirvte. (sirviente) = servant, employee. 
Sn., S. = San (as in San Carlos).
​-------------------------------
sacó de pila = to stand sponsor, to be godparent.
sangrador = blood-letter. 
sanja (Zanja Santiago!) = war-cry of the Spanish, used
    also as the starting signal 
for a horse race. 
santo = holy.
sarampión = measles. 
sargento (sargto.) = sergeant (military). 
secularización = secularization; the conversion of all
    Mission properties to civilian use, 
begun in the
    1830s. 

seguridad = security, certainty. 
sentó plaza = enlisted. 
sien = temple, head. 
seis = six. 
semana = week. 
serbiente = servant. Frequently also applied to artisan
    employees. 

siete = seven. 
síndico = town attorney concerned with pueblo
    ordinances, permits for dances, 
fairs, etc. However, it
    has a broader meaning of trustee, receiver,
    overseeing 
officials of some sort or another. 
sirviente (sirvte.) = servant, employee. 
sitio = small farm. 
sobre = about.
sobrino/a = niece/nephew. 
soldado (s.) = soldier. 
soldado de cuera (s.c.) = leather jacket soldier. The
    common soldier of the 
Southwest, usually mounted.
    The jacket was a knee length coat of seven 
layers of
    deer hide, effective against arrows, but not bullets.
s
oldado distinguido = soldier given extra privileges,
    usually due to belonging to 
a ranking family, i.e. he
    did not perform K.P. or latrine duty. 

soldado voluntero (s.v.) = volunteer soldier, Catalonian volunteer. 
soltero/a = single person, never married. 
sordo = deaf. 
sor (sur) = south. 
supercargo = (an English word) a ship's officer in
    charge of cargo. Usually
 responsible for sales and
    purchase of hides and tallow. 


T
t. (téstigo) = witness.
tene. (teniente) = lieutenant (military).
thene. (teniente) = lieutenant (military).
tt. (téstigos) = witnesses.
​-------------------------------  
también = also. 
teja = roof tile. 
teniente (tene., thene.) = lieutenant (military).
téstigo (t.) = witness.
téstigos (tt.) = witnesses. 
téstigos de asista = witnesses to marriage ceremony. 
téstigos prior = those who testified to the
    marriageability of the couple.

tiempo = time. 
tonelero = cooper.
trajo (traxo) = brought.
trece = thirteen.
tres = three. 
tule = tule, reed, rush. 
tutor = teacher, guardian of a minor. 


U
uno = one. 

V
v. (voluntario) = volunteer (military), usually used for
    the Catalonian volunteers.

vol. (voluntario) = volunteer (military), usually used for
    the Catalonian volunteers.

​-------------------------------
vara = measure of length about a yard. 
voluntario (v., vol.) = volunteer (military), usually used
    for the Catalonian volunteers 

valle = valley. 
vecindad = vicinity, inhabitants of a place. 
vecino (s) = resident (s), neighbor (s).
velación = literally, the blessing of a marriage. Although     
     couples could be 
married at any time, the velación  
     could not be performed during certain periods 
such
     as Lent and Advent, so that this final sacrament of
     marriage could occur
considerably after the marriage.
    Normally both ceremonies were performed together. 

víbora = rattlesnake. 
viejo/a = old person. 
vigilante = member of a vigilance committee, an    
    unauthorized committee 
organized for the  
    maintenance of order and summary punishment of  
    crime 
in the absence of regular or efficient courts. 
visitador general = ecclesiastical inspector of missions
    and parishes. 

vino = came. 
viruelas = smallpox. 
viudo/a = widow/widower. 
vocal = member of a committee or governing body. 
voluntario (v., vol.) = volunteer (military), usually used
    for the Catalonian volunteers.

Voluntarios de Cataluña = Catalonian Volunteers, a
    group of about 100 soldiers 
recruited in Catalonia
    Spain in the late 1700s for service on the frontier of
    New 
Spain. As time passed, recruits came from
    Mexico, but their ancestry was
 supposed to be from
    Catalonia. 


W

X

​Y

ygla. (yglesia) = church.
​-------------------------------
yglesia (ygla.) = church.


Z
zemo. (zementerio) = cemetery.
​ -------------------------------
zaguán = entrance. 
zanja = ditch.
Zanja Santiago! - see sanja.
zementerio (zemo.) = cemetery.
zepo (cepo) = stocks.