Ranchos of Orange County

The County of Orange was established in 1889 by founders William Spurgeon and James McFadden. The City of Santa Ana became the county seat the same year. Prior to its formation, the Orange County lands were part of Los Angeles County.

Further back in history, California lands were organized into Spanish land grants or "Ranchos". In the case of Orange County, there is record of José Antonio Yorba and Juan Pablo Peralta (nephew) being granted Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana in 1810, year of the commencement of the war of Mexican Independence. Santiago de Santa Ana is recorded as the only Orange County land grant given under Spanish Rule.

Other surrounding land grants in Orange County were granted and recorded after 1821, that is, after the war of Mexican Independence and by the Mexican government. Some modern day cities in Orange County retain the names of the Mexican land grants as agreed upon in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

List of Orange County Ranchos
Grant Granted Grantor Grantee Area(s)
Rancho Los Nietos 1784, 1833 partitioned into 5 ranchos Spanish Governor Pedro Fages, partition by Mexican Governor José Figueroa José Manuel Nieto Ranchos: Los Alamitos, Las Bolsas, Los Cerritos, Los Coyotes, Santa Gertrudes, Rancho Palo Alto
Santiago de Santa Ana 1810 Spanish King Ferdinand VII-Governor José Joaquín de Arrillaga José Antonio Yorba Santa Ana, Costa Mesa, Orange, Tustin, El Modena, Olive
Cañón de Santa Ana 1834 Mexican Governor José Figueroa Bernardo Yorba Yorba Linda, Yorba Hacienda
Los Alamitos 1834 Mexican Governor José Figueroa Abel Stearns Los Alamitos, Long Beach, Seal Beach
Las Bolsas 1834 Mexican Governor José Figueroa Maria Catarina Ruiz Huntington Beach, Westminster, Garden Grove,
Los Coyotes 1834 Mexican Governor José Figueroa Juan José Nieto Buena Park, Stanton, Cerritos, La Mirada
San Juan Cajón de Santa Ana 1837 Mexican Governor Juan Alvarado Juan Pacífico Ontiveros Anaheim, Fullerton, Placentia
La Habra 1839 Mexican Governor Juan Alvarado Mariano Reyes Roldan La Habra
La Bolsa Chica 1841 Mexican Governor Juan Alvarado Joaquín Ruíz Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Huntington Beach, Sunset Beach
San Joaquín 1842 Mexican Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado José Antonio Andres Sepúlveda Upper Newport Bay, Newport Beach, Corona del mar, southern Irvine
Niguel 1842 Mexican Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado Juan Ávila Laguna Canyon, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Dana Point
Cañada de Los Alisos Mexican Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado Jose Antonio Fernando Serrano Lake Forest, Irvine, Orange County Great Park, Jose Serrano Adobe, Orange County District 5.
Misión Vieja 1845 Mexican Governor Pío Pico John (Don Juan) Forster Mission Viejo; San Juan Capistrano—(on land to south with no title grant)
Boca de la Playa 1846 Mexican Governor Pío Pico Emigdio Vejar San Clemente; Dana Point and Capistrano Beach—(on land to west with no title grant)
Lomas de Santiago 1846 Mexican Governor Pío Pico Teodosio Yorba Northern Irvine, Silverado, Modjeska Canyon, Black Star Canyon
Trabuco 1846 Mexican Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado Santiago Argüello Trabuco Canyon, Coto de Caza, Trabuco Creek

References
  • Beers, Henry Putney, (1979). Spanish & Mexican records of the American Southwest : a bibliographical guide to archive and manuscript sources, University of Arizona Press, Tucson
  • Pleasants, Adelene (1931). History of Orange County, California. Vol. 1, Los Angeles, CA : J. R. Finnell & Sons Publishing Company

See also
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