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So, you might be from a pioneer Tucson family?

Get ready for a test that starts and concludes with your last name

Get ready for a test that starts - and concludes - with your last name. No family name in common, no pioneer status, unless you're ready to make a strong case for an exception explained below.

First, let's define "pioneer."

Historians routinely break down Tucson's development into three categories, the Spanish Period (1775 to 1821); the Mexican Period, 1821 to 1863; and the Territorial Period, 1863 to 1912.

Documented surnames of those periods are listed below.

Don't have that last name but still interested in making a case for pioneer status? Then let's talk real pioneer status, as in indigenous peoples.

Prior to modern history, the Anasazi, Hohokam and Mogollon people lived between what is present-day Phoenix to the Mexican border. In this case, however, surnames will not be of any benefit. If surnames were used, which is unlikely, they were certainly not recorded.

Establishing linkage to these people? Think about preparing for DNA testing.

Spanish Period, 1775 to 1821
Leon
Martinez
Santa Cruz
Solano
Sosa
Ramirez

Mexican Period, 1821 to 1863
Brady
Campa
Carrillo
Contzen
Drachman
Hughes
Martinez de Otero
Ochoa
Poston
Stevens
Tevis

Territorial Period, 1863 to 1912
Aguirre
Amos
Bell
Bloom
Brady
Brown
Burcham
Campbell
Cavigilia
Corbett
Davila
Diamos
Donau
Douglas
Dowdle
Etchells
Felix
Ferrin
Fishburn
Francis
Franco
Franklin
Goldschmidt
Greene
Greenway
Hawke
Hill
Hummel
Ives
Jacobson
Jacome
Jones
Kalil
Kingan
Levy
Ott
O'Dowd
O'Neil
Kitt
Lovejoy
Manning
Mansfield
Martin
Marx
Menager
Monier
Murphey
Nugent
Pacheco
Pizzini
Preston
Proctor
Reynolds
Ronstadt
Rosenstern
Russell
Ruthrauff
Schwalen
Steinfeld
Stephens
Thomas
Tooley
Trippel
Turrell
Wah
Worsley

Find out more:

Doing homework
at the Arizona
Historical Society
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