According to the book by Jesús Gómez Serrano "Los españoles en Aguascalientes durante la época colonial", in 1792 visiting dignitary José Menéndez Valdés compiled a population census of the district of Guadalajara, which underlines the importance that Aguascalientes had as a final destination for many spanish and portuguese immigrants. Along the same lines, the local "padrón de población" compiled by Félix Calleja in 1792, confirms the data gathered by Menéndez Valdés and includes the name, origin, age and occupation of european immigrants or "españoles" that lived in Aguascalientes.

I believe that the "Padron de Aguascalientes of 1792" can be a useful tool for those of us doing genealogical research. Although I am interested in several families who lived in Aguascalientes at that time, the most important for me is the family of my 4th great-grandparents Vicente Ruiz de Esparza and Rafaela Trillo y Delgado (his 2nd wife). According to the "Padrón de Aguascalientes of 1770", Vicente and his first wife Catharina de Orosco y Ralla lived in a house located on "Calle de la Merced" with their 24-year old son Joseph Cayetano Ruiz de Esparza. After his first wife died in 1775, Vicente remarried and had four sons from his second marriage, among them my 3rd. great-grandfather Francisco Antonio Abad Ruiz de Esparza, born in Aguascalientes in 1781. Both Vicente Ruiz de Esparza and Rafaela Trillo y Delgado died in 1797.

I believe that this family still lived on "Calle de la Merced" in 1792 and would appreciate any information concerning the whereabouts of the original "padron de 1792" or any other information about my ancestors. I can reciprocate by looking up information about your ancestors on my copies of the "padrón parroquial de 1770" and the first "padrón parroquial de 1648".

Guillermo Figueroa Strecker