Vergara family facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vergara Family |
|
|---|---|
| Aristocracy & Political family | |
| Country |  Spain Chile Colombia United States |
| Current region | America y Europe |
| Earlier spellings | Bergara |
| Etymology | Elevated Fern |
| Place of origin | Vergara, Guipúzcoa, Spain |
The Vergara family is a very old and important family. They were very powerful between the 1600s and 1800s. This family has members living in Spain, Colombia, Chile, and the United States.
They were among the first Spanish families to arrive in the Americas. Many came as conquerors or as royal officers for the Spanish King. The Vergara family has given Colombia four presidents with the Vergara last name. Three more presidents were also related to the family. Another part of the family helped found Chile. The family originally came from a town called Bergara in the Basque Country, Spain.
.svg)
Contents
Where the Vergara Family Came From
The Vergara family are descendants of Spanish nobles and conquerors. In a region called Navarra, they were known as a family with a "coat of arms." This meant they were a well-known and respected noble house in the Basque Country.
During the Middle Ages, they built different family homes in many towns. These towns included Abalcisqueta, Azcoitia, Azpeitia, Berástegui, Cizúrquil, Elgóibar, Elduayen, Elgóibar, Elgueta, Oñate, San Sebastián, Tolosa, and Bergara. By the year 1391, a family member named Juan Martínez de Azcarate was already a mayor in Bergara. He was related to the family members who later traveled to the Americas.
The Meaning of the Name "Vergara"
The name Vergara comes from a place. It is the Spanish version of the Basque region of Bergara. This town is found in Gipuzkoa, in the Basque Country. In Spain, many families used a place name as their last name. This helped them show their connection to a specific place or a noble family.
Different Parts of the Family
The Vergara family spread out over time. They formed important branches in different countries.
The Vergara Family in Chile
Santiago Branch
This part of the Vergara family is considered one of the most important colonial families in Chile. A nobleman called an Hidalgo started this branch. He was born in Gibraleón, Spain, and arrived in Chile in 1601.
Another important person was Gaspar de Vergara. He was born in Villaflores, Spain, and had Basque roots. He arrived in Chile in 1536 with Diego de Almagro's group. Then, in 1540, he joined Pedro de Valdivia to help found Santiago, Chile. Gaspar de Vergara never married, but he recognized his daughters:
- Ines de Vergara, who married Sebastian Garcia.
- Luisa de Vergara, who married Juan Fernandez Garces and later Antonio Lozano.
- Francisca de Vergara, who married Captain Cristobal Salvador Celaya. Their son, Gaspar Salvador de Vergara, carried the Vergara name to his children.
Later, in the late 1700s, another Vergara family member came to Chile. His name was Antonio de Vergara, and he married Manuela Garcia.
Talca Branch
This part of the family was started by a royal officer named Juan Martínez de Vergara. He was born in Guipuzcoa, in the Basque region, in 1589. He passed away in Chimbarongo, Chile, in 1662.
Juan Martínez de Vergara was a nobleman (hidalgo). He arrived in South America in 1601 to fight in the War of Arauco in Chile. He joined the troops of Governor Alonso de Ribera, who helped organize the army in Chile. Juan Martínez de Vergara fought in the forts of Santa Fe and Talcahuano. By 1628, he was a captain. He became a key figure in one of Chile's most important colonial families. He was given land and people to oversee (encomienda) for his service to the Spanish Crown.
Juan Martínez de Vergara's father was also named Juan Martínez de Vergara, from Guipuzcoa. His mother was Isabel Alonso Marquez, from Gibraleón. In 1634, he married Magdalena de Leiva Sepulveda. She was the daughter of a captain named Antonio de Leiva Sepulveda.
Children of Juan Martínez de Vergara
- Juan Martínez de Vergara y Leiva Sepulveda was born in Chillán in 1645. He married Ana Gomez Ceballo y Ugarte Escobar in Santiago in 1670. He passed away at his ranch in Talcamo (Talca) in 1723.
- Isabel Martínez de Vergara y Sepulveda Leiva married an Asturian military leader, Pedro Fernández de Albuerne Ondina. She passed away in 1677.
- Mariana Leiva Martínez de Vergara y Sepulveda married Lieutenant José Antonio de Labra y Vega in Nancagua in 1662. She passed away in 1702.
- Francisca Martínez de Vergara y Sepulveda married Rodrigo Leiva Verdugo de Sarria y de la Corte.
- Jacinta Martinez Vergara y Sepulveda married Domingo Valdés y Fernandez de Villalobos.
La Serena Branch
Another part of the family settled in La Serena, Chile. This branch was started by Francisco de Vergara in the 1700s. He married Maria Antonia de Santelices Corbalan.
The Vergara Family in Colombia
The person who started the Vergara family line in Colombia was Baron Martin de Vergara y Azcarate. In 1515, Martin changed his last name from Azcarate to Vergara y Azcarate, named after his hometown. From then on, the family became known as The Vergaras.
The most important part of this family comes from the Royal Treasurer Antonio de Vergara Azcarate y Davila. This branch is located in Santafé de Bogotá, Colombia. For more than 15 generations, they have been involved in Colombia's history. This includes the time of the Spanish colony, the fight for independence, and the republics.
Many family members have been very important in Colombia. They have been nobles, royal treasurers, generals, and presidents. Seven presidents of Colombia have been members of this family or related to them. They have also been governors, mayors, ambassadors, ministers, and many other important figures.
.jpg) |
Luis de Ayala y Vergara | 1812 | 4th President of The United Provinces of New Granada |
 |
Felipe de Vergara Azcarate y Caycedo | 1812 | 6th President of The United Provinces of New Granada |
 |
Estanislao Vergara y Sanz de Santamaria | 1828-1830 | 3rd President of Gran Colombia |
 |
Domingo Caycedo y Sanz de Santamaria | 1823 & 1831 | 4th & 7th President of Gran Colombia |
 |
Ignacio Gutierrez Vergara | 1861-1862 | President of the Granadine Confederation |
 |
Tomas Cirpiano de Mosquera y Arboleda Salazar | 1845-1849 1862-1867 |
1st, 3rd, 6th President of The United States of Colombia, 3rd President of The United States of New Granada, 5th President of Republic of New Granada |
Places Named Vergara
Many places and things have been named after the Vergara family or the town of Bergara.
- Quinta Vergara (a park and palace in Chile)
- Vergara River, Chile
- Bergara, Spain (the original town)
- Vergara, Colombia (a municipality)
- Vergara, Uruguay (a town)
- Convention of Vergara (a peace agreement in Spain)
- Vergara vs California (a court case)
- Los Vergaras, Mexico (a town)
- Augusto Vergara Airport, Panamá
- Batallion of Engineers "Vergara y Velasco" (a military unit)
- Vergara (a page listing different meanings of the name)
See also
In Spanish: Familia Vergara para niños
