Californio
noun
one of the Spanish-speaking colonists who settled California before it was annexed by the United States of America, or a descendant of one of these colonists.
Californios
-
pluralof Californio.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The following year, the U.S. government forced Californios to prove they owned the land they lived on, even though the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican-American War, had ensured their property rights.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2025
The Californios won battles through the fall of 1846 in present-day Dominguez Hills, the San Pasqual Valley in San Diego County and the San Gabriel River near Montebello.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 4, 2023
A few Californios, aggrieved by that and the power grab resulting from statehood, took to banditry.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 17, 2023
It survived the drought of 1864, which destroyed the cattle industry in Southern California, reduced the Californios to ruins and ushered in the beginnings of the modern city.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 2022
Although some Californios staged a short-lived rebellion in September 1846, many others submitted to the U.S. takeover.
From Textbooks ● Dec. 30, 2014
