Can I get a consensus on what location name to use for colonial New Mexico?

+6 votes
262 views
I was told on another site to use "Nuevo México, Nueva España" and "Nuevo México, México."  I've seen at least 3 or 4 different names on Wikitree, including from a WikiTreer I trust (thanks Austin!).  Do we have a consensus?
in Policy and Style by Marcie Ruiz G2G6 Mach 6 (61.6k points)

2 Answers

+13 votes
 
Best answer

You should use the name that was used at the time.  So probably

Santa Fé de Nuevo México, New Spain 1598

"Spanish explorers recorded this region as New Mexico (Nuevo México in Spanish) in 1563. In 1581, the Chamuscado and Rodríguez Expedition named the region north of the Rio Grande "San Felipe del Nuevo México".[13] . . . Before statehood, the name "New Mexico" was applied to various configurations of the U.S. Territory, to a Mexican state, and to a province of New Spain, all in the same general area, but of varying extensions.[16]"

It appears that the English New Mexico Territory, United States (1848-1912) and New Mexico, United States (1912- ) were not used until the mid 1800s.  Before that it was the Spanish Nuevo México, New Spain (1598-1821), Nuevo México, Mexico (1821-1848). 

That said, I think your "Nuevo México, Nueva España" and "Nuevo México, México." would be more accurate.

by Kitty Smith G2G6 Pilot (651k points)
selected by Rubén Hernández

Excellent answer Kitty !

Before the Mexican Independence (1821) Nuevo México (New Mexico) was a province of the Viceroyalty of Nueva España (New Spain).

During a short period of time (1821-1848) Nuevo México was part of México.

Depending on these time frames, New Mexico was:

Nuevo México, Nueva España - 1821
Nuevo México, México 1821 - 1848

During the 1540 - 1542 exploration and conquest of New Mexico by Francisco Vázquez de Coronado; the region was initially named el Reino de Nuevo México and was renamed to Provincia de Nuevo México when the expedition failed to find the riches of the fabled cities of Cibola. During the Spanish colonial period Nueva España or Reino de Nueva España or Reino de México was the region in central México. Some folks use Provincia de Nuevo México,  Virreinanto de Nuevo México. Since this province also include a portion of the modern Mexican state of Chihuahua, I use the shortened version of Provincia de Nuevo México and add the state and country in parenthesis: for example the present day city of Ciudad Juarez would be "Paso del Norte, Provincia de Nuevo México (Chihuahua, México). 

coronado is a greatxxxgrandfather..martin serrono family took me back to the English kings/ or the Plantaganets 1100
+3 votes

I agree with the excellent response by Kitty Smith. Go to the Wikitree New Mexico Resource page and it will give you a clear timeline of the name changes from the start of the 1598 New Mexico Colonization. Some historical books/documents occasionally refer to the founding colony as a 'vice-royalty, or as the Kingdom Of New Spain.  I have asked others in genealogy the exact same question and the consensus is that any genealogy record 1598-1820 can be cited as 'New Spain'.  as in  Citation: Santa Fe, New Mexico or Nuevo Mexico, New Spain. Check out the NM Resource page, Mary Richardson and others had done a good job on the history/genealogy sections. https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Space:New_Mexico_Resource_Page.

by Steve Archuleta G2G6 (8.8k points)
edited by Steve Archuleta

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