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Floridanos ( en, Floridians, Floridans) is a term for colonial residents of
Spanish Florida Spanish Florida ( es, La Florida) was the first major European land claim and attempted settlement in North America during the European Age of Discovery. ''La Florida'' formed part of the Captaincy General of Cuba, the Viceroyalty of New Spain, ...
, as well as for the modern descendants of the earliest Spanish settlers who lived in St. Augustine between 1565 and 1763. It also refers to those of Spanish descent who lived in
East East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fa ...
and
West Florida West Florida ( es, Florida Occidental) was a region on the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico that underwent several boundary and sovereignty changes during its history. As its name suggests, it was formed out of the western part of former S ...
after 1781, when
Bernardo de Gálvez Bernardo Vicente de Gálvez y Madrid, 1st Count of Gálvez (23 July 1746 – 30 November 1786) was a Spanish military leader and government official who served as colonial governor of Spanish Louisiana and Cuba, and later as Viceroy of New Sp ...
took back Mobile and Pensacola in
West Florida West Florida ( es, Florida Occidental) was a region on the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico that underwent several boundary and sovereignty changes during its history. As its name suggests, it was formed out of the western part of former S ...
from British hands. Some Floridanos can trace their ancestry in Florida back twelve or more generations. Descendants of the original Floridanos can be found throughout the state, especially in St. Augustine.


History

Established on September 8, 1565, St. Augustine is the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in what is now the United States. Following Spain's defeat in the
Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754 ...
, Spain ceded Florida to Great Britain in 1763. Some of St. Augustine's Spanish settlers left Florida during the period that British ruled
East Florida East Florida ( es, Florida Oriental) was a colony of Great Britain from 1763 to 1783 and a province of Spanish Florida from 1783 to 1821. Great Britain gained control of the long-established Spanish colony of ''La Florida'' in 1763 as part of ...
, with many of them moving to Cuba. Approximately 3,000 Floridanos left Florida for
Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.
,
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
between 1763 and early 1764. Spanish Floridians in
west Florida West Florida ( es, Florida Occidental) was a region on the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico that underwent several boundary and sovereignty changes during its history. As its name suggests, it was formed out of the western part of former S ...
mostly fled to
Veracruz Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave), is one of the 31 states which, along with Me ...
,
Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
, with about 620 sailing from
Pensacola Pensacola () is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle, and the county seat and only incorporated city of Escambia County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 54,312. Pensacola is the principal ci ...
. The term "Floridano" was the term used by the Spanish colonial authorities to designate Spanish Floridian immigrants to Cuba. Spain recovered East Florida and gained control of West Florida through the Peace of Paris of 1783. The governors of the provinces of East and West Florida promoted Spanish migration to them. Florida was ceded to the United States in 1819 by the
Adams–Onís Treaty The Adams–Onís Treaty () of 1819, also known as the Transcontinental Treaty, the Florida Purchase Treaty, or the Florida Treaty,Weeks, p.168. was a treaty between the United States and Spain in 1819 that ceded Florida to the U.S. and defined t ...
. As happened in 1763, many Floridanos migrated to Cuba. In 2010, an historical marker titled "Los Floridanos" that commemorates the Floridanos was unveiled at St. Augustine's Visitor Information Center.


Demographics

The number of descendants of Spanish settlers in Florida is unknown. However, two of the earliest settlers, Francisco Sanchez and Manuel Solana, are known to have between 500 and 1,000 descendants living in the state. Manuel Solana was a descendant of Alonso Solana who had arrived to Florida in 1613 as a soldier in the Spanish military. These settlers were some of the few Spaniards who remained in Florida when the territory was ceded to Great Britain in 1763. Their descendants founded the Los Floridanos Society in St. Augustine, whose main function is to teach the history and legacy of the first settlers (1565-1765) to interested people. Some people of Cuban origin living in Florida also have ancestors in Colonial Florida. Some of the descendants of East Florida Governor
José María Coppinger José María Coppinger (April 5, 1773 – August 15, 1844) was a Spanish soldier who served in the infantry of the Royal Spanish Army ''(Ejército de Tierra)'' and governed East Florida (1816–1821) and several areas in Cuba including Pinar Del ...
, who was not a settler of Florida and lived in Cuba his last years, also live in Florida.


Notable Floridanos

*
Joseph Marion Hernández José Mariano Hernández or Joseph Marion Hernández (May 26, 1788 – June 8, 1857) was an American politician, plantation owner, and soldier. He was the first from the Florida Territory and the first Hispanic American to serve in the United S ...
(1788 - 1857), Floridano who served as the first delegate from the Florida Territory. He was also the first Hispanic American to serve in the United States Congress and a member of the Whig Party (1822 - 1823) *
Eligio de la Puente Juan José Eligio de la Puente y Regidor (1724–1781) was a Spanish Floridian (''Floridano'') who held various public offices in St. Augustine, Florida (''San Agustín de la Florida'') and in Havana, Cuba, during the 18th century. He served as c ...
(1724–1781), Floridano who held various public offices in St. Augustine, Florida and in Havana, Cuba during the 18th century. *
Agustín V. Zamorano Agustín Vicente Zamorano (1798–1842), was a printer, soldier, and provisional Comandante General in the north of Alta California. History Agustín Zamorano was born in Spanish Florida to Spanish parents within the Spanish colonial Viceroy ...
(1798–1842), Floridano who served as governor of
Alta California Alta California ('Upper California'), also known as ('New California') among other names, was a province of New Spain, formally established in 1804. Along with the Baja California peninsula, it had previously comprised the province of , but ...
(1832 - 1833).


See also

*
Spanish Florida Spanish Florida ( es, La Florida) was the first major European land claim and attempted settlement in North America during the European Age of Discovery. ''La Florida'' formed part of the Captaincy General of Cuba, the Viceroyalty of New Spain, ...
**
East Florida East Florida ( es, Florida Oriental) was a colony of Great Britain from 1763 to 1783 and a province of Spanish Florida from 1783 to 1821. Great Britain gained control of the long-established Spanish colony of ''La Florida'' in 1763 as part of ...
**
West Florida West Florida ( es, Florida Occidental) was a region on the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico that underwent several boundary and sovereignty changes during its history. As its name suggests, it was formed out of the western part of former S ...
**
List of colonial governors of Florida The colonial governors of Florida governed Florida during its colonial period (before 1821). The first European known to arrive there was Juan Ponce de León in 1513, but the governorship did not begin until 1565, when Pedro Menéndez de Avilé ...
*
Hispanos Hispanos (from es, adj. prefix Hispano- relating to Spain, from la, Hispānus) are Hispanic residents of the United States who are culturally descended from the original Spanish-speaking settlers in the areas which were once part of New Spain ...
**
Californios Californio (plural Californios) is a term used to designate a Hispanic Californians, Hispanic Californian, especially those descended from Spanish and Mexican settlers of the 17th through 19th centuries. California's Spanish language, Spanish-s ...
** Nuevomexicanos **
Tejanos Tejanos (, ; singular: ''Tejano/a''; Spanish for "Texan", originally borrowed from the Caddo ''tayshas'') are the residents of the state of Texas who are culturally descended from the Mexican population of Tejas and Coahuila that lived in the ...
*
Isleños Isleños (Spanish: ) are the inhabitants of the Canary Islands, and by extension the Kinship, descendants of Canarian people, Canarian settlers and immigrants to present-day Louisiana, Texas, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico ...
** Isleños (Louisiana) *
Hispanics The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties former ...
*
Spanish Americans Spanish Americans ( es, españoles estadounidenses, ''hispanoestadounidenses'', or ''hispanonorteamericanos'') are Americans whose Spanish people, ancestry originates wholly or partly from Spain. They are the longest-established European Amer ...


References


External links


Los Floridanos Society, Inc.
{{Spanish Americans by location Cuban-American culture in Florida Spanish-American culture in Florida Spanish Florida Spanish-Cuban culture Spanish-Mexican culture