Esther Gomez Bevan shared the family history of her maternal grandmother, Juana Mata Pérez, who was a Lebanese immigrant to Mexico about 1904. Juana and her husband fled to Mexico because of the persecution of the Ottoman Empire. One of Juana’s grandsons later wrote of her:
"I may never have been born into this world were it not for the persecution of Christian Moors in Lebanon during the decline of the Ottoman Empire. Of the 1 million exiles, about 25,000 settled in Mexico. Among them was a 14-year-old girl, Juana Matar, already married, who would have 12 children in Mexico before she died at age 39. One of those children was my mother, Consuelo Paez Matar."
Many peoples of the world have stories of their origins. It is sometimes forgotten that a family line may have origins from more than one country or nation. Our family traditions and histories are often impacted by a blending of these cultures.
If you have Mexican ancestry, you might research whether you have indigenous roots or if some of your family immigrated from outside of Mexico. A good place to start is by finding your ancestors' Mexican town of origin.
Mexico’s First People
Before the Spanish conquest in 1521, Mexico was populated by several native groups. Though the European invasion nearly decimated these people, the survivors became the ancestors of roughly 15% of the current population of Mexico.
Today, there are 68 nationally recognized indigenous peoples in Mexico. Each have their own languages, cultures, and traditions. The 3 largest indigenous groups in Mexico are the Nahuas, the Maya, and the Zapotec.
Who Immigrated to Mexico?
The first foreign peoples in Mexico were Spanish explorers during the 1500s. After the establishment of New Spain in 1521, the Spaniards ruled in Mexico for the next 300 years.
In 1821, Spain finally lost their stronghold on the land, and Mexico became independent. Different cultures would immigrate to Mexico over those 300 years of Spanish rule. After Mexico gained its independence, an influx of immigrants continued to arrive.
African Migrants in Mexico
Many early African migrants to Mexico were not there voluntarily. Between the years 1519 and 1650, it was estimated that approximately 120,000 enslaved persons were brought into colonial Mexico.
African populations were especially large in the areas of Veracruz, Mexico City, and Acapulco. In 2020, over 2.5 million Mexican citizens identified as Afromexican or of African descent.
The Mexican Congress eventually abolished slavery in 1829. Mexico became a place of freedom for runaway enslaved persons from the United States in the 19th century. Similar to the Underground Railroad that lead enslaved people to free northern states in the U.S., thousands of enslaved people crossed Southern Texas towards the Rio Grande and freedom in Mexico.
French Immigrants in Mexico
The first wave of French immigrants began arriving in Mexico in 1821. Though records are scarce for these individuals, a census was created in 1849 of those who were French nationals living in Mexico. With the French being scattered in diverse places, the enumerator in charge noted that accurate data was hard to gather.
Religious Immigrants in Mexico
There are dozens of reasons why people would immigrate to Mexico. Some immigrants used immigration into Mexico as a way to gain entry into the United States. Other immigrants may have found Mexico’s low cost of living, gorgeous weather, and beauty as reasons to immigrate there.
Others immigrated because of political instability and war. One category of immigrants in Mexico were those who came hoping to escape religious persecution.
Jewish Immigrants in Mexico
Some of the first Jewish immigrants to Mexico traveled to the New World with Hernán Cortes in 1521. Many of these immigrants had been forced to convert to Christianity and were sometimes referred to as New Christians or conversos. Some Jewish immigrants attempted to continue practicing Judaism in Mexico, but the Spanish Inqusition also had a presence in the New World. Conversos who were found practicing their old religion were put to death. Other Jewish immigrants would continue to practice Christianity and suffer great persecution, but they remained in Mexico.
In the early part of the 19th century, Jews in Eastern Europe were being greatly persecuted and forced to flee from country to country. In 1864, France placed Maximilian (the Archduke of Austria) as the Emperor of Mexico, in an attempt to gain control of the country. Maximilian brought with him Jews from Belgium, France, Austria, and Alsace. In fact, his royal physician was also Jewish.
While ruler, Maximilian issued an Edict of Tolerance in Mexico. This edict declared that Jews from Germanic lands would be free of persecution in Mexico, which led to a small influx of Jewish immigration into the country.
Jewish immigrants in Mexico would also come from Russia. In 1855, under Tsar Alexander II of Russia, Jewish families were supported and protected by his more relaxed restrictions and the abolishment of anti-Semitic systems. After the Tsar was assassinated in 1881, Alexander III took the place of his father. He reestablished and created several laws and systems that persecuted the Jews. Many Jewish people fled the Russian Empire, and some immigrated to Mexico.
In 1912, one of the first Jewish communities in Mexico was founded and named the Sociedad de Beneficencia Alianza Monte Sinaí. Members of the community had fled from Damascus, Syria, and Lebanon.
By 1922, Jewish immigrants from Central and Eastern Europe had arrived in Mexico and established an Ashkenazi community. At times, Jewish immigrants, used Mexico as a way to gain entry into the United States. However, many of them stayed and embraced a Mexican-Jewish culture. In 2010, it was estimated that there were about 70,000 Jewish persons living in Mexico, with the largest group living in Mexico City.
Latter-day Saint Immigrants in Mexico
Outside of the United States, Mexico is home to the largest community of U.S. Americans than anywhere else. One estimate in 2022 put the number of U.S. American immigrants in Mexico as 1.6 million. One U.S. American group immigrating to Mexico was early members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In 1885, a large group of Church members moved to northern parts of Mexico. This was in response to the U.S. government's issue with their practice of plural marriage. Within a short time, 9 Church colonies were established in the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Sonora.
For many of the Latter-day Saint immigrants, their time in Mexico was short-lived. Many fled the country at the start of the Mexican Revolution in 1912 to return to El Paso, Texas. The meetinghouse in the photo to the left would eventually be destroyed during the revolution.
Mennonite Immigrants in Mexico
Another large group of immigrants who fled to Mexico for freedom to practice their religion were Canadian Mennonites. Some Old Colony Mennonites from Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada, took trains south to settle in Chihuahua, Mexico, in 1922. Their communities grew, and they established the Buenos Aires Colony, the Capulin Colony, the Cuervo Colony, and colonies in Las Virginias and Buena Vista. In 2003, it was estimated that about 80,000 Old Colony Mennonites were living in Mexico.
How Did People Immigrate to Mexico?
As mentioned above, immigrants to Mexico came by boat, on foot, by rail, by wagon, and in more recent times, by planes and cars. Early ports of entry by sea included cities such as Veracruz, Acapulco, Campeche, and Tampico. Some of your ancestors likely traveled by rail, wagon, or even on foot to enter Mexico.
Ports of Entry Today and Current Statistics
Today, there are 48 border crossings between Mexico and the United States. Over 350 million people cross the U.S. and Mexico border legally each year.
In fact, the Mexican–United States border is the most frequently crossed border in the world, particularly at the San Ysdiro and El Chaparral ports! According to census data collected by Mexico in 2020, roughly 1.1 million immigrants live in Mexico.
Now It's Your Turn
Just as Esther Gomez Bevan shared with me the story of her grandmother, Juana Mata Pérez, you can share what you know and learn about your family on the FamilySearch Family Tree.
The FamilySearch Family Tree is free and available to everyone—it’s a WORLD family tree like no other! You might be surprised to find that others have information, records, and even pictures of your Mexican ancestors. Search out your Mexican immigrants' stories, and add them to the Family Tree today!
More Resources for You
- Crossing the Frontera is a RootsTech class that will teach you to find your ancestors using United States–Mexico border crossing records from 1903 to 1957.
- There are also FamilySearch Learning Center classes on immigration in Latin America (though not specifically for Mexico). These classes are in Spanish.
Learn More about Your Mexican Heritage
At FamilySearch, we care about connecting you with your family, and we provide fun discovery experiences and family history services for free. Why? Because we cherish families and believe that connecting generations can improve our lives now and forever. We are a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To learn more about our beliefs, click here.
