Asturian Americans (, ) are

citizen Citizenship is a membership and allegiance to a sovereign state. Though citizenship is often conflated with nationality in today's English-speaking world, international law does not usually use the term ''citizenship'' to refer to nationality ...

s of the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

who are of Asturian ancestry.

History

First Americans

The first Asturian immigrants came to

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

as soldiers, officers and settlers with the

Spanish Army The Spanish Army () is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest Standing army, active armies – dating back to the late 15th century. The Spanish Army has existed ...

in the wake of Spain's conquest of what is today

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

and the

southwestern US The Southwestern United States, also known as the American Southwest or simply the Southwest, is a geographic and cultural region of the United States that includes Arizona and New Mexico, along with adjacent portions of California, Colorado, N ...

. Some came directly to areas that would eventually become American territory, while others came to the present-day US via Mexico or

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

Saint Augustine Augustine of Hippo ( , ; ; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430) was a theologian and philosopher of Berbers, Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia (Roman province), Numidia, Roman North Africa. His writings deeply influenced th ...

, the oldest continuously occupied European-founded city anywhere in the continental United States, was founded by the Asturian

Pedro Menéndez de Avilés Pedro Menéndez de Avilés (; ; 15 February 1519 – 17 September 1574) was a Spanish admiral, explorer and conquistador from Avilés, in Asturias, Spain. He is notable for planning the first regular trans-oceanic convoys, which became known as ...

. His expedition consisted of 2,000 settlers; at least forty of them were Asturians, mostly soldiers and from various areas of Asturias (mainly from

Avilés Avilés (Asturian and ;) is a town in Asturias, Spain. Avilés is, along with Oviedo and Gijón, one of the main cities in the Principality of Asturias. The town occupies the flattest land in the municipality, partially in a land that belonged ...

Ribadesella Ribadesella () is a small municipality in the Autonomous Community of the Principality of Asturias, Spain. Known for its location on the Cantabrian Sea, at the outlet of the River Sella, Ribadesella is a town that forms part of the Picos de Eur ...

and Villaviciosa). The first known child of European descent to be born in what is now the continental US was

Martín de Argüelles Martín de Argüelles Jr. (1566–1630) was the first white child known to have been born in what is now the contiguous United States. His birthplace of St. Augustine, Florida ( Spanish: ''San Agustín, La Florida'') is the oldest continuously ...

(), born in 1566 in Saint Augustine to Asturian parents. Several of the first colonial governors of Florida were Asturians, including Menéndez de Avilés,

Hernando de Miranda Hernando de Miranda (died 1593) was a Spanish ''conquistador'' and explorer who was governor of Spanish Florida from 1575 to 1577. He took office after the death of the first governor of the province, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés. He was the brother ...

Rodrigo del Junco Rodrigo del Junco (born in Ribadesella, Asturias, Spain, died 1592) was a Spanish soldier, a factor (mercantile agent) and Overseer of the Royal Estate in '' La Florida'', and governor of the province in 1592. Biography Rodrigo del Junco was b ...

Pedro Menéndez Márquez Pedro Menéndez Márquez (c.1537 – 1600) was a Spanish military officer, conquistador, and governor of Spanish Florida. He was a nephew of Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, who had been appointed ''adelantado'' (an elite military and administrative po ...

Juan Menéndez Márquez Juan Menéndez Márquez y Valdés (1531–1627) was royal treasurer and interim governor of Spanish Florida, and governor of Popayán Province (in present-day Colombia). He was the father of Francisco Menéndez Márquez, who succeeded him as gover ...

and

Juan Treviño de Guillamas Juan Treviño de Guillamas (1558 – d. before 1636) was a Spanish governor of Spanish Florida (1613–1618) and Venezuela (1621–1623). Biography Juan Treviño de Guillamas was born in the city of Ávila, Spain, and was baptized on May 31, 15 ...

Modern immigration

In the early decades of the 20th century, thousands of Asturians left Spain and Cuba and came to work, either in the

zinc Zinc is a chemical element; it has symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodic tabl ...

and

coal mine Coal mining is the process of resource extraction, extracting coal from the ground or from a mine. Coal is valued for its Energy value of coal, energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to Electricity generation, generate electr ...

s of

West Virginia West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...

and

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

, or in the thriving

tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...

industry of

Tampa, Florida Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...

. These Asturian immigrants organized themselves in tight-knit communities, setting up clubs and welfare organizations to provide and care for its members. One such club is the

Centro Asturiano de Tampa The Centro Asturiano is a historic site in Ybor City, Tampa, Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States. Designed by Tampa-based architect M. Leo Elliott and located at 1913 State Road 45 (Florida), Nebraska Avenue, the building served as a social cl ...

, a historic site in

Ybor City Ybor City ( ) is a historic neighborhood just northeast of downtown Tampa, downtown Tampa, Florida, United States. It was founded in the 1880s by Vicente Martinez Ybor and other cigar manufacturers and populated by thousands of immigrants, mai ...

, Tampa, Florida. It is located at 1913 Nebraska Avenue. Established in 1902, it was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

on July 24, 1974. It was designed by Tampa architect M. Leo Elliott. On Asturian immigration, the "Asturian-American Migration Forum" states:

2010 US Census

The 2010 US Census failed to include an Asturian category, leaving Asturian-Americans with the only choice of checking the

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

category, unlike

Basques The Basques ( or ; ; ; ) are a Southwestern European ethnic group, characterised by the Basque language, a Basque culture, common culture and shared genetic ancestry to the ancient Vascones and Aquitanians. Basques are indigenous peoples, ...

Scotch-Irish American Scotch-Irish Americans are American descendants of primarily Ulster Scots people, who emigrated from Ulster (Ireland's northernmost province) to the United States between the 18th and 19th centuries, with their ancestors having originally mig ...

s, who, even though they do not come from independent countries, are recognized by the US Census with their own categories.

Notable people

Artists

Mabel Alvarez Mabel Alvarez (November 28, 1891 – March 13, 1985) was an American painter. Her works, often introspective and spiritual in nature, and her style is considered a contributing factor to the Southern California Modernism and California Impressio ...

(November 28, 1891 – March 13, 1985), painter.

Entertainment

Gloria Estefan Gloria María Milagrosa Estefan (; ; born September 1, 1957) is an American singer, actress, and businesswoman. Estefan is an eight-time Grammy Awards, Grammy Award winner, a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, and has been named one of t ...

(born September 1, 1957), Cuban-born singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. *

Eva Longoria Eva Jacqueline Longoria Bastón ( Longoria; born March 15, 1975) is an American actress, producer, director, and businesswoman. After several guest roles on television, she became recognized for her portrayal of Isabella Braña on the CBS day ...

(born March 15, 1975), actress. *

Frankie Muniz Francisco Muniz IV (; born December 5, 1985) is an American actor and racing driver. Muniz came to prominence in the 2000s playing the title character of the Fox sitcom ''Malcolm in the Middle'' (2000–2006), for which he was nominated for an E ...

(Francisco Muniz IV, born December 5, 1985), actor, musician, writer, producer and race car driver. * Paloma Bloyd (born March 6, 1988), actress. *

Jason Molina Jason Andrew Molina (December 30, 1973 – March 16, 2013) was an American musician, singer and songwriter. Raised in northern Ohio, he came to prominence performing and recording as Songs: Ohia, both in solo projects and with a rotating cast o ...

(December 30, 1973 – March 16, 2013), musician and singer-songwriter. Founder of Songs: Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co.Jason Molina un gótico tardío (In Spanish)
/ref>

Lawyers, historians and writers

Alfred-Maurice de Zayas Alfred-Maurice de Zayas (born 31 May 1947) is a Cuban-born American lawyer and writer, active in the field of human rights and international law. From 1 May 2012 to 30 April 2018, he served as the first UN Independent Expert on the Promotion o ...

(born May 31, 1947), American lawyer, writer, historian, a leading expert in the field of human rights and international law.

Military

Baldomero Lopez Baldomero is a given name. Related names include Voldemar (Estonian), Waldemar and Woldemar (German) and Vladimir (Slavic). Notable people with the name include: *Baldomero Aguinaldo (1869–1915), leader of the Philippine Revolution *Baldomero E ...

(August 23, 1925 – September 15, 1950), first lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War.

Miscellanea

(1566–1630), first known child of European descent born in what is now the continental US. * Manuel A. Gonzalez (1832–1902), Asturian-born steamship captain who was one of the first permanent settlers of Fort Myers, Florida.

Politicians

* Bob Martínez (born December 25, 1934) 40th Governor of Florida from 1987 to 1991 and the mayor of

Tampa Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...

from 1979 to 1986. Martínez was the first person of

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

ancestry to be elected to the state's top office. *

Bill Richardson William Blaine Richardson III (November 15, 1947 – September 1, 2023) was an American politician, author, and diplomat who served as the List of governors of New Mexico, 30th governor of New Mexico from 2003 to 2011. He was U.S. ambassador to ...

(November 15, 1947 – September 1, 2023), 30th Governor of New Mexico from 2003 to 2011. *

Bob Menendez Robert Menendez (; born January 1, 1954) is an American former politician and lawyer who represented New Jersey in the United States Senate from 2006 until his resignation in 2024. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic ...

(born January 1, 1954) senior

United States senator The United States Senate consists of 100 members, two from each of the 50 U.S. state, states. This list includes all senators serving in the 119th United States Congress. Party affiliation Independent Senators Angus King of Maine and Berni ...

from

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

Scientists

* Luis F. Alvarez (April 1, 1853 – May 24, 1937), Asturian-born physician and researcher who practiced in both California and Hawaii. * Walter C. Alvarez (1884 – June 18, 1978), doctor. *

Severo Ochoa Severo Ochoa de Albornoz (; 24 September 1905 – 1 November 1993) was a Spanish physician and biochemist, and winner of the 1959 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine together with Arthur Kornberg for their discovery of "the mechanisms in the ...

(September 24, 1905 – November 1, 1993), Asturian-born doctor and biochemist, joint winner of the 1959 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with

Arthur Kornberg Arthur Kornberg (March 3, 1918 – October 26, 2007) was an American biochemist who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1959 for the discovery of "the mechanisms in the biological synthesis of ribonucleic acid and deoxyribonucleic a ...

. *

Luis Walter Alvarez Luis Walter Alvarez (June 13, 1911 – September 1, 1988) was an American experimental physicist, inventor, and professor who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1968 for his discovery of resonance (particle physics), resonance states in ...

(June 13, 1911 – September 1, 1988), experimental physicist and inventor, who spent nearly all of his long professional career on the faculty of the University of California, Berkeley. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1968. *

Walter Alvarez Walter Alvarez (born October 3, 1940) is a professor in the Earth and Planetary Science department at the University of California, Berkeley. He and his father, Nobel Prize–winning physicist Luis Alvarez, developed the theory that dinosaurs w ...

(born October 3, 1940), professor in the Earth and Planetary Science department at the

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after t ...

. He is most widely known for the theory that dinosaurs were killed by an asteroid impact, developed in collaboration with his father, Nobel Prize–winning physicist Luis Alvarez.

Sports

Lou Piniella Louis Victor Piniella ( usually ; born August 28, 1943) is a former professional baseball player and manager. An outfielder, he played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals a ...

(Louis Victor Piniella, born August 28, 1943), former Major League outfielder and manager; nicknamed "Sweet Lou". *

Evan Longoria Evan Michael Longoria (born October 7, 1985), nicknamed "Longo", is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays, San Francisco Giants, and Arizona Diamondbac ...

(born October 7, 1985),

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

third baseman. * Al Lopez (August 20, 1908–2005), former Major League catcher and manager; Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame; nicknamed "El Señor".

References

External links

* Colahan, Clark (2008)
Spanish American Heritage
Multicultural America. * Ramírez, Roberto R. (2004)
We the People: Hispanic Population in the United States
Census 2000 Special Reports. U.S. Census Bureau. * Pérez, Juan M. (October 2005)

Coloquio Revista Cultural.
Asturian-American Migration Forum
A discussion board for the descendants of Asturian-Americans. {{Spanish Americans by location