I apologize if this question has appeared before. Recently, while reading
christening records, I have come across the word "tresalvo" right after the
name of the child being baptised. Can someone define it for me? Thanks
I've found that word describing the cast of a person who would be the child
of a spaniard and a mulato (three quarters white and one quarter black),
same as Morisco. Castizo would be for a person three quarters a spaniard and
one quarter indian.
Hector Felix Aizcorbe
>From: "Deena Ortiz"
>Reply-To: research@nuestrosranchos.org
>To:
>Subject: [Nuestros Ranchos] Meaning ofTresalva
>Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2007 18:59:17 -0700
>
>I apologize if this question has appeared before. Recently, while reading
>christening records, I have come across the word "tresalvo" right after the
>name of the child being baptised. Can someone define it for me? Thanks
>
>~Deena Ortiz~
>
>
The word "tresalvo" probably had different meanings in different countries. After all, the word only means three-fourths white. The following excerpt comes from a 1689-1690 Dispensa Matrimonial from Aguascalientes. Sebastián Merino, tresalvo, was the son of Bernabé Merino, a Spaniard, and María Gutiérrez, mestiza. The bride, Nicolasa Ruiz de Esparza, was probably an abandoned child, left on the steps of her adoptive mother, who gave her her own surname. This was not unusual, but something that happened quite frequently.
"Guadalajara, Ja.- Aguascalientes, Ags. Mayo 29 de 1690 y Enero 3 de 1689. Exp. 217 y 218, respectivamente.- Dispensa de segundo grado de afinidad por cópula ilícita.- Sebastián Merino, tresalvo de 52 años de edad, vecino y natural de la Villa de Aguascalientes y residente en esta ciudad, y viudo de María de Jaén; con Nicolasa Ruiz de Esparza, mestiza de 22 años de edad, natural y vecina de dicha villa, hija de la Iglesia. Declaración del pretenso: Que es legítimamente tresalvo, porque su madre era mestiza, y la pretensa es legítimamente mestiza, porque su padre era mestizo y su madre casi india. Declaración de la pretensa: Que se crió en casa de...etc. etc."
The words I've found more often used to describe blacks and people of mixed B&W race are Negro, Mulato and Morisco. However, in countries with a high content of african population, such as Cuba, Puerto Rico and other Caribbean countries, "tresalvo" may've been used to describe the child of a white person with a mulato.
The word "Tresalvo" was used in old church records to define the caste of a
person that was three quarters white and one quarter indian, like the child
of a Spaniard with a Mestizo. It comes from the words "tres"="three" and
"albo"="white"). Hope this helps.
Meaning ofTresalva
I've found that word describing the cast of a person who would be the child
of a spaniard and a mulato (three quarters white and one quarter black),
same as Morisco. Castizo would be for a person three quarters a spaniard and
one quarter indian.
Hector Felix Aizcorbe
>From: "Deena Ortiz"
>Reply-To: research@nuestrosranchos.org
>To:
>Subject: [Nuestros Ranchos] Meaning ofTresalva
>Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2007 18:59:17 -0700
>
>I apologize if this question has appeared before. Recently, while reading
>christening records, I have come across the word "tresalvo" right after the
>name of the child being baptised. Can someone define it for me? Thanks
>
>~Deena Ortiz~
>
>
Meaning ofTresalva
The word "tresalvo" probably had different meanings in different countries. After all, the word only means three-fourths white. The following excerpt comes from a 1689-1690 Dispensa Matrimonial from Aguascalientes. Sebastián Merino, tresalvo, was the son of Bernabé Merino, a Spaniard, and María Gutiérrez, mestiza. The bride, Nicolasa Ruiz de Esparza, was probably an abandoned child, left on the steps of her adoptive mother, who gave her her own surname. This was not unusual, but something that happened quite frequently.
"Guadalajara, Ja.- Aguascalientes, Ags. Mayo 29 de 1690 y Enero 3 de 1689. Exp. 217 y 218, respectivamente.- Dispensa de segundo grado de afinidad por cópula ilícita.- Sebastián Merino, tresalvo de 52 años de edad, vecino y natural de la Villa de Aguascalientes y residente en esta ciudad, y viudo de María de Jaén; con Nicolasa Ruiz de Esparza, mestiza de 22 años de edad, natural y vecina de dicha villa, hija de la Iglesia. Declaración del pretenso: Que es legítimamente tresalvo, porque su madre era mestiza, y la pretensa es legítimamente mestiza, porque su padre era mestizo y su madre casi india. Declaración de la pretensa: Que se crió en casa de...etc. etc."
The words I've found more often used to describe blacks and people of mixed B&W race are Negro, Mulato and Morisco. However, in countries with a high content of african population, such as Cuba, Puerto Rico and other Caribbean countries, "tresalvo" may've been used to describe the child of a white person with a mulato.
Bill Figueroa
Meaning ofTresalva
Hi Deena,
The word "Tresalvo" was used in old church records to define the caste of a
person that was three quarters white and one quarter indian, like the child
of a Spaniard with a Mestizo. It comes from the words "tres"="three" and
"albo"="white"). Hope this helps.
Bill Figueroa