My interest in family history comes from my engagement in the Chicano Student Movement in the late 1960's. Although born in Jalisco, Mexico, I came as a child to the United States. During the next twenty-plus years I went through a transformation not understanding what was occurring to my sense of self. By the time I reached my mid twenties, I no longer knew who I was culturally or racially. I was being educated (again) at a great university continuing a process of learning of others with little information on who I was or how I got to be who I was. The politics of the times raised so many questions about who we all were as a society and as a member of the world's community that I were to engage myself and add to the world, I had to know who I was, really and deeply. Deeply meant my roots. The work of discovery began. I continue that work with this genealogical work. With help of a cousin in Mexico, we have built a family tree that takes us deeply into Mexico and across the United States, including Spain and other countries of the world.

While my roots are in Tamazula de Gordiano, Jalisco, Mexico on my paternal side, our family also has been present in Zapotlan/Ciudad Guzman, Guadalajaara, and Valle de Mazamitla, My mother's side is rooted in Sinaloa. Here is a bit of family history beginning with the first Carrillo to arrive to Tamazula (according to my father):

Jesus Carrillo was born in Burgos, Burgos, Castilla-Leon, Spain. He died in Tamazula, Jalisco, Mexico
Quirina Tovar was born in Tamazula, Jalisco Mexico. She died in 1850 in Tamazula, Jalisco, Mexico

Ygnasio Carrillo Tovar is the only son known of Jesus and Quirina. He was born in Tamazula, Jalisco, Mexico. He was married to Maria de Jesus Contreras Antillon.
Maria de Jesus Contreras Antillon was born in Tamazula de Gordiano, Jalisco, Mexico about 1845. She died in 1907.

Cliserio Carrillo Contreras was the oldest of two sons born to Ygnasio and Maria de Jesus. He was born in 1862 in Tamazula de Gordiano, Jalisco, Mexico. He died in Tamazula de Gordiano , Jalisco, Mexico in 1940. He married Marta Gauna Gomez on Jan 28, 1914 in Tamazula de Gordiano, Jalisco, Mexico. She died in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico on Oct. 12, 1965. They had eight children.

Manuel Carrillo Contreras was the youngest of two sons born to Cliserio and Marta. He was born on Jul 10, 1874 in Tamazula de Gordiano, Jalisco, Mexico. After arriving in San Francisco, California with one son (my father) in 1926 seeking work, he went to work cleaning oil tanks on ships. He died in San Francisco on Feb, 1927. He was married to Maria Bautista Gudiño. She was born in Zapotlan, Jalisco on Aug 15, 1876 and died on Feb 2, 1971 in San Francisco. They had three sons and one daughter, José Ignasio (my father), Alfredo, Manuel and Clotiilde, all born in Tamazula de Gordiano , Jalisco Mexico.