History

The name first appears in documents dating to around 1680. One of the first recorded instances is that of Ignacio Roybal, a soldier who traveled with Don

Don (honorific)

Don, from Latin dominus, is an honorific in Spanish , Portuguese , and Italian . The female equivalent is Doña , Dona , and Donna , abbreviated "Dª" or simply "D."-Usage:...

 Diego de Vargas

Diego de Vargas

Diego de Vargas Zapata y Luján Ponce de León y Contreras , commonly known as Don Diego de Vargas, was a Spanish Governor of the New Spain territory of Santa Fe de Nuevo México, today the U.S. states of New Mexico and Arizona, titular 1690 – 1692, effective 1692 – 1696 and 1703 – 1704...

 to reconquer the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...

 from the Indians after the Pueblo Revolt

Pueblo Revolt

The Pueblo Revolt of 1680, or Popé's Rebellion, was an uprising of several pueblos of the Pueblo people against Spanish colonization of the Americas in the province of Santa Fe de Nuevo México.-Background:...

 of 1680. Fray Angélico Chávez

Angélico Chávez

Reverend Fr. Fray Angelico Chavez was an American Franciscan priest, historian, author, poet, and painter...

, a New Mexico historian, is also a descendent of the New Mexico Roybal lineage and was one of the first to trace it. Many Roybals trace their ancestry to the New Mexico cities of Santa Fe, Pojoaque, El Rancho

El Rancho, New Mexico

El Rancho is a census-designated place in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States. It is part of the Santa Fe, New Mexico Metropolitan Statistical Area...

, Jacona, to the San Ildefonso Pueblo, where it is shared by Native Americans

Native Americans in the United States

Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...

, and to the historical area of Cuyumungue. The name also has history in California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

, Colorado

Colorado

Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...

, Pecos, New Mexico

Pecos, New Mexico

Pecos is a village in San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,441 at the 2000 census, growing much faster than in other parts of San Miguel County, partly because Pecos is within commuting distance of Santa Fe. The village is built along the Pecos River which flows from...

 and Las Vegas, New Mexico

Las Vegas, New Mexico

Las Vegas is a city in San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States. Once two separate municipalities both named Las Vegas, west Las Vegas and east Las Vegas , divided by the Gallinas River, retain distinct characters and separate, rival school districts. The population was 14,565 at the 2000...

.

Notable people with the last name Roybal

• J. Roybal, Painter
• Alfonso Roybal (Awa Tsireh), San Ildefonso Pueblo painter
  Painting
  Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
  
  
• Antonio Roybal
  Antonio Roybal
  Antonio Roybal is an American fine-art painter and sculptor from Santa Fe, New Mexico.-History:Antonio is the son of David and Aggie Roybal, born in Santa Fe but raised in Southern California. He lived in San Diego during the earliest years of his childhood. He has three sisters. One of his...
  
  , painter and sculptor
• Edward Roybal, politician
• Ignacio Roibal (Roybal), Spanish soldier with Diego de Vargas from Spain and the owner of the Historic Sena Plaza in Santa Fe
• Louis Roybal, Professional Billiard (Pool) Player and Teacher
• J.D. Roybal, Native American painter from San Ildefonso Pueblo
• James Roybal, sculptor
• Josefa Roybal, Native American painter
• Lucille Roybal-Allard, politician
• Max Roybal, New Mexico santero
  Santo (art)
  Santo is a traditional New Mexican genre of religious sculpture. The word "santo" is also used to refer to individual works in this genre...
  
   and painter
• Ronald Roybal, Native American flautist
  Flautist
  A flautist or flutist is a musician who plays an instrument in the flute family. See List of flautists.The choice of "flautist" versus "flutist" is the source of dispute among players of the instrument...
  
  
• Don Santiago Roybal, appointed in 1730 by the archbishops of Guadalajara
  Guadalajara, Jalisco
  Guadalajara is the capital of the Mexican state of Jalisco, and the seat of the municipality of Guadalajara. The city is located in the central region of Jalisco in the western-pacific area of Mexico. With a population of 1,564,514 it is Mexico's second most populous municipality...
  
  , Mexico
  Mexico
  The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
  
   to oversee the missions of New Mexico.
• Lawrence Roybal Jr., King County Human Rights Commissioner