Surnames associated with Babilonia in PR

Mendez, Gonzalez, Hernandez del Rio, Lorenzo de Acevedo, Lopez de Segura, Caban, Carive, Kleibring, Polanco, Quinones, Ramos, Ramirez, Romero, Sosa, Soto, Sotomayor, Talavera, Torres, Vives

Barrios & towns in PR:
Barrios de Moca: Pueblo, Cuchillas, Cruz, Marias, Naranjo, Rocha; Camuy, Quebradillas, San Juan

Largely settled in the Northwest area of the island.

Descendants article in Nuestra Herencia

The Descendants of Capitan Miguel Babilonia Polanco of Moca, Puerto Rico, Part I was recently published in Nuestra Herencia 11:2, Spring/ Summer 2008 issue. Nuestra Herencia is the newsletter of the Hispanic Genealogical Society of New York. I'll be working on Part II shortly, which covers the children of the second generation.

Over 600 Babilonias to El Manantial tomorrow...

I just spoke with my cousin Gaspar, and there are over 600 Babilonia descendants who will descend on El Manantial tomorrow afternoon. It should be an amazing event. Hopefully I'll have some images to post.

Miguel Babilonia Polanco

The first Babilonia in Puerto Rico arrived from Mallorca, Balearic Islands off the coast of Spain sometime in the 1760s.  Miguel Babilonia Polanco was born to Juan Amador Babilonia and Chatarina Polanco in 1743. His first marriage was to Maria Mendez (1741-9 Aug 1796) with whom he had 12 children. After she died, he married his wife's cousin, Benita Lorenzo de Acevedo y Gonzalez (1781-10 May 1861), and had 7 more children. By the time of his second marriage in 1797, both of his parents had already passed.

My research so far shows that Miguel Babilonia Polanco was not involved with the military, and did not have the title Capitan in any official capacity. Two sons that appear in the 1817 military census of Moca serve as soldiers, unlike the other families with close military ties. Miguel likely traded in linen used for clothing of the enslaved, which may have brought him to Puerto Rico.

I've been investigating this line since the late 1990s, and have been involved with genealogy since then. Perhaps I should say, obsessed?

Babilonia Family Reunion- Sun 17 Aug 2008

There should be a few hundred people going to Barrio Naranjo in Moca this coming Sunday to attend this event. Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend, but hope to post some information from the many cousins who will go.