<P> Some researchers have discovered an erroneous link between Crístobal Baca's wife Ana Ortíz and Christopher Columbus, among others . As noted previously, Ana Ortíz was the daughter of one Francisco Pacheco . At least three separate articles published in genealogical journals have identified this man as Francisco Pacheco de Cordóva . Not only have researchers found that Pacheco de Córdova had an impressive lineage, but so did his wife Juana de la Cueva y Toledo Colón . </P> <P> Ana Ortíz has also been shown to be related to the famed explorer Francisco Vásquez de Coronado and Francisco Enriques, the Duke of Alburquerque . The problem with this finding is that Francisco Pacheco de Córdova, and presumably his wife, would have been too young to be the parents of Ana Ortíz . Pacheco was born in 1573, while Ana Ortíz's daughter Isabel de Bohórquez was born c. 1586 . Thus Pacheco would have been only 13 years older than the woman who would supposedly have been his granddaughter . </P> <P> One assumption is that famed Spanish explorer Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca was an ancestor of Juan de Vaca and, consequently, Cristóbal Baca . In 1988, Dr. Eric Beerman reviewed the research that had been done on Cabeza de Vaca, and did not discover any information that this explorer had any direct descendants . However, he did not completely rule out that possibility . Another researcher, George C' de Baca, did extensive research but was unable to find a connection between the New Mexico Baca family and the Cabeza de Vaca family in Spain . However, it is still generally assumed that the Baca surname originated from this noble family . </P> <Ul> <Li> John Philip Baca, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient </Li> <Li> Edward D. Baca, first Hispanic head of the National Guard Bureau, Lieutenant General U.S. Army (ret .) </Li> <Li> Elfego Baca, frontier personality </Li> <Li> Fabiola Cabeza de Baca Gilbert, writer and educator . </Li> <Li> Jimmy Santiago Baca, Poet </Li> <Li> Jim Baca, former Albuquerque, New Mexico Mayor </Li> <Li> Joe Baca, U.S. Representative from California - born in Belen, New Mexico </Li> <Li> Judy Baca, contemporary artist </Li> <Li> Polly Baca - Barragan, First Mexican - American to serve in the Colorado Legislature </Li> </Ul>

Where did the last name baca originate from