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The very first European in the present United States of America was Alvar Nuñez Cabéz de Vacá; some of Cabeza de Vaca's direct desendants are at Arizona Pioneers and the famous explorer is at Chronology/Timeline at  Alvar Nuñez Cabéz de Vacá.

The origin of the first "Baca" is from the village of Valderas (Southeast of the province of Leon), but it is extended at many villages of Spain. At America, there are Bacas at Cuba (from approximately 1530, a Baca went there proceeding from the village of Villapando, close to Valderas, but in the province of Zamora), Colombia and Peru. There are information about many people with this name in many families, but it seems all them proceed of the same person, at the village of Valderas.
The correct spelling of this family name is "Vaca," but already in the Seventeenth Century "Baca" had come into common usage. Although it is derived from "Caveza de Vaca," a title and name received by a Spanish hero in the year 1212, the full name was never once used by this New Mexico family for over two centuries.

Several Vacas came to the New World shortly after its discovery. Among those in Cortes time were Diego de Vaca, a native of Mancilla in Leon, and Luis Vaca, a native of Toledo.

The descendants of these Baca (Vaca) families, were among the earliest American Pilgrims, who colonized and Pioneered many areas of the present day United States of America.
                      
Cristobal Baca (Vaca) was one of the captains who came to reinforce the Oñate colony in 1600. He was the son Juan de Vaca.  He brought his wife, three grown daughters, and a small  son. His wife was Doña Ana Ortiz, daughter of Francisco Pacheco.

Their children were Juana de Zamora, Isabel [de Bohorquez], Maria deVillanueva, and the boy, Antonio.                                                     

Baca's family was among the few who remained at San Gabriel when the rest rest of the colonists deserted;  In 1603 he commanded the escort which brought four new Franciscans from Mexico City.  In 1613 he was acting as Syndic for the friars.

Antonio Baca (Vaca); Antonio Baca was a captain by 1628 and twenty-eight years old, married, and living in Santa Fe.  His wife was Yumar Perez de Bustillo, twenty years  old in 1631

Alonso Baca a young captain he led a small exploratory expedition three hundred leagues into the eastern plains in 1634. Alonso was still living at his place in the Rio Abajo district as late as 1662.

Nunez Cabeza de Vaca

         
                                             
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