From Basián To Cartago, From Jaén To New York: The Saga Of The Borbón-Pérez-Moreno

(MENAFN- Costa Rica News) The post From Basián to Cartago, from Jaén to New York: The Saga of the Borbón-Pérez-Moreno appeared first on The Costa Rica News.

Surnames are custodians of memory. In the case of the Borbón-Pérez-Moreno family, history is not reduced to a genealogical tree: it is a journey that connects religious persecutions in France, humble settlements in Jaén, family foundations in Cartago, and contemporary projections in Texas and New York.

From France to Jaén

According to the study by Rafael Cañada Quesada (The First Bourbons in Spain: the Houses of Basián, Board, and Bussignac, Dialnet), long before the current Royal House crossed the Pyrenees, minor branches of the Borbón family -those of Basián, Board, and Bussignac- arrived in Spain after the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre in 1572. Poor and persecuted for their Protestant faith, they settled in places such as Alcoroches and Baeza, Jaén.

In Baeza, figures such as Mateo de Borbón and Catalina de Borbón appear in parish records. Later, Pedro de Borbón and Quiteria de Mora consolidated the line, and their son Luis de Borbón y Mora became a public notary in Jaén, giving stability to the family.

The Leap to Costa Rica

From this line emerged Andrés Luis de Borbón y Mora de Fuentes, born in Jaén in 1734 and baptized in El Sagrario. He entered the Royal Service and in 1763 was sent to Cartago, Costa Rica, where he remained permanently.

– Strategic marriage: In 1769 he married María Benita Ramírez de Chinchilla y Araya, daughter of a captain descended from conquistadors.

– Status as caballero hijosdalgo: From his arrival he was recognized as noble, linking his surname with prestigious local lineages.

– Monarchical loyalty: After independence, the family withdrew from local politics out of fidelity to Spain, calling the monarchs“cousins” due to distant kinship.

– Founder of the Costa Rican branch: His descendants gave rise to figures such as Virginia Borbón Sáenz, Doroteo Pérez Borbón, and later Carlos Luis Pérez and Ruth Pérez, who consolidated the Pérez Borbón line.

The Pérez Borbón Branch

From Andrés Luis and María Benita came a lineage that connects with:

– Virginia Borbón Sáenz - matriarch and guardian of tradition, a bridge between generations.

– Doroteo Pérez Borbón, father of Carlos Luis Pérez.

– Carlos Luis Pérez - politician, real estate investor, entrepreneur, and artist: his life was a bridge between the public and the intimate, between the material and the spiritual. He led urban projects, participated in political life, and cultivated aesthetic sensitivity, leaving a legacy of integral vision.

– Ruth Pérez - a woman of faith, entrepreneur, community supporter, and lover of art: a living presence who inspires with her spirituality, social commitment, and artistic sensitivity, serving as a pillar of the Pérez Borbón branch.

Echoes in Costa Rican Literature

In Muy cerca de mi tierra (1978), Lic. Marco Tulio Fonseca includes genealogies and scenes (pp. 155–157) that reflect national life and mention families such as the Pérez Borbón, confirming their place in Costa Rican cultural memory.

The Contemporary Generation

Today, the Borbón-Pérez-Moreno legacy projects itself in new forms:

– Vivian Moreno - professional in cardiovascular sciences and perfusion, trained at Hofstra University and Columbia University, with studies in Biomedical Science in England. Beyond her scientific career, she cultivates an artistic side as a singer, pianist, and violinist. She has taken leadership courses at St Andrews, Scotland, reflecting a comprehensive formation that combines science, art, and international leadership.

– Dominique Moreno - communication and marketing specialist, trained at New York University (NYU) and the Manhattan School of Music (MSM) in Harp Performance. She is currently PR and marketing director of the Megyn Kelly Show in New York, with experience at Warner Music Group, Lincoln Center, Mom+Pop Music, and Condé Nast. In addition to her media career, she has developed as an artist, harpist, and actress, with appearances in HBO productions such as The Time Traveler's Wife and The Deuce.

The story of the Borbón-Pérez-Moreno family is a saga of resilience and adaptation: from persecuted nobles in France, to humble settlers in Jaén, to founders of a Costa Rican branch faithful to their roots, and finally to a contemporary generation that shines in science, communicatio, and art.

It is a narrative that connects history, literature, and present-day life, and deserves to be told as testimony of identity and legacy.

Author Note

Nidia Zuñiga Pérez is the director of Farm-to-Table Tours in Texas and a genealogist. She has conducted archival research in Spain on the arrival of the Borbón family to Costa Rica in the 18th century, integrating academic and literary sources to preserve their historical legacy.

The post From Basián to Cartago, from Jaén to New York: The Saga of the Borbón-Pérez-Moreno appeared first on The Costa Rica News.

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