​The

​Ramaytush Ohlone

the only original people
of the San Francisco Peninsula

The Ramaytush (pronounced rah-my-toosh) are the only original people of the San Francisco Peninsula. In the baptismal records of Mission Dolores, Aramay referred specifically to the area containing the villages of Timigtac and Pruristac. The term Ramaytush became a linguistic designation for a dialect of the Costanoan language that was spoken by the original peoples of the San Francisco Peninsula. Most descendants of the indigenous groups of the San Francisco Bay Area, however, refer to themsleves as Ohlone while a few others use Costanoan. 

The title Ramaytush Ohlone recognizes the Ramaytush as a part of a larger group of the Ohlone/Costanoan peoples who lived in the area of the San Francisco Bay south to Monterey. Prior to the arrival of the Spanish in 1769, the Ramaytush Ohlone numbered approximately 1400 persons and lived in eleven tribelets.  

Living descendants of the Ramaytush Ohlone originate from the Aramai tribe and the village of Timigtac, located along Calera Creek in the city of Pacifica, San Mateo County. The primary family of the village at Timigtac was headed by Utchus (Ygnacio) and his wife Muchiate (Geronima). Their lineage was carried forward through their great-granddaughter, Leandra Ventura Ramos, whose children account for four branches of the family that produced living descendants.

Leandra Ramos married Rafael Robles in 1825 and Eugenio Soto in 1839. Altogether, she had ten children. Five of her daughters married and had children, but only four are known to have living descendants in the present. Leandra and Rafael Robles lived in Santa Cruz where Rafael died in 1838. After his death Leandra married Eugenio Soto. The family lived in Santa Cruz until 1850 and then moved to San Mateo County where they lived at the Soto Ranch in Alpine. ​

Also, descendants of the Ramaytush Ohlone trace their ancestry to the Saclan tribe (Bay Miwok) in Contra Costa County and to Mission San Jose in Alameda County.

A Note to Other Indigenous Peoples

Hiyeni hershah peshah wahrep Ramaytsuh Ohlone. “Welcome to the homeland of the Raymtush Ohlone.” 

The Association of Ramaytush Ohlone welcomes the participation of other indigenous peoples in both San Francisco and San Mateo counties (i.e., in Ramaytush Ohlone territory). ​We recognize that many other Ohlone have been actively involved for many years in preserving Ohlone culture in the Bay Area, and we extend our sincere gratitude to those who have done so. We acknowledge that San Francisco in particular presents the Ohlone with resources and opportunities to share Ohlone culture with the broader public.
 
We politely ask that all indigenous people participate in a way that honors the original inhabitants of this land and that respects all people--indigenous or otherwise.  

What makes us unique?

  • The Association of Ramaytush Ohlone is comprised of the only known living descendants of the aboriginal peoples of the San Francisco Peninsula.
  • The aboriginal homeland of the Ramaytush Ohlone includes San Mateo and San Francisco counties. Through our Bay Miwok ancestry the aboriginal homeland extends to include parts of Contra Costa and Alameda counties.
  • The Ramaytush Ohlone are the only living descendants of the Ohlone peoples to have had ancestors born in San Francisco at Mission Dolores.
  • The ancestors of the Ramaytush Ohlone have direct ties to all Bay Area Missions--Mission San Rafael, Mission San Francisco Solano, Mission San Jose, Mission Santa Clara, and Mission Dolores. 
The tribes of the San Francisco include the Yelamu, Urebure, Aramai, Ssalson, Chiguan, Lamchin, Cotegen, Puichon, Olpen, and Quiroste. The first eight had the majority of its members baptized at Mission Dolores. The last three had the majority of its members baptized at Mission Santa Clara.