Diegueño

The Diegueño Indians, named after the Mission of San Diego, are part of the Central division of the Yuman linguistic group and are closely related to the Kamia and Kiliwa, forming a branch of the Hokan stock. They are divided into two main groups: the Northern Diegueño, located in the eastern part of San Diego County and extending into Baja California, and the Southern Diegueño, found in areas such as Campo, La Posta, Manzanita, Guyapipe, and La Laguna, along with some Baja California territories. Their villages were spread across various locations, including notable ones like La Laguna, San Dieguito River, Carrizo, and the headwaters of San Diego and Sweetwater Rivers. Historical population estimates indicate around 3,000 Diegueño and Kamia individuals in 1770, which had declined to between 700 and 800 by 1925, with the 1930 census recording 322 individuals.