The origins of local street names are of interest and importance. Sepulveda Blvd is named for the original family of that name. The family owned the Rancho Palos Verdes which included San Pedro. Those land barons had a dispute with the Dominquez family which also owned a Rancho which included the area of what is now Carson.A judicial decree before 1848 was issued by the then governor, Jose Figueroa to settle the claims but it was not quite concluded. After that decree the matter was finally resolved by the later governor, Pio Pico which granted Rancho de los Palos Verdes to Jose and Jean Sepulveda. Later, one of the Sepulveda heirs, Ignacio Sepulveda (1842-1916) was one of the first two judges of the Los Angeles Superior Court. His grandfather,Francisco Sepulveda became the owner of Rancho San Vicente another swath of land on the westside. So in this early history we see that Sepulveda traces its name to a pioneer family, helped along by an early governor named Figueroa and finally resolved by the last governor of California before it became a street named Pico. This history should give a little trace of nostalgia when recalling that well-known song from the 1940’s:“Pico and Sepulveda.”

By Michael Harris