San Jose, California

Lore & Background

Before the arrival of the Spanish, the area around San Jose was long inhabited by the Tamien nation of the Ohlone people. San Jose was founded on November 29, 1777, as the Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe, the first city founded in the Californias. It became a part of Mexico in 1821 after the Mexican War of Independence. Following the U.S. Conquest of California during the Mexican–American War, the territory was ceded to the United States in 1848. San Jose experienced an economic boom after World War II, with a rapid population growth and aggressive annexation of nearby communities in the 1950s and 1960s. The rapid growth of the technology industry in Silicon Valley further accelerated the city's transition from an agricultural center to an urbanized metropolitan area, prompting Mayor Tom McEnery to adopt San Jose's current motto, 'Capital of Silicon Valley', in 1988. Results of the 1990 U.S. census indicated that San Jose had surpassed San Francisco in population. By the early 2000s, the San Jose Metropolitan Area was California's fastest-growing metropolitan economy.

Reader's Guide

Today, San Jose is notable for its innovation, cultural diversity, affluence, and sunny and mild Mediterranean climate. Major companies including Cisco, eBay, Adobe, PayPal, NetApp, Cadence, and Zoom maintain their headquarters in San Jose. One of the wealthiest major metropolitan areas in the world, the San Jose area was ranked in 2017 as having the third-highest GDP per capita (after Zurich and Oslo) and the fifth-most expensive housing market. The city is home to one of the world's largest overseas Vietnamese populations, a Hispanic community that makes up over 30% of the city's residents, historic ethnic enclaves such as Japantown and Little Portugal, and the largest Sikh Gurdwara outside of India. Educational and cultural institutions in San Jose include San Jose State University, Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose, the Tech Interactive, the San Jose Museum of Art, Winchester Mystery House, the Japanese American Museum of San Jose, Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana, the Viet Museum, Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, Hayes Mansion, San Jose Municipal Rose Garden, and the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts. Two major league sports teams, the San Jose Sharks and the San Jose Earthquakes, play their home games in San Jose. San Jose International Airport is the third-busiest airport in Northern California. VTA's rail and bus networks, together with Amtrak, ACE, BART, and Caltrain services, connect San Jose to the broader region through hubs such as Diridon Station.

Did You Know?

• San Jose is the 13th-most populous city in the United States, not the 10th or 12th.
• The city's official name is City of San José, with an acute accent over the 'e' in most contexts.
• San Jose was the first civilian settlement founded in the Californias, on November 29, 1777.
• The city served as California's first capital after statehood.
• San Jose's motto, 'Capital of Silicon Valley', was adopted in 1988 by Mayor Tom McEnery.

From Ohlone Valley to First Capital

The Santa Clara Valley has been home to the Tamien nation of the Ohlone people since roughly 4,000 BC, long before any European presence. The arrival of Spanish colonization fundamentally disrupted Tamien life; from 1777 onward, most were forcibly enslaved at Mission Santa Clara de Asís or Mission San José, baptized, and educated as Catholic neophytes. The city itself was formally established on November 29, 1777, as the Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe, making it the first city founded in the Californias. Mexico's independence in 1821 brought the territory under Mexican governance, and the U.S. Conquest of California during the Mexican-American War ceded it to the United States in 1848. Two years after California achieved statehood, San Jose served as the state's first capital. The post-World War II era brought an economic boom, rapid population growth, and aggressive annexation of neighboring communities through the 1950s and 1960s, reshaping the city's boundaries and character.

Silicon Valley's Economic Engine

The rapid expansion of the technology industry in Silicon Valley transformed San Jose from an agricultural center into a major urbanized metropolitan area. In 1988, Mayor Tom McEnery adopted the city's current motto, "Capital of Silicon Valley," reflecting this new identity. Today, global technology giants including Cisco, eBay, Adobe, PayPal, NetApp, Cadence, and Zoom maintain their headquarters within the city's borders. The San Jose metropolitan area has consistently ranked among the wealthiest in the world; in 2017, it was noted for having the third-highest GDP per capita globally, trailing only Zurich and Oslo, while simultaneously holding the fifth-most expensive housing market. By the early 2000s, the San Jose Metropolitan Area was recognized as California's fastest-growing metropolitan economy. The 1990 U.S. census marked a symbolic milestone when San Jose's population surpassed that of San Francisco. With an estimated 989,814 residents as of 2025, the city ranks as the 13th-most populous in the United States, while its broader combined statistical area—the fifth-largest in the country—supports over nine million people.

A Living Cultural Mosaic

San Jose's cultural landscape reflects extraordinary diversity. The city is home to one of the world's largest overseas Vietnamese populations, and its Hispanic community constitutes over 30% of residents. Historic ethnic enclaves such as Japantown and Little Portugal anchor neighborhoods with deep roots, while the city also hosts the largest Sikh Gurdwara outside of India. Educational and cultural institutions further enrich the scene: San Jose State University serves as a major academic anchor, while venues like the Children's Discovery Museum, Tech Interactive, the San Jose Museum of Art, the Winchester Mystery House, the Japanese American Museum, Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana, the Viet Museum, the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, Hayes Mansion, the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden, and the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts offer a wide range of experiences. In sports, the San Jose Sharks and San Jose Earthquakes represent the city in major league competition. San Jose International Airport ranks as the third-busiest in Northern California, and VTA's rail and bus networks, along with Amtrak, ACE, BART, and Caltrain services, connect residents to the broader region through hubs like Diridon Station.

The Accent Mark Controversy

The spelling of San Jose's name has been a source of recurring civic debate for decades. In 1943, the United States Board on Geographic Names ruled that the city should be spelled "San Jose" without the accent, citing local usage and the formal incorporated name. However, during the 1960s and 1970s, residents and officials pushed to restore the original "San José" spelling to honor the city's Mexican heritage and its Mexican-American population. In 1969, the city adopted a flag bearing the inscription "SAN JOSÉ, CALIFORNIA," and in 1970, San Jose State College officially used the accented form. A 1974 city council vote to rename the city "San José" was reversed just one week later after residents raised concerns about the cost of updating typewriters, documents, and signage. In 1979, the council again adopted the accented spelling for the city seal, official stationery, and department names. By convention, the accent appears in mixed-case writing but is dropped in all-caps contexts, and the city's official guidelines permit exceptions for URLs, social media, and organizations that have chosen the unaccented form.

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