Bernardo Yorba (August 20, 1800 – November 28, 1858), was a Californio (a native of Spanish/Mexican California), son of Spanish soldier José Antonio Yorba. Bernardo became one of the most successful ranchers in Alta California, with thousands of cattle and horses grazing on land grants totaling more than 35,000 acres (8 square Spanish leagues). Bernado Yorba built a large adobe hacienda, Hacienda de San Antonio near the present day city of Yorba Linda, which is named in honor of Bernardo.
Bernardo Yorba was born on August 20, 1800 in San Diego. Other sources list his birth on August 4, 1801. Bernardo was the son of José Antonio Yorba, one of the first Spanish soldiers to arrive in California, and Maria Josefa Grijalva. Bernardo's childhood was spent in San Diego, where he attended a school kept by Franciscan Fathers. Jose Antonio Yorba had moved to the Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana, granted to him and his nephew Pablo Peralta, by Governor José Joaquín de Arrillaga on behalf of the Spanish Government in 1810. It was around this time that the family moved to the rancho near present day Olive, California in Orange County.
In 1834, Bernardo was granted the 13,328-acre (53.94 km2) Rancho Cañón de Santa Ana. It was shortly after this that Bernardo began construction of a large adobe house, the Bernardo Yorba Hacienda. Bernardo was elected to serve as Juez de Campo and Auxiliary Alcade several times (1833, 1836, 1840, and 1844). In 1846, he was granted Rancho La Sierra.