His father was Leonardo Elizondo Bolañdo of Heredia,  a military guard and a Costa Rica's first polo team member, and his wife Maclovia Arce Vargas of Orotina. Their five oldest children   were  born in Orotina, but Hernán, the youngest,  was born in Santo Domingo de Heredia.
Subsequently, he took a university correspondence course in administrative organization, and in 1967 was transferred to  Esparta where he served as assistant director of  the high school. Earlier he had married Arracelly Vargas and with her had eight children, one of whom is deceased.