Tiburcio Vasquez was born in Monterey, Alta California, Mexico (present-day California, United States) on April 11, 1835 to José Hermenegildo Vasquez and María Guadalupe Cantua. In accord with Spanish tradition, Vasquez's birth was celebrated on the feast day of his namesake, St. Tiburtius. Thus, he always referred to his birthday as August 11, 1835. His great-grandfather came to Alta California with the De Anza Expedition of 1776. Vasquez was slightly built, about . His family sent him to school, and he was fluent in both English and Spanish.