The City of Los Angeles, or L.A. as some people call it, means "The City of Angels." In 1769 an expedition across Southern California found a litte river and named it "El Río de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles de Porciúncula," "The River of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels of the Porciuncula," with porciúncula meaning "little portion."

On September 4, 1781, 44 Mexican settlers established a town near this river site. They named this new town El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles sobre El Río Porciuncula, ("The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels on the River Porciuncula"). Of course, this was a very long name, so over time, the name was shortened to what it is today, Los Angeles.

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