The most likely candidate for the expeditionary Manuel Hernández, listed as an unassigned horseman on the muster, is the individual who was a member of Viceroy Mendoza's personal guard. Manuel of the personal guard was also referred to as being Portuguese. The viceroy also had employed a confectioner of the same name, but it is unclear whether the two men were the same individual.
1530-1540:
?AGI, Justicia, 269, Piezas 7 and 8 [Visita a Francisco de Terrazas, 1545; accused in 1538 in México Cty of fighting with arms in the street is a Manuel Fernández, does not know how to sign his name, associated with Juan Báez and Martín de Monteaguda];
AGI, Justicia, 259, Pieza 2 [visita a don Antonio de Mendoza] [copy of document from January 2, 1538 lists Manuel Hernández as de a caballo in Mendoza’s personal guard, Horseman:11 Jan 1540, fol. 53v; 11 Sept 1540, fol. 54r-54v; footman: 28 Dec 1541 [1540], fol. 55r-55v; 13 June 1541, fol. 55v-56r; 11 March 1542, fol. 57r; 3 Dec 1543 [42], fol. 58r-58v; 3 Sept 1543, fol. 59r; Manuel Portuguese [probably the same guy] 4 Sept. 1537, fol. 49r-49v; 2 Jan. 1538, fol. 49v-50r; 13 June 1538, fol. 50v; 6 Sept 1538, fol. 51r-51v; 4 Jan 1539, fol. 51v-52r; 10 May 1539, fol. 52v; 19 Sept 1539, fol. 53r]
1540-1550:
1540, Feb: Muster in Flint & Flint, Documents, Document 12 [1 horse, native arms]
Actas de Cabildo, Tomo IV, p.298 [August 25, 1542: a Manuel Hernández, repostero (confectioner) del señor visorrey, petitions for a solar "en la calle de los donceles"]
?AGI, Contratación, 197, N. 29/14 [Bienes de difuntos, Julián Aguado; in la villa de Santa María del Valle de Comayagua, Honduras, December 1549, a Luis Hernández, vecino de San Salvador, estante en la villa, testamentario de Julián Aguado, who died six days before; the deceased owes a small debt an Alonso Hernández; a Juan Gómez is a witness and also purchases goods; a Juan Rodríguez purchases goods; in January 1550, in San Salvador, Guatemala, Juan Vázquez de Coronado is alcalde ordinario; more goods are inventoried and auctioned in San Salvador; a Manuel Hernández buys 2 jubones, una gorra, un bonete, una escobilla; a García de Perea buys unos zapatos y unos guantes]
1560-1570:
?AGI, Contaduría, 667A [diezmos de la plata, 1565: in February, a Manuel Hernández diezmo 49 marcos de plata]
?AGN, Instituciones Coloniales, GD72, Real Audiencia, Mercedes, vol.8, 1565 [fol.38v, fol.189: 9 June 1565, Acatlan; farmer, 1 caballeria de tierra on the outskirts of Acatlan, vecino of Mexico]
1570-1580:
?AGI, Contaduría, 679 [in October 1578, a Manuel Hernández pays quintos on 14 marcos de plata]; penas deposited in the caja real: in April 1578, a Manuel Hernández is fined 3 pesos by an Alonso Pérez, alcalde ordinario]
1580-1590:
?AHJO, Teposcolula, Penal, 2, exp.29 [Santiago de Telupa, Misteca Alta, 1580, Diego de Avendaño, corregidor, Pedro Sánchez is mayordomo of the estancia of small livestock in Tamaçulapa and Manuel Hernández, Spaniard, alguacil mayor, is the mayordomo for the priests in Texupa]
after 1590:
?AGI, Indiferente General, 2104, N.17 [1598, Luisa de Pendones (wife) requesting license to go to her husband, Manuel Hernández, estante in Potosí]
Other Info:
Piferrer, Nobiliario, 3:94, #1265 [family name from Córdoba; went to Galicia; el origen de esta casa y apellido se cree muy ciertamenta que es tomado del rey don Fernando, y derivado de este nombre en Fernández and alterado despues en Hernández; escudo of sinople and a gold castle de cuyas almenas sale un brazo armado con espada and 2 lions del mismo metal empinantes al castillo, bordura de gules and 8 gold stars]
Relatives:
?AGI, Contratación, 961, N.24 [1635 : Jose ? Hernándes, native of the Isla de San Miguel, son of Manuel Hernández and María Gonzales, both deceased];
?AGI, Contratación, 5277, N.8 [March 20, 1603: Ana Hernández, vecina of the Villa de Usagre, daughter of Manuel Hernández and María Sánchez, difuntos, also from Usagre];
?AGI, Pasajeros, L.7, E.931 [Dec. 9, 1591, Baltasar de Los Reyes, native of Sevilla, son of Manuel Hernández and Catalina Pérez, with his wife Juana de Céspedes (daughter of Juan de Céspedes and Felipa de la Cruz) to Cuba;
?AGI, Pasajeros, L.5, E.4526 [May 25, 1577, Alonso Hernández claims the same heritage and wife];
?AGI, México, 22 [1590, Alcaldes Mayores: Cristóbal Hernández, son and grandson of conquistadores, lieutenant, Yguala];
?AHAG, Justicia, Matrimonios, Nulidad, 1600-1654, Caja 1 [Expediente (no#), 1618, Divorce-pueblo of Atoyaque, Juana Godoy vs Francisco Hernández, descendant?];
?AHAG, Justicia, Provisorato, 1562-1616, Caja 1 [25 June 1571, Alonso Hernández (?), vecino of Puebla; tutor y curador of the minor children of Alonso García Romero, deceased, and in the name of Francisco Hernández Romero, witness: Gregorio Ginovés, 70 years old; Juan Hernández]