All About Eva Longoria's Parents, Mom Ella Mireles and Dad Enrique Longoria Jr.

Eva Longoria learned how to appreciate hard work from her parents, Ella and Enrique

Eva Longoria grew up in a family full of love and support, all thanks to her parents, Ella Mireles and Enrique Longoria Jr.

Eva was born in 1975 to mom Ella and dad Enrique, who raised her on a farm in Corpus Christi, Texas, on land near the Rio Grande that her family has owned for generations. She grew up surrounded by family, especially her three older sisters Elizabeth “Liza,” Esmeralda and Emily, and plenty of fun — which helped shield a young Eva from her family’s financial situation.

The family of six lived in a small house, where her parents often sacrificed necessities to afford their children’s extracurriculars. Still, according to Eva, "I never knew we were that poor ... because [we] grew up with a lot of love and my family's really close,” she told Oprah Winfrey in a 2006 interview.

Related: Eva Longoria’s 3 Sisters: All About Esmeralda, Elizabeth and Emily

During her childhood, Eva developed a deep appreciation for her parents’ dedication and determination to provide for their family.

Ella worked as a special education teacher to stay close to Eva’s oldest sister, Liza, who was born with an intellectual disability, while Enrique was a mechanical engineer at the Corpus Christi Army Depot, who taught her how to hunt and fish from a young age.

Here’s everything to know about Eva Longoria’s parents, mom Ella Mireles and dad Enrique Longoria Jr.

Eva's family has rich roots in America

Eva is a ninth-generation American, and her family’s history can be traced back to her ancestor Lorenzo Longoria, who sailed from Spain to the New World in 1603, according to the PBS docuseries Faces of America.

Fast-forward to 1767, when Eva’s seventh great-grandfather, Pedro Longoria, was given 4,500 acres along the Rio Grande between Mexico and the U.S. as a reward from the king of Spain for helping keep the British and French out of the area.

The property later endured the Texas Revolution in 1836, and the fight turned the ranch into American real estate, Eva shared in a The Wall Street Journal story.

Over a hundred years later, the actress was born, and she recalls fond memories from her upbringing on the historic land that is still in the family. “I loved climbing the fruit trees,” she wrote.

Ella continued a family tradition with Eva's name

Ella and Enrique welcomed four children together: daughters Elizabeth, Esmeralda, Emily and Eva. The fact that the family of six all have names that start with an "E" is no coincidence.

The Young and the Restless alum told The Beverly Hills Courier that she and her sisters are the second generation in her mother's family to have the same first name initial.

“My mom’s mom did that. And my mom chose to continue it," Eva explained. "My mom’s brothers and sisters all start with an ‘E.’ All my aunts, Elda, Elsa, Edna ... There’s nine of them."

Eva's mom Ella pursued a career in education

When Eva's sister Liza started going to school, their mom, Ella, decided to become a teacher's assistant so she could stay by her side during the day.

"My mother ... was assigned to my sister’s class. She followed Liza from grade to grade," Eva told The Wall Street Journal.

Ella also found time to care for the rest of her daughters just the same. “I come from a family of independent, strong women,” Eva told PEOPLE in 2023. “I didn't have to look far for those role models.”

The Desperate Housewives star continued, “My mom raised four girls, one child with special needs, had a full-time job, had dinner on the table every day at six, was at every band practice, cheerleading practice. So for me, it's like, ‘Wow.’ I always think, ‘I'm not doing enough in my life!’ ”

Eva's parents chose not to teach her Spanish growing up

Even though her family has deep roots in Spain and Mexico, and Ella and Enrique always spoke to each other in Spanish, Eva didn’t learn the language until she was an adult.

It followed common practice at the time, as many Spanish-speaking parents chose not to teach their children their native tongue so they wouldn’t develop accents or stand out at school.

“There was a big push for assimilation for kids by the school system and by society of like, ‘Don’t let them have an accent,’ and ‘Don’t let them be othered,’ and ‘Don’t let them speak any other language,’ ” Eva revealed on the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast in 2023.

Enrique taught Eva to appreciate the family land

While Eva's mom taught her how to run a home, her dad ensured she and her siblings were well-versed in maintaining their ranch.

“[I’ve been] hunting with my dad since I [was] six,” the actress said during a 2005 appearance on NBC’s Dateline. “I can handle a gun. I could skin a deer, I could skin a pig. I can pluck quail — you name it, I’ve done it.”

But it wasn’t all about work for Enrique: He also instilled in his daughters an appreciation for the land they lived in and all it did to nourish them.

“My dad would never let us eat fast food because we grew so many vegetables. He said there was no reason to ever eat out. We would pull carrots from the ground and just eat them,” she told The Beverly Hills Courier.

Eva bought them a house once she made it big

While appearing on The Oprah Show in 2006, Eva revealed she bought a house for her parents — achieving a lifelong dream.

"Every day [my mom] wakes up and says, 'I feel like I won the lottery!' " Eva told Oprah.

Her parents were in the audience as she told the story, and revealed that they were surprised with a complete house renovation by interior designer Nate Berkus.

In a sweet segment featuring Eva, her parents and Nate, the designer showed them the completed project, full of special touches like Mexican-inspired décor as a nod to their roots. It made it extra special for Eva, who lived away from her family in Los Angeles at the time.

“My parents never get to experience everyday life with me so they don't really know," she said. "So this was the closest thing I could give to them ... to be touched by things I'm touched by every day."

Eva revealed the best advice she got from her parents

In her story for The Wall Street Journal, Eva summed up memorable guidance she’s received from her parents.

Ella told her to “never forget where you came from,” and Enrique said to “laugh at life.”

Eva also revealed her favorite family dish: chalupas. “It was the first dish my mom taught me to cook,” she shared.

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