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Ygnacio Palomares (February 2, 1811–November 25, 1864) was a Californio, Los Angeles politician, and owner of Rancho San Jose.

Early Life and Family
Ygnacio Palomares was born near Mission San Fernando in Alta California, one of thirteen children. He was the son of José Cristobal Palomares and Maria Benedicta Saez, one of Los Angeles' most prominent families and considered Spanish aristocracy. Ygnacio Palomares married Maria Concepcion Lopez in 1832 and they had seven children: Luis José, José Tomas, Teresa, Francisco, Maria Josefa, Maria de Jesus and Carolina Concepcion.

Los Angeles Political Life
Ygnacio Palomares was active in Los Angeles politics in the 1830s and 1840s. He served as Juez de Campo (Country Judge) in 1834, and in 1840. He was Juez de Paz (Justice of the Peace) in 1841and during this time made unpopular decisions including handing out a controversial verdict regarding the murder of Nicolas Fink. His investigation led to the arrest of a woman, who in turn provided three male accomplices that were found guilty. In the lead up to the trial, he issued a ban on public meetings, declared a nightly curfew and posted soldiers to guard the jail. He was a regidor (councilman) in 1835, and again in 1838. He was an elector in 1843, voting for Santa Ana for the President of Mexico. In 1844, he was Captain of the Defensores (militia) and the following year he served as an alternate in the assembly. He was elected the last Mexican California mayor of Los Angeles in 1848, but held the position briefly due to Colonel Jonathan Stevenson considering him intolerable and anti-American.

Later Years and Death
After his tenure as mayor, he settled into his Rancho San José adobe. Among his contributions to the new American landscape was the capture of the Alvitre brothers, sought for the murder of American James Ellington.