when an austrian engineer discovered these energy riches in the late 19th century, the northern portion of coahuila quickly transformed from a sparsely populated region of cattle ranchers to an industrial powerhouse. thousands of japanese immigrants came seeking work; some of their descendants, with japanese surnames, are still here. simabuco is one of several japanese surnames and is traced back to anastacio simabuco whose family is believed to have migrated from okinawa,japan at the turn of the 20th century.