<ARTICLE>                                            9
<CIK>                         0000731805
<NAME>                        Pacific Capital Bancorp
       
                                                                        
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                    9-MOS                      9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997                DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997                JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1997                SEP-30-1998
<CASH>                                          47,754                     45,907
<INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS>                             473                        675
<FED-FUNDS-SOLD>                                74,659                     73,151
<TRADING-ASSETS>                                     0                          0
<INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE>                    153,897                    234,584
<INVESTMENTS-CARRYING>                           7,457                      5,272
<INVESTMENTS-MARKET>                             7,469                      5,309
<LOANS>                                        416,067                    467,465
<ALLOWANCE>                                      4,168                      4,646
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 723,331                    852,592
<DEPOSITS>                                     646,796                    756,512
<SHORT-TERM>                                         0                          0
<LIABILITIES-OTHER>                              6,292                     11,849
<LONG-TERM>                                          0                          0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0                          0
<PREFERRED>                                          0                          0
<COMMON>                                        49,840                     62,201
<OTHER-SE>                                      20,403                     22,030
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY>                 723,331                    852,592
<INTEREST-LOAN>                                 30,452                     32,670
<INTEREST-INVEST>                                8,216                     12,643
<INTEREST-OTHER>                                     0                          0
<INTEREST-TOTAL>                                38,668                     45,313
<INTEREST-DEPOSIT>                              12,494                     15,487
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              12,518                     15,499
<INTEREST-INCOME-NET>                           26,150                     29,814
<LOAN-LOSSES>                                      910                      1,035
<SECURITIES-GAINS>                                  11                        (12)
<EXPENSE-OTHER>                                 14,957                     16,745
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 12,700                     14,897
<INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY>                      12,700                     14,897
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0                          0
<CHANGES>                                            0                          0
<NET-INCOME>                                     7,672                      8,913
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     1.79                       2.04
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.72                       1.97
<YIELD-ACTUAL>                                     8.7                        8.3
<LOANS-NON>                                      2,080                        903
<LOANS-PAST>                                        46                        287
<LOANS-TROUBLED>                                   246                         25
<LOANS-PROBLEM>                                      0                          0
<ALLOWANCE-OPEN>                                 3,672                      4,266
<CHARGE-OFFS>                                      576                        826
<RECOVERIES>                                       162                        171
<ALLOWANCE-CLOSE>                                4,168                      4,646
<ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC>                             4,168                      4,646
<ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN>                                  0                          0
<ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED>                              0                          0