Ramon was born to Alejandro de la Sota, hailing from Portugalete, and Alejandra de Llano, born in Castro Urdiales. He lived in his family's house at Muskiz for twenty years until he moved to Bilbao in 1868 ahead of the Second Carlist War, where he took up studies in the "Instituto Vizcaino". He completed a law degree in the Central University of Madrid.