New Mexico, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in the Collection?
The collection consists of an index and images of baptisms, marriages, and deaths for some parishes in the following counties:


 * Bernalillo
 * Colfax
 * Doña Ana
 * Mora
 * Rio Arriba
 * San Miguel
 * Santa Fe
 * Socorro
 * Taos
 * Valencia

Church records in the United States began in the early 1600s. They can be found in the churches, church archives, or university archives. They normally included records of christenings, confirmations, marriages, and deaths. The Roman Catholic Church is the largest Christian church in the world. Traditionally, Catholic records have been kept at the parish level, so a majority of records will be found at the church where the event transpired. Older Catholic records and records of defunct Catholic parishes have often been moved to archives, historical archives, or university libraries.

To know who were members, churches were required to record the date a person was baptized in the Christian religion. Many churches also recorded the date of birth along with the date of baptism. Churches were also required to record the burial and marriage dates of the members of the local congregation. Only some churches performed confirmations and were required to record the names of those that were confirmed members of the church. These records are in Spanish. For help with reading the records see the following wiki articles:
 * Spanish Genealogical Word List

What Can these Records Tell Me?
The baptismal records include:


 * Child's name
 * Birth date and place
 * Christening date
 * Names of parents and their origin
 * Godparents' names

The death and burial records include:


 * Date and place of internment
 * Name and age of deceased
 * Residence of deceased
 * Death date
 * Cause of death

The marriage records include:


 * Date and place of marriage
 * Names of bride and groom
 * Residences of bride and groom
 * Groom's baptismal date
 * Bride's baptismal date
 * Groom's parents' names
 * Bride's parents' names
 * Witnesses' names

How Do I Search the Collection?
You can search the index or view the images or both. Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the person
 * The location or date of the event

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the Browse Page:
 * 1) Select County, Town
 * 2) Select Parish
 * 3) Select Record Type and Years

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
If these are indexes, the original records may contain additional information than was not indexed, or the information might have been indexed incorrectly. You may want to search for the original record in the book, "Historia genealógica de las familias mas antiguas de México" or view the microfilm at the family history libraryGolightly-Payne-Coon Company.

I Found Who I was Looking for, What Now?

 * Copy the citation below, in case you need to find this record again later.
 * Use the age or estimated birth date to find other county or New Mexico Vital Records such as birth, baptism, marriage, and death records.
 * Search for death or burial information in local New Mexico Cemeteries and New Mexico Newspapers
 * Use the information found in the record to find New Mexico Land and Property.
 * Use the information found in the record to find New Mexico Probate Records.
 * Use the information found in the record to find New Mexico Emigration and Immigration.
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in the New Mexico Census. Witnesses were usually family members.
 * Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family.
 * Church Records often were kept years before government records were required and are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900.

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives.
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching a nearby localityArizona Church Records.
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name.
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well.
 * Check the info box above for additional FamilySearch websites and related websites that may assist you in finding similar records.

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of New Mexico.
 * New Mexico Guided Research
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Citing this Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.

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