San José, San José, Costa Rica Genealogy

Guide to Canton of San José ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, church records, parish registers, and civil registration.

History

 * The territory of the current canton of San José was part of the Huetar Kingdom of the West in pre-Columbian times.
 * In the seventeenth century several families of settlers settled in places adjacent to the canton.
 * On October 16, 1813, the town obtained the title of city.
 * The canton of San José was officially created on December 7, 1848.
 * It was one of the three original cantons of the Josephine province, from which the current 20 originated.
 * The Canton of San José has a population of approximately 342,000 people.

Civil Registration

 * 1823-1975 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1860-1975 Costa Rica, Civil Registration, 1860-1975 at Ancestry - images ($)
 * 2011-2015 Costa Rica, Death Index, 2011-2015 at MyHeritage - index ($)

Church Records

 * 1595-1992 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Iglesia Católica. Arquidiócesis de San José (Costa Rica) 	Registros eclesiásticos : fondos antiguos; documentación encuadernada, 1519-1965 - Click on the link to see the records’ availability.
 * Iglesia Católica. Arquidiócesis de San José (Costa Rica) Registros eclesiásticos : fondos antiguos; documentación suelta, 1539-1967 - Click on the link to see the records’ availability.
 * Iglesia Católica. El Carmen (San José, San José) Registros parroquiales, 1738-1970 - Click on the link to see the records’ availability.
 * Iglesia Católica. Arquidiócesis de San José (Costa Rica) Registros parroquiales, 1761-1993 - Click on the link to see the records’ availability.
 * Iglesia Católica. Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes (San José, San José) Registros parroquiales, 1882-1944 - Click on the link to see the records’ availability.
 * Iglesia Católica. Nuestra Señora de la Soledad (San José, San José) Registros parroquiales, 1909-1944 - Click on the link to see the records’ availability.
 * Iglesia Católica. La Dolorosa (San José, San José) Registros parroquiales, 1909-1966 - Click on the link to see the records’ availability.

Cemeteries
Indexes of burials in the cemeteries of the San José Canton may be found at findagrave.com
 * 1958-2013 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Cementerio Obrero
 * Dirección: Calle 26, Bolívar, San José
 * Horas: Martes a Domingo de 07:30–16:00
 * Lunes de 07:00–15:00
 * Cementerio Extranjero
 * Dirección: Cementerio Extranjero, Calle 20, Santa Lucia, San José
 * Cementerio General de San José