Cuba Quick Start Guide

Cuba Quick Start Guide

Unfortunately for those with ancestors from Cuba, FamilySearch does not have any microfilmed or digitized records for Cuba.

Cuba: Ancestor's birth, marriage, or death location known OR unknown
FamilySearch Catalog: FamilySearch has a few records for Cuba that are not online. The catalog contains some books of extracted parish records and/or indexes for the cities of Camaguey, Havana, Remedios, Sancti Spiritus, Guamutas, Matanzas, Santiago de Cuba, and Santa Clara.

Online Resources: A number of free online resources also contain valuable genealogical information for Cuba. Collaboration web sites and repositories include a genealogy club in Miami, Florida and the Cuban GenWeb. The online Enrique Hurtado de Mendoza Collection of Cuban Genealogy, which became available in June 2015, contains a wealth of Cuban genealogical information. Some subscription web sites, such as Geneanet, contain Cuban family trees that can be searched without a subscription.

Research Strategies
The best place to begin all genealogical investigation is with the older family members and relatives. They are usually able to provide names, datres, and family stories. Try to find relatives (even newly-met or little known relatives) living in Cuba and ask for more information. You will need to be patient because the mail system in Cuba has long delays. The Cuban Civil Registration Office will not reply to requests for documents such as births, marriage, or death certificates coming from outside Cuba. You can request information from the Catholic Church parishes in Cuba regarding your own family relatives because correspondence with the Catholic Church is not prohibited but be aware that any reply usually takes months.

The most valuable printed references on Cuban genealogy are the works of the Cuban genealogist, Francisco Xavier de Santa Cruz y Mallen. A nine volume set entitled,, describes in detail the genealogy of 841 Cuban family names (FS Library INTL Book 972.91 D2s). Also, is a four volume set by Rafael Nieto cortadellas (FS Library INTL Book 972.91 D2n), and  by Peter e. Carr (FS Library INTL Book 972.91 D23c) are excellent sources of genealogical information.

Finding a Locality
For help locating a place in Cuba, you may want to try one of the following resources:


 * Google
 * Don Jacobo de la Pezuela, is an online geographic dictionary called 1865 Diccionario Geográfico, Estadístico, Hitórico De la Isla de Cuba.
 * compiled by Mayra F. Sánchez-Johnson FS Library INTL Refereence 972.91 E5s).
 * . Washington, DC: U.S. Office of Geography, 1963 (FS Library INTL Book 972.91 E5u, microfilm 874452 Item 2)
 * by Fernando de Castro y de Cárdenas (FS Library INTL Bopok 972.91 D2c).
 * (FS Library INTL Book 972.91 D2a).

Online Resources
The following websites are related to Cuban genealogy, history and culture:


 * CubanGenWeb
 * Cuban Genealogy Club of Miami
 * Cuban Heritage Collection University of Miami Library

For other online resources please review the Wiki article Hispanic Genealogy Resources Online.