Venezuela, Archdiocese of Valencia, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in the Collection?
This collection will include records for the dates 1760 and 1905-2013, with some records outside the date range. Records of baptisms, marriages, burials, and confirmations from the parishes of the Catholic Archdiocese of Valencia in Venezuela can be found in this collection.

These may also be the only records available before the implementation of the civil registration in 1873. Parish priests performed the baptisms, marriages, deaths/burials, and other holy sacraments in their assigned parish or parishes. All the original parish records were kept in the parish archive, however, the older records were and currently are, sent annually to the archdiocesan archive to be preserved and centralized in one place.

Reading These Records
These records are written in Spanish; see the section For Help Reading these Records for translation helps.

What Can these Records Tell Me?
The information in these records usually include the following:

Collection Contents
The information found in each record varies by year. Records were made by Catholic priests or their associates, recorded in Spanish, and mostly written on either lined paper or blank paper that contained pre-printed numbers.

How Do I Search the Collection?
You can search the index or view the images or both. Before using this collection it is helpful to know:
 * Your ancestor's given name and surname
 * Identifying information such as residence

Some record sets have indexes; these indexes were created at the end of the year. Copy errors could have been made in the index, so you want to find the actual record to verify the information is correct. Using the index is a helpful way to find the actual record.

Search the Index
Search by name by visiting the Collection Page.
 * 1) Fill in the search boxes on the Collection Page with the information you have.
 * 2) Click Search to show possible matches.

For more tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line article FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the Browse Page.
 * 1) Select State
 * 2) Select City or Town
 * 3) Select Parish
 * 4) Select Record Type and Years to view the images.

For Help Reading these Records
For help reading these Spanish records see the following guides:


 * Spanish Genealogical Word List
 * Reading Spanish handwritten records
 * Script tutorial for Spanish

What Do I Do Next?
To learn more about using the information available in these records, view these lessons for free:
 * Documentos esenciales para buscar a sus antepasados - Spanish
 * Registros Civiles y Parroquiales - Spanish

I Found Who I was Looking for, What Now?

 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Continue to search the marriage records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the bride and groom who may have married in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * If possible, look at the actual image of the record to verify the information found in the online description.
 * Compile information for every person who has the same surname as your ancestor; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.

I Can't Find Who I'm Looking for, What Now?

 * In Latin America, two or three generations are often indicated in church registers, along with their birthplaces or residences. If, however, earlier generations are not listed with the relative or ancestor selected, try searching parishes located within a close proximity.
 * A boundary change could have occurred and the record of your ancestor is now in a neighboring state or region, or your ancestor immigrated to another country. Search the records of nearby areas or immigration/emigration records. Venezuela Emigration and Immigration
 * Civil registration records are also a good source of genealogical information. Venezuela Civil Registration (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Citing this Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image. Collection Citation:

Record Citation (or citation for the index entry): Image Citation: