Spain, Province of Badajoz, Municipal Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes census records for the cities of Fregenal de la Sierra and Higuera la Real in the province of Badajoz. These records pertain to the 1519, 1528, and 1641 census years.

This collection is being published as images become available.

For additional details about the history of these records and help using them, see the wiki article Spain, Municipal Records (FamilySearch Historical Records).

Reading These Records
These records are written in Spanish. For help reading these records see the following guides:
 * Spanish Genealogical Word List
 * BYU Spanish Script Tutorial
 * FamilySearch Learning Center videos:
 * Reading Spanish Handwritten Records, Lesson 1
 * Reading Spanish Handwritten Records, Lesson 2

If you speak Spanish, the following free online lesson may be helpful to learn how to use the information in these records:
 * Registros Civiles y Parroquiales – Spanish

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Census
 * Names
 * Ages
 * Residence
 * Nationality or place of origin

Collection Content
For additional details about these records and help using them see Spain, Municipal Records (FamilySearch Historical Records).

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select Province
 * 2) Select City or Municipality
 * 3) Select Parish
 * 4) Select Record Type and Years to view the images.

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?
When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * Use census records to find out the names and information for other family members (siblings of your ancestor, cousins, grandchildren, etc.)
 * Use the marriage date and place as the basis for compiling a new family group or for verifying existing information
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth of each partner to find a couple's birth records and parents' names
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate church records Spain Catholic Church Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Use the parents' birth places to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family
 * The name of a marriage officiator is a clue to their religion or area of residence in the province. However, ministers may have reported marriages performed in other provinces
 * Compile the marriage entries for every person who has the same surname as the bride or groom; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
 * Use the marital status (whether a divorce or death dissolved a marriage) to identify previous marriages

I Found the Person 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
 * For death records, the information in records is usually reliable, but depends upon the knowledge of the informant
 * Regarding marriage and death records, name changes, shortened names, or nicknames may have been used by your ancestors, so pay attention to other relationships (parents, spouse, siblings, children, etc.) that can confirm whether you have the right person/record
 * 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
 * Continue to search the indexes and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have lived in the same area or a nearby area

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

 * A boundary change could have occurred that changed where records were kept. If you are unable to find your ancestor(s) in these civil registers, then try searching in the areas surrounding Badajoz
 * Church records are also a good substitute when birth, marriage, and death records can’t be found or are unavailable
 * Spain Baptisms
 * Spain Catholic Church Records
 * Spain Catholic Church Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Or your ancestor immigrated to another country. Search the records of nearby areas or immigration/emigration records with the help of Spain Emigration and Immigration
 * Check for variants of given names, surnames, and place names. Transcription errors could occur in any handwritten record; also, it was not uncommon for an individual be listed under a nickname or an abbreviation of their name. Click here for a list of Spanish name abbreviations

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Spain.
 * Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies

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.
 * Collection Citation: "España, Provincia de Badajoz, registros municipales, 1519-1641." Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Historical Municipal Archives, Badajoz, Spain.