Mexico, Distrito Federal, Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection of civil records for Distrito Federal covers the inclusive years of 1832 to 2005.

This is a collection of civil registration records for Mexico. Records, such as birth, marriages, and deaths, are organized by state and then by municipality/city. Earlier records were handwritten in narrative style; later records were handwritten in formatted registers. Civil records in Mexico cover about 90 to 95% of the population. Beginning in 1859, the Mexican government began requiring births, marriages, and deaths to be recorded by civil authorities on a municipality/district level. Although these records are a great source of genealogical information, they are not complete as civil registration wasn't strictly enforced in Mexico until 1867 and people did not always comply. For this reason, church registers must be used alongside the civil records. The civil records of Mexico have been preserved relatively well. Only some of the older registers may have some physical damage. However, in general they are in good condition to extract genealogical information.

The Mexican civil registration was created to record the vital events of birth, marriage, death, and other civil events which would determine and prove the civil status, existence, and condition of the population.

Reading These Records
These records are written in Spanish. For help reading them see: FamilySearch Learning Center videos:
 * Spanish Genealogical Word List
 * BYU Spanish Script Tutorial
 * 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:

Birth Records Marriage Records Death Records
 * Name of the child
 * Child’s gender
 * Child’s date and place of birth
 * Child's age
 * Parents' names
 * Date and place of the marriage
 * Names of the bride and groom
 * Groom's age, occupation, civil status, origin, nationality and residence
 * Names of the groom's parents
 * Bride's age, occupation, civil status, origin, nationality and residence
 * Names of the bride's parents
 * Witnesses' names, their age and civil status
 * Witnesses' occupation, residence and relationship to couple
 * Name, age and gender of the deceased
 * Place of birth of deceased
 * Nationality, civil status, occupation and residence of deceased
 * Date, time and place of death
 * Cause of death
 * Doctor's name
 * Burial information
 * Witnesses' name, age and nationality
 * Witnesses' relationship to deceased

Collection Content
For additional details about these records and help using them see Mexico Civil Registration Records - FamilySearch Historical Records.

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Your ancestor's given name and surname
 * Identifying information such as residence
 * Estimated marriage or birth year
 * Family relationships

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.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use the information to find more. For instance, use the age listed in the record to estimate a year of birth, if that is yet undetermined
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth to find the family in 1930, Mexico National Census
 * 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
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent
 * Make sure to fully transcribe and cite the record entry for future reference

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

 * Mexico, Distrito Federal, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records may also be a good substitute when civil records of births, marriages, and deaths cannot be found or are unavailable
 * 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
 * Also, consider looking at collections for surrounding localities.State of Mexico is on the west, Hidalgo on the north, Tlaxcala on the east, and Morelos is on the south
 * New information is constantly being indexed, microfilmed or updated. Periodically check back and see if your ancestor’s records have been added.  You can see if the area you’ve been looking in has been recently updated by going to Historical Records Collections and notice the asterisk for recently added or updated records

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in Mexico.
 * Mexico Record Finder
 * Mexico 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.

México, Distrito Federal, Registro Civil (Registros Históricos do FamilySearch)