Spain, Diocese of Santander, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes digital copies of records of baptisms, marriages, and burials of the parishes of the Diocese of Santander in Spain from 1538-1985. Some records have been indexed and are searchable as part of this collection.

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, and a duplicate copy was and is centralized in the corresponding diocesan archive. Most of these records have been preserved relatively well, but some older entries may have some damage.

The Diocese of Santander contained the most important documents in the province. During the war of 1936, a large part of the records were destroyed. What was left of the records was transported to the Papelera de Arangueren to be preserved on paper.

Additional indexed records will be published as they become available.

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:

Baptism records


 * Date and place of baptism
 * Name and gender
 * Legitimacy to parents (whether biological or adopted)
 * Date of birth or age
 * Parents’ names, their residence and origin
 * Names of paternal grandparents, their residence and origin
 * Names of maternal grandparents, their residence and origin
 * Names of godparents’, their residence and origin
 * Names of witnesses

Confirmation records


 * Name and gender
 * Age or birth date
 * Parents' names
 * Date and place of confirmation
 * Names of godparents

Marriage records


 * Date and place of marriage
 * Groom's name and age
 * Groom's marital status and origin
 * Names of groom's parents, their residence and origin
 * Bride's name and age
 * Bride's marital status and origin
 * Names of bride's parents, their residence and origin
 * Names of witnesses’ and their origin

Burial records


 * Name, gender, and age of deceased (keep in mind that
 * the records of women may be filed under their married name)


 * Date, time and place of death
 * Marital status, residence, and origin of deceased
 * Name of the spouse if married
 * Names of parents if a minor
 * Cause of death
 * Burial date and place

The information in each record may vary by year.

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select Province
 * 2) Select City or Town
 * 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?

 * 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 to find each of the couple's birth records and parents' names
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate civil records Spain Civil Registration - Vital 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
 * Witnesses often were relatives of the parents

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
 * 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?

 * Maybe your ancestor immigrated to another country. Search immigration/emigration records Spain Emigration and Immigration
 * Civil registration records (birth, marriage, and death records) are also a good substitute for when a church record cannot be found Spain Civil Registration - Vital Records

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, Diócesis de Santander, registros parroquiales, 1538-1985." Database with Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 29 September 2016. Archivo Histórico Provincial de Cantabria, Santander (Historical Archive of Cantabria Province, Santander).

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