Philippines, Manila, Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes birth, marriage, and death records for the city of Manila, Philippines. See the coverage table below for date ranges of each record group. The index currently covers birth certificates from 1900-1980.

Some folders of images are not arranged chronologically and/or sequentially.

Reading These Records
These records are in English and in Spanish. For help reading Spanish records see the following guides:
 * Spanish Genealogical Word List
 * Script tutorial for Spanish
 * Reading Spanish handwritten records

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Birth
 * Name and gender of child
 * Child’s date and place of birth
 * Child’s race
 * Name and birthplace of father
 * Father’s occupation
 * Maiden name of mother and her birthplace
 * Name of physician or midwife and their residence

Marriage
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Name and age of groom
 * Groom’s marital status, nativity and residence
 * Names of groom’s parents
 * Name and age of bride
 * Names of bride’s parents
 * Bride’s marital status, nativity and residence
 * Names of the witnesses and their residence
 * Names of the person who gave consent
 * Name of the person who solemnized the marriage
 * Beginning in 1945, the birthplace of bride and groom
 * Date of the marriage license
 * Date of the certificate (marriage contract)

Death
 * Name, age and gender of deceased
 * Marital status, nativity and race of deceased
 * Name of spouse
 * Day, month and year when death occurred
 * Place of death
 * Duration of illness
 * Cause of death
 * Name of physician and his residence
 * On death certificates after 1958, birthdate and birthplace of deceased
 * Sometimes, burial information or transit permit given

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

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
 * Make sure to fully transcribe and cite the record entry for future reference
 * 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 of each spouse to find a couple's birth records and parents' names
 * Use the birth date or age and the place of birth to find the family in Philippines Census records
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate Philippines Land and Property
 * 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 the Person I’m Looking for, What Now?

 * There may be more than one person with the same name. When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * Church records are also a good source of genealogical information. If possible, you should obtain copies of both Philippines church records and civil registration, since they do not necessarily provide the same information. For example, baptismal registers sometimes provide the names of the fathers of illegitimate children when the civil registration does not
 * Vary the search terms. For example, search by either the given name or surname, or try expanding the date range
 * 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 Philippines.
 * Philippines Record Finder

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.

Filipinas, Manila, Registro Civil (Registros Históricos do FamilySearch)