Argentina, La Rioja, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Record
Registros Parroquiales de la Iglesia Católica de la Provincia de La Rioja, Argentina

Record Description
These records are in Spanish. This collection of church records for the period of 1714 to 1970 includes baptisms, confirmations, marriages and deaths for the cities of Aimogasta, Anillaco, Chilecito, Famatina, La Rioja, Olta, San Blas de los Sauces, Tama, Ulapes and Villa Unión in the province of La Rioja.

The parishes contained in the collection are Catedral Inmaculada Concepción, San Antonio, Corazón de Jesús, San Pedro, Convento de La Merced, San Nicolás de Bari, Virgen de la Candelaria, San Blas and Nuestra Señora del Rosario.

These records are written in Spanish.

Record Content
Baptismal records usually include the following information:


 * Date and place of baptism
 * Name of child
 * Child's birth date and place of birth
 * Parents' names
 * Parent's origin and residence
 * Names of godparents

Confirmation records usually include the following information:


 * Name
 * Age
 * Parents and legitimacy
 * Godparents

Marriage records usually include the following information:


 * Date and place of marriage
 * Name of groom
 * Groom’s age, civil status, nationality, occupation and residence
 * Groom's parents' names
 * Name of bride
 * Bride’s age, civil status, nationality and residence
 * Bride's parents' names
 * Names of witnesses

Death records usually include the following information:


 * Date and place of death
 * Name of deceased and residence
 * Age of deceased
 * Marital status
 * Name of spouse
 * Cause of death

How to Use the Record
As you are searching it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor’s given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence and age, and family relationships. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.


 * The information in church records is usually reliable, but depends upon the reliability of the informant.
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1800.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another.

Search the Collection
To browse this collection you will need to follow this series of links: select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the "City or Town" category ⇒ Select the "Parish" category ⇒ Select the "Record Type and Years" which takes you to the images.

Search the collection by image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

For Help Reading These Records
These records are in Spanish. For help reading the records, see the following wiki articles:


 * Spanish Genealogical Word List
 * Argentina Language and Languages

Using the Information

 * 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 birth date or age along with the place of birth to find the family in census records.
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate church and land records.
 * Occupations listed can lead you to other types of records such as employment or military records.
 * Use the parents' birth places to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family.
 * The name of the officiator is a clue to their religion or area of residence in the county. However, ministers may have reported marriages performed in other counties.
 * 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.
 * 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.
 * Use the marriage number to identify previous marriages.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * The information in church records is usually reliable, but depends upon the reliability of the informant.
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1800.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?
If you are unable to find the ancestors you are looking for, try the following:


 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Check for a different index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities.

Related Websites

 * Province of La Rioja Maps
 * Province of La Rioja History

Related Wiki Articles

 * Argentina
 * Province of La Rioja
 * Argentina Church Records
 * Argentina Church History

Citations for this Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually. Collection Citation:

Image Citation: