Chile Compiled Genealogies

The term genealogy is used in this outline and in the Family History Library Catalog to describe a variety of records containing family information gathered by individuals, other researchers, societies, or archives. These records may include pedigree charts, compiled information on families, correspondence, ancestor lists, research exchange files, record abstracts, and collections of original or copied documents. These can be excellent sources of information that can save you valuable time. Because they are compiled from other sources of information, they must be carefully evaluated for accuracy.

Additional sources of genealogy for noble families in Chile are described in the “Nobility” section of this outline.

Major Collections and Databases

The Family History Library has several sources that contain previous research or can lead you to others who are interested in sharing family information. These sources include:


 * International Genealogical Index. The index provides names and vital information for thousands of deceased persons who lived in South America. This valuable research tool lists birth, christening, or marriage dates, as well as Latter-day Saint temple ordinance information. This index includes names extracted from parish registers by volunteers and names submitted by other researchers.

The International Genealogical Index is available on microfiche, on compact disc as part of FamilySearch, and on the Internet.


 * Ancestral File. This file, part of FamilySearch, contains family history information linked in family groups and pedigrees that have been contributed since 1979. You can print pedigree charts, family group records, and individual summary sheets for any person in the file. Very few South American families are currently listed in this file.


 * Family Group Records Collection. More than 8 million family group records have been microfilmed in the Family Group Records Collection, but very few are from South America. There are two major sections: the Archive Section and the Patrons Section. The film numbers for both sections are listed in the “Author/Title” section of the Family History Library Catalog under family group records collection.

Family Histories

Some Chilean families have produced family histories that may include genealogical information, biographies, photographs, and other excellent information. These usually include several generations of the family.

The Family History Library has a few published family histories from Chile. Copies at the Family History Library are listed in the surname section of the Family History Library Catalog. Not every name found in a family history will be listed in the Family History Library Catalog. Only the major surnames discussed in the family history are included in the catalog. One example would be:

Thayer Ojeda, Luis. Memoria genealógica de la familia Ojeda de Valparaíso (Genealogical Memory of the Ojeda Family of Valparaíso). Valparaíso, Chile: Imp. y Encuad. Roma, 1933. (FHL book 983 A1 no.3; film 0908250.)

There are also unpublished family histories found in private collections. These include a variety of unpublished records pertaining to specific families. Such materials are generally inaccessible for research unless you can establish contact with the person who owns the materials.

For an index to more than 2,000 published Latin American family histories, see:

Platt, Lyman D. Una bibliografía de historias familiares de Latinoamérica y los Estados Unidos (A Bibliography of Family Histories in Latin America and the United States.) Salt Lake City: Instituto Genealógico e Histórico Latinoamericano, 1990. (FHL book 980 D23p.)

Genealogical Collections

The Family History Library has very few collections of genealogical material for Chile. The collection does include published and unpublished collections of family histories and lineages, as well as the research files of prominent genealogists. Examples of compiled genealogies of families from specific regions or all of Chile are:

Cuadra Gormaz, Guillermo de la. Familias chilenas (Chilean Families). Santiago, Chile: Zamorano y Caperán, 1948–1949. (FHL book 983 D2c; film 0824497 item 2–3.)

Familias chilenas: Origen de doscientas familias coloniales de Santiago (Chilean Families: Origins of 200 Colonial Families of Santiago). Santiago, Chile: Editorial Zamorano y Caperan, 1948–1949. (FHL film 0283575 item 1–2.)

Opazo Maturana, Gustavo. Familias del antiguo obispado de Concepción, 1551–1900 (Families of the Old Episcopate of Concepción, Chile, 1551–1900). Santiago, Chile: Editorial Zamorano y Caperan, 1957. (FHL book 983 D2o; film 0908250.)

Opazo Maturana, Gustavo. Origen de las familias del antiguo obispado de Concepción, 1551–1800 (Origin of the Families of the Ancient Bishopric of Concepción, 1551–1800). Santiago, Chile: Zamorano y Caperan, 1941. (FHL film 0283552.)

Genealogical collections are listed in the Family History Library Catalog under:

CHILE - GENEALOGY

CHILE, [PROVINCE] - GENEALOGY

CHILE, [PROVINCE], [CITY] - GENEALOGY

If you find your surname in any of the sources described in this section, determine whether the entry actually pertains to your family. All persons with the same surname are not necessarily related. Often, you will have to do some additional research before you can connect your ancestry to families listed in these sources.