Spain, Soldier Personal Service Files - FamilySearch Historical Records

Spain

What is in the Collection?
This collection contains an index to military records for all soldiers enlisted in the army of Spain and its territories, covering the period 1835-1940.

Additional indexed records will be published as they become available.

What Can this Collection Tell Me?
The following list indicates potential information given in these records. It must be remembered that every record may not provide all of the listed information, as record-keeping practices often varied by time and location.

Personal Soldier Files may include:
 * Given name of soldier
 * Name, type, and number of regiment
 * Squadron number
 * Name of father and mother
 * Age at enlistment, including years, months, and days
 * Birthdate, including day, month, and year
 * Birthplace, including city and province
 * Detailed physical description
 * Detailed descriptions of service by year
 * Occupation before enlistment
 * Religion of soldier
 * Awards for service
 * Rate of pay
 * Literacy of soldier
 * Names of witnesses

How Do I Search the Collection?
Before beginning a search in these records, it is best to know the full name of the individual in question, as well as an approximate time range for the desired record. When entered into the search engine on the Collection Page, this information provides the quickest, most reliable path to finding the correct person. Of course, other information can be substituted as necessary.

Search by name by visiting the Collection Page
Fill in the requested information in the initial search page to return a list of possible matches. Compare the individuals on the list with what is already known to find the correct family or person. This step may require examining multiple individuals before a match is located.

View images in this collection by visiting the Browse Page
If granted the rights to view the digitized records in this collection (see below), the images may be accessed by following this series of links: ⇒ Select Browse through images on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the Recruitment Zone (Zona de Reclutamiento de Madrid) ⇒ Select the appropriate Box Number (Caja) ⇒ Select the appropriate File Number (Expediente Reglamentario de Tropa) to go to the images

Image Visibility
Whenever possible, FamilySearch makes images of digitized records available for all users. However, the rights to view images on this website are ultimately granted by the record custodians. Due to their restrictions, the images in this collection are not available for general viewing, but most may be accessed online by members of the supporting organization(s), at a Family History Center near you, or the Family History Library. Other restrictions prohibit the digital distribution of certain records within this collection, and therefore these are not available for viewing online.

For additional information about image restrictions, please see the Restrictions for Viewing Images in FamilySearch Historical Record Collections page.

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

 * Make sure to fully transcribe and cite the record entry for future reference. See below for assistance in citing this collection. If possible, save a print a copy of the image for your records.
 * Continue to search the index to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives. Remember that family members often appear on a soldier’s personal file.
 * Use the information which has been discovered to find the individual in other records. Church records are of particular use prior to the year 1900; see the Spain Church Records page for more information.

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

 * When looking for a person with a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which individual is correct. Use other information, such as place of birth, age, occupation, or names of parents, to determine which candidate is the correct person.
 * Check for variants of given names, surnames, and place names; transcription errors could occur in any handwritten record. Also remember that it was not uncommon for an individual be listed under a nickname or an abbreviation of their name.
 * Vary the search terms. For example, search by either the given name or surname to return broader list of possible candidates which can then be examined for matches.
 * Search the records of nearby locations. While it was uncommon for an individual in this period to move more than about 20 miles from their place of birth, smaller relocations were not uncommon.

Citing this Collection
Citing sources correctly makes it easier to refer back to information that has already been discovered; proper citations are therefore indispensable to keeping track of genealogical research. Following established formulae in formatting citations also allows others to verify completed research by helping them find and examine records for themselves.

To be of use, citations must include information such as the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records, if available. The following examples demonstrate how to present this information for both this particular collection and individual records and images within the collection:

Collection Citation:

Record Citation (or citation for the index entry):

Image Citation: