Guatemala, Ciudad de Guatemala, Census, 1877 - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Records
Catastro y Censo General de la Ciudad de Guatemala de 1877.

Record Description
This collection of census enumerations of the city of Guatemala was taken in 1877.

The census enumeration pages are written in Spanish on ledger-style forms with columns. The genealogical information found in the census includes: name and surname, age at the time of the census, marital status, occupation, origin, gender, literacy and religion. The census is divided by canton.

This census covers only the city of Guatemala, which at the time contained the majority of the country’s population. The census was taken by regular citizens, therefore, there may be some errors in the spelling or data, as they recorded the information while the questions were answered verbally. The census enumerations are handwritten on ledger-style, legal-sized forms. The column headings at the top of the page are printed on the forms.

The census was taken to identify the living population, their education, origin, and social groups.

The census is a reliable source for statistical information. Some of the genealogical information that is not found in other records can be used to help research the exact vital data. Some data found in the census may also not be in the vital records.

For a list of records by date or locality currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.

Record Content
Census enumeration schedules generally contain the following information:
 * Complete locality including the canton, street, house number, block number, and parish name
 * Given name and surname of each individual living in each house or property
 * Name of the head of household
 * Age of each individual
 * Marital status or civil status
 * Occupation of each individual
 * Birthplace of each individual
 * Gender of the adults: male or female
 * Gender of the children: boys or girls
 * Whether an individual knows how to write
 * Mental or physical disabilities
 * Religion
 * Race: whites, Indians (natives), mixed (mulatto)

Search the Collection
To search using the index: Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to find your ancestor.

To search by image: To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select "Department" category ⇒Select "City" category ⇒Select "Parish" ⇒Select "Canton" ⇒Select "Record Type and Years" category which takes you to the images.

Search the collection by image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

When searching: 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, 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.

Using the Information
Census records are especially valuable to quickly identify a family group, their residence, and the birthplace for each person along with their ages, which may help to search for other record types. Census records can provide information about persons where church and civil records may be incomplete. However, use the information with caution, since it may contain inaccuracies. The informant (perhaps a member of the family or a neighbor) may have not known the facts or deliberately falsified the information.

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


 * Spanish Genealogical Word List
 * BYU Spanish Script Tutorial
 * FamilySearch Learning Center videos:
 * Reading Spanish Handwritten Records, Lesson 1
 * Reading Spanish Handwritten Records, Lesson 2
 * Reading Spanish Handwritten Records, Lesson 3

Related Websites

 * Guatemala Maps
 * Guatemala City in the early 21st century, map
 * Guatemala City center circa late 1930s, map
 * Guatemala History

Related Wiki Articles

 * Guatemala, Guatemala
 * Guatemala

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.

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