Mexico, Michoacán, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Records
Registros Parroquiales de la Iglesia Católica del Estado de Michoacan, México.

Collection Time Period
This collection of Catholic Church records for the State of Michoacan covers the years 1579-1992.

Record Description
Usually separate registers were maintained for baptisms, marriages, and deaths. However, in localities with a small population the records of baptisms, marriages, and burials were recorded in the same register. Confirmations were usually recorded with the baptismal registers, but can also be found with deaths or marriages. Generally, entries were created in chronological order. Early registers may have some ecclesiastical documents written in Latin.

Record Content
Important genealogical information found in Catholic Church baptismal records include:


 * Place and date of the baptism
 * Given name
 * Gender, place and date of birth or age at baptism
 * If legitimate or illegitimate
 * Parents names, sometimes their residence and/or place of birth
 * Names of maternal grandparents
 * Names of paternal grandparents
 * Names of godparents

Important genealogical information found in Catholic Church marriage records include:


 * Place and date of the marriage
 * Name of the groom
 * Age of groom, his place of birth and/or residence
 * Name of the groom’s parents
 * Name of the bride
 * Age of bride, her place of birth and/or residence
 * Names of the bride’s parents
 * Sometimes, the parent’s place of origin and/or civil status
 * Names of witnesses

Important genealogical information found in Catholic Church burial records include:


 * Place and date of the burial
 * Burial place
 * Name of the principal
 * Place and date of birth or age at time of death
 * Cause of death
 * Residence of the deceased
 * Place of death
 * Civil status of the principal, if married the name of the spouse may be given
 * If principal left progeny

Important genealogical information found in Catholic Church confirmation records include:


 * Date and place of confirmation
 * Name of person being confirmed
 * Parents’ or godparents’ names

How to Use the Record
The Catholic Church parish records are an excellent source for genealogical research in Mexico. These may also be the only records available for Spanish research before civil registration was implemented in 1871.

Record History
Catholic Church parish records cover 95 to 100% of a city’s population. This collection only includes the parish records that were centralized into the diocesan archive.

Why the Record Was Created
Mexican Catholic Church parish registers were created to record baptisms, confirmations, marriages, and burials occurring in the parish.

Record Reliability
Catholic Church parish records are a reliable source for doing Mexican genealogical research.

Related Websites
This section of the article is incomplete. You can help FamilySearch Wiki by supplying links to related websites here.

Related Wiki Articles

 * Mexico Church Records
 * Mexico Church History
 * Michoacan

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should also list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. 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.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the Wiki Article: Help:How to Create Source Citations For FamilySearch Historical Records Collections.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record in This Collection

 * “Delaware Marriage Records,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 4 March 2011), entry for William Anderson and Elizabeth Baynard Henry, married 23 November 1913; citing marriage certificate no. 859; FHL microfilm 2,025,063; Delaware Bureau of Archives and Records Management, Dover.
 * “El Salvador Civil Registration,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 21 March 2011), entry for Jose Maria Antonio del Carmen, born 9 April 1880; citing La Libertad, San Juan Opico, Nacimientos 1879-1893, image 50; Ministerio Archivo Civil de la Alcaldia Municipal de San Salvador.

Sources of Information for This Collection
"Mexico, Michoacan Catholic Church Records", images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org), 2009; from Archidiocese of Michoacan, Archdiocese of Morelia, Diocese of Zamora, Diocese of Apatzingan, Diocese of Altamirano City, Diocese of Tacambaro, Mexico. Registros parroquiales, 1579-1992. Original records housed in local parish archives throughout the State of Michoacan, Mexico. FHL 4,495 microfilm reels. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.

Digital images of original records housed at various Catholic Church archive repositories throughout the State of Michoacan, Mexico.