Nicaragua, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Records
Registros Parroquiales de la Iglesia Católica en Nicaragua

Record Description
This collection of baptisms, marriages, and burials was created by authorized parish priests in the years 1740-1960. Most of the inhabitants of Nicaragua were Roman Catholics, therefore these records may cover about 95% to 100% of the population from the 16th to the 20th century.

It is common to see the sacramental ordinances of baptism, marriage, and burial in separate registers, however in smaller towns these records may all be recorded in one yearly book. The entries were normally made in chronological order. Some confirmations may be found within the baptisms. The earlier parish records were all handwritten in narrative form, and later records were handwritten in formatted entries. All records were handwritten in Spanish.

The parish registers may be the only records available for genealogical research before civil registration was implemented in 1879.

Digital images of originals housed at various municipal archives throughout Nicaragua.

Information about creating source citations for FamilySearch Historical Collections is listed in the wiki articleHelp:How to Create Source Citations For FamilySearch Historical Records Collections.

For a list of records by localities and dates currently published in this collection, select the Browse.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Records collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
Key genealogical facts found in most baptism records:


 * Place of the event
 * Date of the event
 * Name of the child
 * Age or date of birth of the child
 * Gender and legitimacy
 * Parents’ names
 * Sometimes the names of the grandparents
 * Names of the godparents

Key genealogical facts found in most marriage records:


 * Place of the event
 * Date of the event
 * Names of the betrothed
 * Age, marital status, and sometime the race of the betrothed
 * Birthplace or place of residence
 * Gender and legitimacy
 * Parents’ names
 * Witnesses’ names

Key genealogical facts found in most death records:


 * Place of the event
 * Date of the event
 * Name of the deceased
 * Marital status and age or date of birth of the deceased
 * Legitimacy
 * Parents’ names
 * If married, sometimes the name of the spouse
 * Cause of death
 * Place of burial

How to Use the Collection
To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒ Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒ Select the "Departamento" category ⇒ Select the "Ciudad o pueblo" category ⇒ Select the "Parroquia" category ⇒ Select the "Tipo de registro y años" category which takes you to the images.

Look at the images one by one 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.

Related Websites

 * Arquidiócesis de Managua
 * Una Visión Histórico-Pastoral de la Iglesia Católica en Nicaragua

Related Wiki Articles

 * Nicaragua

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should 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 Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
"Nicaragua, Diocese of Mangua, Catholic Church Records, 1740-1960," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 21 March 2012), bautisimos 1943-1944 &gt; Managua &gt; Arquidiocesis de Managua &gt; image 100 of 1041 &gt; entry for Luis Alberto Navoris, baptized 9 May 1941, Nicaragua, Catholic Church parishes. Church records, 1740-1960. Managua Archdiocese Archive (Curia Arquidiocesana), Managua, Nicaragua.