Mexico, Morelos, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Records
Registros Paroquiales del estado de Morelos, México

Record Description
This collection of parish records (such as baptism, marriage, death, and burial records) for the State of Morelos, Mexico, includes years from about 1598 to 1969.

For additional details about the history of these records and help using them, see the wiki article Mexico Catholic Church Records (FamilySearch Historical Records).

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. Digital images of original records housed at various local Catholic Church parish archives in the State of Morelos, Mexico.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
These baptism records usually contain the following information:


 * Date and place of baptism
 * Child's name and gender
 * Legitimacy
 * Child's date and place of birth
 * Parents' names
 * Grandparents' names
 * Witnesses' names
 * Before 1820, social class of the parents
 * Sometimes the person’s race

These marriage records usually contain the following information:


 * Date and place of marriage
 * Groom's name, age and legitimacy
 * Groom's civil status, nationality, origin and residence
 * Names of the groom's parents and their origin and nationality
 * Bride's name, age and legitimacy
 * Bride's civil status, nationality, origin and residence
 * Names of bride's parents and their origin and nationality
 * Names of grandparents
 * Names of witnesses

These death records usually contain the following information:


 * Name and age of deceased
 * Date and place of death
 * Cause of death
 * Marital status of deceased
 * Sometimes, the name of spouse of deceased was married
 * Parents' names
 * Place of residence or origin of the deceased person
 * Sometimes, the origin, residence or race of deceased

How to Use the Records
To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒ Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒ Select the Nombre de Ciudad/Pueblo ⇒ Select the Nombre de Parroquia ⇒ Select the Tipo de registro y años 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.

In most cases, Mexican Catholic parish registers are the only records before 1859 that identify individuals, parents, and spouses. After this date, civil authorities began registering vital statistics (nacimientos, matrimonies, y defunciones) that by law include people of all religions. The information in civil sources confirms and supplements the information in church records. Be sure to search both the parish and civil records after 1860.

When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family.

For example:


 * Use the marriage date and place as the basis for compiling a new family group or for verifying existing information.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth of each partner to find a couple's birth records and parents' names.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth to find the family in census records.
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate church and land records.
 * Occupations listed can lead you to other types of records such as employment or military records.
 * Use the parents' birth places to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family.
 * The name of the officiator is a clue to their religion or area of residence in the county. However, ministers may have reported marriages performed in other counties.
 * Compile the marriage entries for every person who has the same surname as the bride or groom; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the marriage records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the bride and groom who may have married in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * Use the marriage number to identify previous marriages.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

Keep in mind:


 * The information in church records is usually reliable, but depends upon the reliability of the informant.
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1800.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another.

Known Issues with This Collecton
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached Wiki article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org]. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

Related Websites

 * Mexico Catholic Encyclopedia

Related Wiki Articles

 * Mexico Church Records
 * Morelos

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
“Mexico, Morelos, Catholic Church Records, 1598-1969,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-19625-76680-52?cc=1837907&amp;wc=11070489: accessed 30 August, 2012), Tetelcingo &gt; San Nicolás &gt; Matrimonios 1814-1912 &gt; image 250 of 258 images, Juan Cundillo and Vicenta Clemente, 1911; citing Parroquia de San Nicolás Tetelcingo, Morelos, Mexico, Matrimonios.