Peru, La Libertad, Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
Births, marriages, deaths, indexes and other records created by civil registration offices in the department of La Libertad, Peru 1903-1998. There are some records that are previous to 1903. Some of these records have been indexed and are searchable as part of this collection. Additional images and indexed records will be published as they become available. Originals are kept at the Archivo Regional de La Libertad en Trujillo, Peru.

Reading These Records
These records are written in Spanish. For help reading these records see the following guides:
 * Spanish Genealogical Word List
 * BYU Spanish Script Tutorial
 * FamilySearch Learning Center videos:
 * Reading Spanish Handwritten Records, Lesson 1
 * Reading Spanish Handwritten Records, Lesson 2

If you speak Spanish, the following free online lesson may be helpful to learn how to use the information in these records:
 * Registros Civiles y Parroquiales – Spanish

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Birth Records
 * Child’s name and gender
 * Date and place of birth
 * Names and ages of parents
 * Birthplaces of parents
 * Witnesses of birth

Marriage Records
 * Names and ages of groom and bride
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Birthplaces of groom and bride
 * Names and ages of groom’s parents
 * Names and ages of bride’s parents
 * Who performed the marriage
 * Names of witnesses

Death Records
 * Deceased’s, gender, name and age
 * Date and place of death
 * Date and place of birth
 * Marital status/name of spouse
 * Names of parents
 * Birthplaces of parents
 * Names of informant/witnesses
 * Date and place of burial

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before using this collection it is helpful to know:
 * Your ancestor's given name and surname
 * Identifying information such as residence
 * Estimated marriage or birth year

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :


 * 1) Select Department or Region
 * 2) Select Province
 * 3) Select District or Municipality
 * 4) Select Record Type and Years to view the images.

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

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

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Check the image the index was taken from to see if there is additional information
 * Make sure to fully transcribe and cite the record entry for future reference; see the section Citing This Collection for assistance. Save or print a copy of the image
 * Use the information to find more. For instance, use the age listed in the record to estimate a year of birth, if that is yet undetermined
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth of each spouse to find a couple's birth records and parents' names
 * 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
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * Check for variants of given names, surnames, and place names. Transcription errors could occur in any handwritten record; also, it was not uncommon for an individual be listed under a nickname or an abbreviation of their name. Click here for a list of Spanish name abbreviations
 * A boundary change could have occurred, and the record of your ancestor is now in a neighboring area. Search the records and indexes of neighboring cities, provinces, and regions
 * Your ancestor may have immigrated to another country. Search the records of nearby countries or immigration/emigration records: Peru Emigration and Immigration
 * If you are unable to find your ancestor(s) in these civil registers, then try searching in the areas surrounding La Libertad. These regions neighbor La Libertad:
 * The Pacific Ocean on the West,
 * Lambayeque, Cajamarca, and Amazonas in the North,
 * San Martín in the East, and
 * Ancash and Huánuco in the South
 * Church records are also a good substitute when birth, marriage, and death records can’t be found or are unavailable. Before the government instituted civil registration in Peru, the Catholic Church was the only institution tracking the births, marriages, and deaths of the population

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Peru.
 * Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.