Colombia, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Colombia

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes baptisms, confirmations, marriages, prenuptial investigations, marriage dispensations, deaths, and indexes for parishes throughout Columbia from 1576-2018.

Generally, these records were written in chronological order. In smaller parishes, one book was used for all the ordinances (such as baptism, marriage, and death). In larger cities, records of the different types of were kept in separate books. Confirmations were generally written in the baptismal registers. Some of the older records are damaged, but most of the genealogical information can be extracted.

For a complete list of all the parishes included in this collection, see the Parishes in Colombia coverage table.

Reading These Records
These records are written in Spanish. For help reading them see: FamilySearch Learning Center videos: If you speak Spanish, the following free online lesson may be helpful to learn how to use the information in these records:
 * Spanish Genealogical Word List
 * Brigham Young University Spanish Script Tutorial
 * Reading Spanish Handwritten Records, Lesson 1
 * Reading Spanish Handwritten Records, Lesson 2
 * Registros Civiles y Parroquiales – Spanish

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

Baptism • 3 Marriage  • 3 Death • 3 Child Recognition  • 3

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

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
 * 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 residence and names of the parents to locate civil records Colombia Civil Registration
 * 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

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

 * A boundary change could have occurred, and the record of you ancestor is now in a neighboring area. Search the records and indexes of neighboring cities, provinces, and regions
 * 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
 * Your ancestor may have immigrated to another country. Search the records of nearby areas or Colombia Emigration and Immigration records

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

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

 * FamilySearch Catalog - Colombia Church Records

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * Colombia Baptisms - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * Colombia Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * Colombia Deaths - FamilySearch Historical Records

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.

Colombia, registros parroquiales y diocesanos (Registros históricos de FamilySearch) Colômbia, Registros da Igreja Católica (Registros Históricos do FamilySearch)