Spain, Province of Valencia, Miscellaneous Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The “Diputación de Valencia” is an institution composed of senators and other politicians, and is at the service of the provincial municipalities. This collection includes several types of records, which are housed at the Diputación Provincial de Valencia Archive. The original records are kept at the Archivo de la Diputación Provincial de Valencia, in Valencia, Spain. These records are the property of the Diputación de Valencia, ADPV.

Most of the types of records in this collection were created to record the historical events in the life of the people. Events were recorded in registers, which were to be kept for the history of civilians and for civilians’ and governmental benefits.

This collection includes various types of records, such as military drafts, censuses, and other miscellaneous records for the years 1251-1950 from the Valencia province in Spain. Each is reliable depending on the reliability of the person supplying the information and the person creating the record.

These records are written in Spanish; see the section "For Help Reading these Records" for access to translation helps.

This collection is being published as images become available.

Reading These Records
These records are written in Spanish. For help reading them see:
 * 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:

Military draft and enlistment
 * Name and age of soldier
 * Occupation
 * Date and place of birth
 * Literacy
 * Parents’ names

Census
 * Name of head of the household
 * Names of every person living in the house
 * Relationship to the head of the household of every person in the household
 * Age
 * Occupation
 * Residence
 * Nationality or place of origin
 * Parents
 * Parish of baptism
 * Municipality
 * Event year

How Do I Search This Collection?
Some record sets have indexes; these indexes were created at the end of the year. Copy errors could have been made in the index, so you want to find the actual record to verify the information is correct. Using the index is a helpful way to find the actual record.

See the sections below for tips and uses for searching and finding the record of your ancestor in this collection and using the information in the record.

If you are unable to find a record for your ancestor in this collection, see the corresponding section below.

The different types of records in this collection have different uses, but most can be used to search for information of ancestors that lived in the Valencia Province. Almost always, for any type of record, it is necessary to know the ancestor's complete name, and/or at least the surname, and some dates in the events of the life of your ancestor.

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select Province
 * 2) Select City or Municipality
 * 3) Select Parish
 * 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?

 * When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details such as a title, an occupation, or land ownership. Add this new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors
 * Before you move on – Get a copy of the citation of exactly where you found your ancestors record for further reference.  The image citation is available by clicking on the information tab at the bottom left of the screen where you’ve found your ancestor
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate other records
 * Use the parents' birth places to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family
 * Compile information for every person who has the same surname as your ancestor; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives 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

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

 * New information is constantly being indexed, microfilmed or updated. Periodically check back and see if your ancestor’s records have been added
 * Civil records are also a good source of genealogical information. You should obtain copies of both church records and civil registration, when possible, since they do not necessarily provide the same information. For example, baptismal registers sometimes provide the names of the fathers of illegitimate children when the civil registration does not
 * There may be more than one person with the same name
 * 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
 * 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

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Spain.
 * 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.

Espanha, Valência, Registros Diversos (Registros Históricos do FamilySearch)