Argentina, Chubut, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection
This collection of church records includes baptism, marriage and death records for the parish of María Auxiliadora in the city of Rawson in the Chubut Province of Argentina from 1884 to 1974.

When the city of Rawson was first founded, it was surrounded by agricultural colonies dominated by foreigners, especially Welsh immigrants. The city was built on both banks of the Chubut River, which flooded in 1895 and caused the church to be closed down for 14 months. Due to the shortage of jobs, the parish moved to the city of Trelew in 1973. This decision was unexpected and has since caused much controversy in Rawson.

Earlier registers are handwritten in narrative style, and later records were handwritten on printed forms. Church records are crucial for genealogical research, since civil authorities did not begin registering vital statistics until after 1886. After this date one should search in both church and civil records as there may be information in one that does not appear in the other. For instance the church records may only list the godparents whereas the civil records may list the grandparents. Church records are the most important records for genealogical research in Argentina. The vast majority of Argentines were Catholic and were registered in the records of the local parish or diocese which are called registros parroquiales (parish registers). These records include entries for baptisms, marriage information, marriages, deaths, and burials. They can help you trace and link families. Often two and sometimes three generations are indicated in the records. In addition, church records may include church censuses, account books, confirmations, and other church-related records.

Some church records have been lost or have deteriorated due to natural effects, such as humidity and insects, and more dramatic events such as fire, floods and earthquakes. Civil and political strife have also caused the destruction of parish books. Some records were destroyed or damaged because of poor storage. However, many records considered lost are simply misplaced or misidentified.

In 1886 the civil government began keeping vital records (civil registration). If you are looking for ancestors who came before this time, then the Catholic Church parish registers are the best records available to identify these individuals, since church records were around for hundreds of years prior to civil registration. For civil vital records of births, deaths, and marriages after 1886, see Argentina Civil Registration (Registro Civil).

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?
Baptismal records usually include the following information:


 * Date of event
 * Place of event
 * Name of child
 * Child's birth date
 * Parents' names, age and origin
 * Names of godparents

Marriage records usually include the following information:


 * Date of event
 * Place of event
 * Name of groom
 * Groom’s birthdate and origin
 * Groom’s parents' names and residence
 * Name of bride
 * Brides's birthdate and origin
 * Bride’s civil status, race, and age
 * Bride’s birthplace
 * Bride’s parents' names and residence
 * Names of witnesses

Death records (burials) usually include the following information:


 * Date of event
 * Name of deceased
 * Date of death
 * Residence
 * Witnesses' names, age and residence

Collection Content
For additional details about these records and help using them see Argentina Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records.

How Do I Search This Collection?
As you are searching it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor’s given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence and age, and family relationships. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the 


 * 1) Select City or Town
 * 2) Select Parish
 * 3) 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?

 * 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 death date or age along with the place of death to find birth 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
 * 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
 * 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

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

 * Civil registration records are also a good source of genealogical information. See Argentina Civil Registration for further 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
 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames
 * You ancestor may be using a nickname or alias
 * 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

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