Spain, Province of Tarragona, Municipal Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Record
Registros Municipales de la Provincia de Tarragona, España.

Record Description
This collection includes civil registration, census, military drafts and other records microfilmed and digitized at municipal archives in the Tarragona Province, Spain. This collection is being published as images become available.

Civil registration in Spain was established by law in 1870. Records are mostly handwritten on a printed form, following a chronological order. The civil registration records dating before 1870 were created with the information from church parish registers.

Municipal census records differ from the national census in that it is an administrative tool used by the municipality. The census registers were handwritten in Spanish on formatted registers.

Municipal military draft records were carried out almost every year to fill in the conscript quota. The process for the draft was long; it included first the preparation of a list of all men in age for the draft, then approval, sorting of men, notifications, exemptions, medical exam, etc.

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 data and images published on FamilySearch.org Historical Records. It may include the author, custodian, publisher and archive for the original records.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
Key genealogical facts found in civil registration records are:


 * Name
 * Place and date of event
 * Parents’ names

Key genealogical facts found in census records are:


 * Names
 * Ages
 * Residence
 * Nationality or place of origin

Key genealogical facts found in military draft records are:


 * Name of draftees
 * Age of draftees
 * Parents’ name
 * Address

How to Use the Record
To search the collection, select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the Provincia ⇒ Select the Ciudad o Municipio ⇒ Select the 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.

The civil registration of birth, marriage, and death are great records to research for genealogical data. These records contain important information to continue research for one or more generations. In order to find an entry in these records it is necessary to know the name, place, and year of a vital event in the life of the ancestor being searched.

The municipal censuses are helpful to find enough genealogical data to research an ancestor and extended relatives in other types of records. These records are great if civil or church records are not available, just remember the data is not 100% accurate. To search this census, it is necessary to know the name of the head of household and the name of the municipality where the ancestor lived.

The military drafts documents are not listed in any specific order, but these are in the year of the draft order. Therefore, if you know the approximate year when your ancestor was at the age of 18 to 20, you may find some information.

Related Websites

 * Genealogy Index of Tarragona
 * Spain Genealogy Links

Related Wiki Articles

 * Spain Census
 * Spain Civil Registration - Vital Records
 * Spain Military Records

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
“Spain, Province of Tarragona, Municipal Records, 1430-1916,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 29 May, 2012), Tarragona &gt; Totosa &gt; Totosa &gt; Nacimientos 1854-1856 &gt; image 507 of 937; citing Manuel Pujol, born 1 January, 1856. Tarragona Province Municipal Offices. Municipal Records. Tarragona Province Municipal Archives, Tarragona, Spain.