Dominican Republic Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records

Dominican Republic

What is in This Collection?
This article describes two collections: births from from 1801 to 2006, and civil registration of birth, marriage, and death from 1801-2010. This is an ongoing active collection. Additional records will be added to this collection. Check the browse headers for the collection to determine current coverage. For a complete list of all the provinces contained in this collection, see the Provinces of the Dominican Republic - Civil Registration 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
 * BYU 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 is may be found in these records:

Birth Records
 * Name and gender of child
 * Date, place, and time of birth
 * Child’s legitimacy
 * Parents’ names and ages
 * Parents’ occupation and residence
 * Grandparents’ names
 * Date, place and time of registration
 * Registrant’s occupation and residence

Marriage Records
 * Names and ages of bride and groom
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Marital status of bride and groom
 * Bride and groom’s residence
 * Parents’ names and ages
 * Date of betrothal promise
 * Witnesses’ name, age, marital status and occupation
 * Name of civil official and/or marriage officiator

Death Records
 * Name and age of deceased (keep in mind that death
 * records for women may be filed under their married name)


 * Marital status/spouse’s name of deceased
 * Date, place and time of death
 * Cause of death
 * Parents’ of deceased
 * Parents’ origin and residence
 * Witnesses’ names
 * Informant’s name and age, occupation.

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 that 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 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?

 * Church records are also a good substitute when civil records of births, marriages, and deaths cannot be found or are unavailable
 * Use the parents' birth places to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family
 * 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 province. A map of the Dominican Republic can show you all the nearby provinces

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the Dominican Republic.
 * 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.

República Dominicana, Registro Civil (Registros Históricos do FamilySearch)