Argentina, Chaco, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection of church records includes baptisms, marriages and confirmations for the parishes of Santa Margarita and San Fernando Rey in the cities of Las Palmas and Resistencia in the Chaco Province of Argentina from 1882 to 1955.

Earlier registers are handwritten in narrative style, and later records were handwritten on printed forms. Records from some of these parishes have been indexed and are searchable as part of this collection. Additional indexed records will be published as they become available.

General Information About Church Records

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?
Baptism records usually include the following information:
 * Place of the event
 * Date of the baptism
 * Dat of birth
 * Name of principal
 * Principal’s birth date
 * Legitimacy
 * Father’s name
 * Father’s place of origin and age
 * Mother’s name
 * Mother’s place of origin and age
 * Parents' residence
 * Godfather’s name, place of origin, age, and residence
 * Godmother’s name, place of origin, age, and residence

Confirmation records usually include the following information:


 * Name of the individual
 * Parents' names
 * Date and place of confirmation
 * Godparents

Marriage records usually include the following information:


 * Place of the event
 * Date of the event
 * Name of groom
 * Groom’s civil status, race, and age
 * Groom’s birthplace
 * Groom’s place and date of baptism
 * Groom’s legitimacy and parents’ names
 * Name of bride
 * Bride’s civil status, race, and age
 * Bride’s birthplace
 * Bride’s place and date of baptism
 * Bride’s legitimacy and parents’ names
 * Names of witnesses or godparents

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 spouse 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.