Chile Nobility

If your research in the original records of Chile indicates that your ancestor was of the noble class, there are additional records that will be helpful in your research.

The kings rewarded persons who performed a heroic deed, made a notable achievement, or held a prominent position in government by granting them a noble title. These grants were documented. Because of frequent false claims to nobility, families had to legitimize their nobility by providing documented proof. Grants of nobility and nobility legitimizations may be found at the national archives or libraries.

Although some original records, such as the grant of nobility, are still in existence, you can accomplish most nobility research in secondary sources. These include published or manuscript genealogies of noble families. The noble class has been anxious to preserve their identity. This has led to the publication of histories of some noble lines of Chile. Numerous publications are available to help you trace a noble family. Some of the most important are:

Mujica de la Fuente, Juan. Linajes españoles: nobleza colonial de Chile (Spanish Lineage: Colonial Nobility of Chile). Santiago, Chile: Editorial Zamorano y Caperan, 1927. (FHL book 983 D5m; film 0908525.)

Espejo, Juan Luis. Nobiliario de la antigua capitanía general de Chile (Nobility of the Former Captain-Generalcy of Chile). 2 vols. Santiago, Chile: Imprenta Universitaria, 1917–1921. (FHL book 983 D5e; film 0908525.)

The "Heraldry" and "Genealogy" sections of this outline can help you locate other materials about ancestors who may have been part of the noble class. The Family History Library has collected some records of noble families. These records are listed in the Family History Library Catalog under:

SPAIN - NOBILITY

CHILE, NOBILITY

CHILE, [PROVINCE] - NOBILITY

CHILE, [PROVINCE], [CITY] - NOBILITY