Honduras, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Honduras

What is in This Collection?
This collection will include records from 1633 to 1978. A list of the cities and parishes contained in this collection is found in the Parishes in Honduras coverage table.

In 1563, the Council of Trent formalized record-keeping practices that were already being followed in much of the Catholic world. Separate record books were to be maintained for baptisms, confirmations, marriages, and deaths or burials, and the format was standardized. However, in smaller areas, all records may be recorded on one register. Following this format, the Catholic Church was the primary record keeper for Honduras until the civil registration started in 1859. After 1859, these records can be used to complement civil registration. A large percentage, if not all, of the population is listed in these records. The entries were normally made in chronological order.

The records are in relatively fair condition, with the exception of some older records that may be damaged and therefore hard to read or may be missing some information. Most of the older records are handwritten in narrative style and follow a common text with some variations depending on the style used by the priest. Newer records are handwritten in formatted registers; some are even written in ledger-style registers.

Reading These Records
These records are written in Spanish. For help reading the records see the following:

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?
The following information may be found in these records:

Baptismal
 * Baptismal date and place (parish)
 * Name and gender of child
 * Date and place of child's birth
 * Legitimacy of child
 * Parents' names
 * Godparents' names

Marriage
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Name of Groom
 * Name of Bride
 * Groom's parents' names
 * Bride's parents' names
 * Godparents' names

Death
 * Name of the deceased
 * Date and place of the death
 * Name of deceased's father
 * Name of deceased's mother
 * Name of deceased's spouse
 * Date and place of burial

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Your ancestor's given name and surname
 * Some identifying information such as residence, age, and family relationships

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the 


 * 1) Select Department
 * 2) Select City or Town
 * 3) Select Parish
 * 4) 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?

 * 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
 * Continue to search the marriage records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the bride and groom who may have married 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
 * If you want to find more information about the family, the pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records
 * 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 residence and names of the parents to locate church and land records
 * Use occupations to look for other types of records such as employment or military records
 * Use the parents’ birthplaces to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family
 * The name of the officiator is a clue to the family’s religion or area of residence in the county. However, ministers may have reported marriages performed in other counties
 * Use the marriage number to identify previous marriages

I Can't Find Who I'm Looking For, Now What?

 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames
 * Search for the marriage record of the spouse if known
 * Check for a different index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties
 * New information is constantly being indexed, microfilmed or updated. Periodically check back to see if your ancestor’s records have been added.  You can see if the area you’ve been looking in has been recently updated by going to Historical Records Collections.  Watch for an asterisk for recently added or updated records.

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