Spain, Diocese of Sigüenza-Guadalajara, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes Catholic Church records from 1496-1989. These records were created by the parishes and the administration of the Diocese of Sigüenza-Guadalajara, Spain. These records mostly include baptisms, confirmations, marriages, burials, but does include some others, such as nobility records.

For nobles, grooms and brides were required to have their direct lines traced back a few generations to make sure the two weren't related.

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

Sample Images
The information in each record may vary by year.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Baptism
 * Date of baptism
 * Town/city &amp; parish of baptism
 * Name and gender
 * Date and place of birth
 * Father's name and birthplace
 * Mother's name and birthplace
 * Names of paternal grandparents and their birthplace
 * Names of maternal grandparents and their birthplace
 * Names of witnesses

Confirmation
 * Name
 * Father’s name
 * Mother’s name
 * Date of confirmation
 * Town/city &amp; parish where confirmation took place

Marriage
 * Date of marriage
 * City/Town and parish where marriage took place
 * Groom's name, residence, and birthplace
 * Groom’s marital status
 * Names of groom's parents
 * Bride's name, residence, and birthplace
 * Names of bride's parents
 * Names of witnesses

Burial
 * Name and age of deceased (keep in mind that the records of women may be filed under their married name)
 * Date and place of burial
 * Place of birth and residence
 * Marital status/name of spouse
 * Date of death
 * Names of parents
 * Names of witnesses

Nobility records
 * Name of groom and bride
 * Names of each their direct ancestors
 * Date of document
 * Explanation of any familial reason why the groom and bride can't marry

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, age, parents' names, where and when the event took place, and family relationships.

Some record sets have indexes; these indexes were created at the end of the year. Copy errors, altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors (if the information was scanned) could have been made in the index, so you want to find the actual record to verify the information is correct. Using the index is a quick and helpful way to find the actual record.

See the sections below for tips and uses for searching and finding the record of your ancestor in this collection and using the information in the record.

If you are unable to find a record for your ancestor in this collection, see the corresponding section below.

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 Who I was Looking for, Now What?

 * 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 to find each of the couple's birth records and parents' names.
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate civil records. This link describes the history and content of Spain Civil Registration - Vital Records.
 * Use the parents' birth places to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family.
 * The name of a marriage officiator is a clue to their religion or area of residence in the province. However, ministers may have reported marriages performed in other provinces.
 * 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.
 * Use the marital status (whether a divorce or death dissolved a marriage) 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
 * Name changes, shortened names, or nicknames may have been used; other relationships (parents, spouse, siblings, children, etc.) that can confirm whether you have the right person/record.
 * Identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the bride and groom who may have married in the same county or nearby. Identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent.

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

 * Perhaps your ancestor immigrated to another country; search Spain Emigration and Immigration.
 * Civil registration records (birth, marriage, and death records) are also a good source of family history information. When a church record cannot be found, search Spain Civil Registration - Vital Records.

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Spain.
 * Spain Record Finder
 * Spain 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.

Espanha, Diocese de Sigüenza-Guadalajara, Registros da Igreja Católica (Registros Históricos do FamilySearch)