Venezuela Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records

Venezuela

What is in This Collection?
This collection has records from 1873 to 2003. It includes births, marriages, and deaths that are registered in separate books at different municipal offices of the civil registry. Most records are well-preserved. Earlier records are handwritten in Spanish; newer records are handwritten also in Spanish in formatted records. Some localities may be listed under their old administrative jurisdictions, depending on the time of the creation of the record.

Before 1873, the Catholic Church was the only organization that recorded important events in a person’s life, such as baptism, marriage, and death or burial. However, in the early months of 1826, the government began creating the civil records of the judicial and non-judicial civil acts of their citizens under the National Treasury Department in the mortgage annotations office. The government also wanted a duplicate copy of the Catholic Church registers to use for civil records.

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 may found in these records:

Birth
 * Child's name
 * Gender
 * Birth date and place
 * Parent's names
 * Legitimacy

Marriage
 * Name of bride and groom
 * Ages
 * Residence
 * Parent's names
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Witnesses

Death
 * Person's name
 * Age
 * Date, time, and place of death
 * Cause of death
 * Parents’ names
 * Informant
 * Burial information

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 or birth year
 * Family relationships

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
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * If possible, look at the actual image of the record to verify the information found in the online description
 * 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

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

 * In Latin America, two or three generations are often indicated in church registers, along with their birthplaces or residences. If, however, earlier generations are not listed with the relative or ancestor selected, try searching parishes located within close proximity. Try checking the Venezuela, Catholic Church Records
 * A boundary change could have occurred and the record of your ancestor is now in a neighboring state or region, or your ancestor immigrated to another country. Search the records of nearby areas or immigration/emigration records. Venezuela Emigration and Immigration
 * Check for variants of given names, surnames, and place names. Transcription errors could have occurred in any handwritten record; also, it was not uncommon for an individual to be listed under a nickname or an abbreviation of their name. Click here for a list of Spanish name abbreviations

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in Venezuela.
 * Venezuela Record Finder
 * Venezuela Research Tips and Strategies

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Raymond Stanley Simmons Ortega, Guía práctica para la investigación genealógica en Venezuela Caracas, Venezuela : Simmons, R. S., c1997 FHL 987 D27s
 * Venezuela civil registration = Venezuela, registro civil : COLLECTION RECORD, 1873-2003
 * Venezuela, Catholic church records, Venezuela, registros parroquiales y diocesanos : COLLECTION RECORD, 1577-1995

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * Venezuela, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

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.

Venezuela, Registro Civil (Registros Históricos do FamilySearch)