Spain, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Records
Registros Parroquiales de la Iglesia Católica en España.

Collection Time Period
This collection of Catholic Church parish records of Spain covers 1500 through 1984. The collection includes records from the dioceses of Avila, Ciudad Real, Ciudad Rodrigo, Gerona, Lugo, Murcia, and Segovia.

Record Description
Most of the records were handwritten in narrative style. In later years, the records may be handwritten in formatted registers. Entries were created in chronological order with the exception of a few entries. Early registers may have some ecclesiastical wording written in Latin, but the main language of the records is Spanish.

Record Content
The key genealogical facts found in most baptism records include: 


 * Date and place of the event
 * Name of the person baptized
 * Date of birth or age at the time of baptism
 * Gender
 * Legitimacy
 * Parents’ names, residence, and places of birth
 * Names of paternal and maternal grandparents and sometimes their residences or places of birth
 * Name of godparents
 * Names of the witnesses

The key genealogical facts found in most marriage records include:


 * Date and place of the event
 * Complete name of the bride and groom
 * Civil statuses of the bride and groom (widowed, single, divorced) at the time of the event
 * Residence or places of birth of the bride and groom
 * Ages of the bride and groom at the time of the marriage
 * Parents’ names and their residence or places of birth
 * Sometimes the parents’ civil status at the time of the event
 * Names of the witnesses

The key genealogical facts found on most burial records include:


 * Date and place where the person died
 * Name of the deceased
 * Civil status of the deceased (single, married, widowed)
 * Name of the spouse (if the deceased was married or a widow or widower)
 * Residence or place of birth of the deceased
 * Age at the time of death or date of birth
 * Cause of death
 * Sometimes an indication that the person left a testament
 * Sometimes the names of the children left at the time of death

How to Use the Record
The Catholic parish records are an excellent source for genealogical research in Spain. These may also be the only records available for vital information research before civil registration was implemented in 1871.

Record History
Parish priests performed the baptisms, marriages, deaths, burials, and other holy sacraments in their assigned parish or parishes. All the original parish records were kept in the parish archive, and a duplicate copy was and is centralized in the corresponding diocesan archive. Most of the parish records in Spain have been preserved relatively well, but some older entries may have some damage.

Usually separate registers were maintained for baptisms, marriages, and deaths. However, in localities with a small population, the records of baptisms, marriages, and burials were recorded in the same register. Confirmations were usually recorded with the baptismal registers but can also be found with deaths and marriages.

Why the Record Was Created
The Catholic Church parish registers were created to record the church sacraments of baptism, marriage, death and burial, and other ordinances pertaining to members within the church jurisdiction.

Record Reliability
Catholic Church parish records are a reliable source for doing genealogical research in Spain.

Related Web Sites
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Related Wiki Articles

 * Spain Catholic Church Records
 * Spain Catholic Church Directories

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the Wiki Article: How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Please add sample citations to this article following the format guidelines in the wiki article listed above.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record in This Collection:
"Spain,Catholic Church Records, 1500-1930." index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 3 June 2011). entry for Manuel Alonso Hernandez, died 20 February 1796; citing Church Records, FHL microfilm 1,180,910; Catholic Church Diocesan Archive of Avila, Spain.

Sources of Information for This Collection:
"Spain Catholic Church Records," index and images, FamilySearch.org, 2009; from the Catholic Church Diocesan Archive of Avila, Spain. "Registros parroquiales." Archivo Diocesano de Avila. FHL microfilm. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.

Digital images of originals housed at various church archives throughout Spain.