Puerto Rico Births and Baptisms - FamilySearch Historical Records

Puerto Rico

Collection Time Period
This index covers events from 1938 through 1947.

What is in This Collection?
This index is not complete for any particular place, region or time period. This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.


 * Family Records
 * Church Records
 * Civil Registration

It may also include indexes generated by the internet indexing project sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

There may be entries that cite a specific source such as the following:


 * "Vital Record of Rhode Island, 1636-1850: a Family Register for the People" by James Arnold
 * "Paul Dingwell Genealogical Collection" by Paul Dingwell
 * A county or state vital record registration

These entries are in this collection for one of the following reasons:


 * They were submitted by private individuals to the Church and as such are part of the IGI resulting in their inclusion in this index.
 * They have been indexed through the internet indexing project sponsored by the Church. If this is the case, the index they are a part of has been included as part of this database.

The Vital Record Index databases are not necessarily intended to index any specific set of records although some sub-indexes (an index to a set of records within the database) have been found. When we identify a sub-index, we remove it from the database and post it separately on FamilySearch under its appropriate title.

This index is not complete for any particular place or region.

Collection Content
The key genealogical facts found in birth or christening index entries may include:


 * Name of the child
 * Gender
 * Names of the parents
 * Birth date
 * Birthplace
 * Christening date (if the source is a church record)
 * Family History Library Microfilm and item numbers for the source materials

How Do I Search the Collection?
Use this index to help you learn more about your ancestors. The information could help you identify family relationships and lineages as well as direct you to original records of your ancestors, which may contain additional information.

In birth or christening records, if a surname is not listed for the child, the indexer often assigns the father’s surname to the child. This surname may not be correct. So if you are looking for a birth or christening, search by the given name of the child, adding parents' names and as much locality information as is permitted.

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?
Transcription errors could occur in any handwritten record; also, it was not uncommon for an individual be listed under a nickname or an abbreviation of their name. Click here for a list of Spanish name abbreviations
 * 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 birth records and parents' names
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth to find the family in census records and establish a migration pattern. This link describes the Puerto Rico Census
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate civil records. This link takes you to the online records of Puerto Rico, Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * 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 records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives 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
 * Use the marital status to identify previous marriages (whether a divorce or death dissolved a marriage)
 * Witnesses often were relatives of the parents

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?
Add advice about alternate records, search methods, locations, etc. For example:
 * Check for variants of given names, surnames, and place names. Transcription errors could occur in any handwritten record; also, it was not uncommon for an individual be listed under a nickname or an abbreviation of their name. Click here for a list of Spanish name abbreviations
 * Search the records of nearby locations. In the period of this collection, few individuals ever lived more than 20 miles from their place of birth, though smaller moves were common
 * 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.

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Puerto Rico.
 * Puerto Rico Finding Records
 * Research Tips and Strategies

Record History
For over 30 years, volunteer indexers extracted this information from microfilm copies of the original records. This index is an index of the births or christenings throughout Puerto Rico. The index is not necessarily complete for any particular place or region.

Why This Record Was Created
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sponsored the indexing of this collection to help individuals find information about their ancestors.

Record Reliability
Church records and civil registration were official records and are some of the most reliable sources of information available for those who were born in Puerto Rico.

Related Websites

 * Puerto Rico GenWeb
 * Puerto Rico Birth, Death, Marriage Certificates
 * Vital records in Puerto Rico
 * Research Outline for Puerto Rico
 * Rican Hispanic Genealogical Society
 * PRROOTS.com – Hispanic Genealogical Society
 * Puerto Rican Ancestors in Spanish and American Military Records

Related Wiki Articles
Puerto Rico Civil Registration Records Puerto Rico

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.