Spain, Diocese of Urgel, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes baptism, marriage, burial, and other records from 1500-1964. These Catholic Church records were created by parishes and the administration of the Diocese of Urgel, Spain. Some of these records belong to parishes in Andorra.

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

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

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the person
 * Approximate date of the event

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
 * 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
 * Witnesses often were relatives of the parents
 * 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 by your ancestors; pay attention to other relationships (parents, spouse, siblings, children, etc.) that can confirm whether you have the right person/record

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

 * If you can't find your ancestor in this collection, perhaps your ancestor moved. Search the records of nearby provinces
 * Maybe 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 research 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 Urgel, Registros da Igreja Católica (Registros Históricos do FamilySearch)