Zulia, Venezuela Genealogy

Venezuela ► Zulia

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General Information
Zulia is in the noroccidental end of the country. It limits the north with the Caribbean Sea, the east with the states Falcon, Lara and Trujillo, to the south wht the states Mérida and Táchira and to the west with the Repubic of Colombia.

It is possible to say that the lake of Maracaibo was the beginning of everything what today it is known as Zulia, when it was discovered by captain Alonso de Ojeda the 24 of August of 1499. Althoug the Natives called Lake of Coquivacoa, Ojeda baptized it like Lake of San Bartholomew, for the day in which she was discovered.

At the beginning of century XVI (16th century), the region was inhabited by emigrants descending from the indigenous communities of Arawak and Caribe origin, arrived at the place throughout 11,000 years.

In 1529 the first foundation of the city of Maracaibo took place, when Ambrosio Alfinger made construct to lodgings for the women and children of its expedition. The village was abandoned after the death of Alfinger, but in 1571 it founded again by Alonso Pacheco, who gave it the name of Ciudad Rodrigo. Abandoned once again, the settlement was founded once again by Pedro Maldonado in 1574, this time with the name of Nueva Zamora, with functions of lake and marine port.

This settlement remained, although its developement began during the following century, when it became the forced crossroad place for the colonos that went to populate the borders with the lake. Its prosperity attracted the French, English and Dutch pirates who operated in the Caribbean.

In 1676 Maracaibo was added to the Province of Mérida of the Spirit Santo of the Grita.

Maracaibo proclaimed Independent State of Spain, the 28 of January of 1821, and soon it was united to the Republic of Colombia. The name of Zulia was used for the first time in the political nomenclature with the division of the Republic in 1824, forming the Zulia Department, integrated by the province of Maracaibo, with capital in Maracaibo and the provinces of Coro, Mérida and Trujillo.

On January 11 of 1830, it became part of the Republic of Venezuela, with the desintegration of the Republic of Colombia. In 1864 it became a state. In 1867 Mérida and Táchira are integrated to it.

By the end of the century Zulia and Falcón form a single entity entity: Falcon. When it is dissolved, the Zulia state is formed. It is divided in seventeen municipalities and one hundred six parishes.

Maracaibo did not participate in active wayin the fights by the the Independence of Venezuela and Colombia. Until 1917 it was a small port dedicated to the export of coffee from Venezuelan and Colombian Andes. In that year, the discovery of petroleum deposits in it territory was the origin of its later extraordinary growth, into which it would become a great harbor center.

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Le invitamos a buscar información en español en la página de Zulia en el wiki de FamilySearch español. También le invitamos a compartir información útil allí: https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/es/Zulia

Research Tools

 * Parishes of Venezuela
 * BYU Research Outline for Venezuela
 * Listing of all records collections for Venezuela available on FamilySearch.org

A wiki article describing this collection is found at:


 * Venezuela Catholic Church Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Venezuela, Merida Catholic Church Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Venezuela Civil Registration (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Venezuela Vital Records Index (FamilySearch Historical Records)

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Did you know?

 * Venezuela is officially called: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
 * Venezuela is divided into 23 states and 1 capital district. Each state is further divided into more than 300 municipios . To learn more click here. To find address and other contact information visit: http://www.gobiernoenlinea.ve/directorioestado/Registros Civiles de Venezuela Knowing about a country's political divisions will help in determining where records such as civil registration and census are located.

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