Guatemala, Retalhuleu, Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection will include birth, marriage, death, and other records from 1877-1994. These were created by the civil registration offices in the department of Retalhuleu, Guatemala. The civil registration records for Guatemala cover the vital events of birth, marriages, and deaths. They are organized by municipality/city. Earlier records were handwritten in narrative style; later records were handwritten in formatted registers. As you search this collection, you will notice that some information in the records has been blacked out. Specific privacy laws in Guatemala prohibit some information classified as sensitive from being shared with the public. The information that is blacked out may be different from record type to record type, and does not negatively affect your family history research. Additional images (such as marriage and death records) will be published as they become available. Images courtesy of Registro Nacional de las Personas (RENAP).

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 be found in these records:

Birth
 * Name and gender of the child
 * Place and date of birth
 * Baptismal date
 * Father's name
 * Mother's given name
 * Mother and father's marital status

Marriage
 * Bride's name
 * Groom's name
 * Marriage date and place
 * Marriage certificate and banns dates
 * Groom's age, marital status, occupation and residence
 * Names of groom's garents (including maiden name of Mother)
 * Bride's age, marital status, occupation and residence
 * Names of bride's parents, including maiden name of Mother
 * Birthplaces of bride and groom
 * Witnesses' names and ages

Death
 * Death and burial date and place
 * Name and age at death
 * Cause of death
 * Father of deceased and his occupation
 * Date and birthdate of the deceased
 * Marital status of the deceased
 * If married, the name of the spouse

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

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
 * Check the image the index was taken from to see if there is additional information
 * Make sure to fully transcribe and cite the record entry for future reference
 * Use the information to find more. For instance, use the age listed in the record to estimate a year of birth, if that is yet undetermined
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth of each spouse to find a couple's birth records and parents' names
 * 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 residence and names of the parents to locate Parishes in Guatemala and land records

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

 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * 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
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community
 * Search the records of nearby departments. Use Guatemala Maps to help you find the departments nearest to Retalhuleu
 * Keep checking back with these records to see if your ancestors, birth, marriage and/or death records have been added
 * If you get stuck and can’t read a document or you’re not sure where to go next in your research, you can ask for help through these resources:
 * Hispanic Genealogy Research community on Facebook is a page sponsored by FamilySearch and here you may also post a question or upload an image of a document for further assistance. The Hispanic Genealogy Research page is designed especially for those who have Hispanic ancestry but may not be fluent in Spanish. Be sure to click like on the page on your first visit so you can receive information and updates from the page in your news feed
 * Investigación Genealógica en Guatemala is another FamilySearch research community page on Facebook where you can post questions and upload images of documents. The majority of the posts on this page are in Spanish but you are welcome to post on the page in English. Be sure to click like on the page on your first visit so you can receive information and updates from the page in your news feed

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in Guatemala.
 * Guatemala Record Finder
 * Guatemala 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.

Guatemala, Retalhuleu, registro civil (Registros históricos de FamilySearch)Guatemala, Retalhuleu, Registro Civil (Registros Históricos do FamilySearch)