Texas, Gonzalez de la Garza Genealogy Collection - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States Texas

What is in the Collection?
The genealogical card file of approximately 270,000 cards compiled by Rudolfo Gonzalez de la Garza represents thousands of families of Southern Texas and Northern Mexico. The card file is an index of families by surname, which includes basic information extracted from Gonzalez's books. The records are in Spanish and the cards contain numerous abbreviations. The card file is in the Laredo Public Library.

Rodolfo Gonzalez de la Garza collected genealogical data on hundreds of families in Northern Mexico and Texas. The collection includes information from the 1800s and 1900s. The card index was created to provide a rapid access to the information in the Gonzalez de la Garza collection.

What Can this Collection Tell Me?
Each card contains different information. The cards may contain any of the following:


 * Names
 * Birth, marriage, or death dates
 * Relationships

How Do I Search the Collection?
To begin your search you will need to know:
 * The name of your ancestor.
 * The approximate date of birth.
 * The names of family members and their relationships.

View images in this collection by visiting the Browse Page: To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select the "Name Range" category which takes you to the images.

Search the collection by image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add any new information to existing records about your family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors.

I Found Who I was Looking for, What Now?

 * Use the names, dates, and places as the basis for family groups or to build a family pedigree.
 * Use the dates along with places or residences to help you locate the family in other records such as census, church, and land records.
 * This collection is considered a secondary source, but the information on the cards can lead you to other primary records.
 * The information on the cards is brief so it is easy to confuse individuals.

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

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Look for another index. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties.
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor.

Citing this Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image.

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