Spain, Province of Cádiz, Municipal Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection consists of various municipal records for the cities and towns of the province of Cádiz, Spain for the years 1784-1956. For additional details about the history of these records and help using them, see the wiki article Spain, Municipal Records (FamilySearch Historical Records).

Cities and parishes covered by the collection include: Arcos de la Frontera, Bornos, Cádiz, Espera, Gilbratar, Jerez de la Frontera, Medina Sidonia, Puerto de Santa María, Puerto Real, Rota, San Fernando, Tarifa, Vejer de la Frontera, Villamartín.

The collection is being published as images become available.

Reading These Records
These records are written in Spanish. For help reading these records see the following guides:
 * Spanish Genealogical Word List
 * BYU Spanish Script Tutorial
 * FamilySearch Learning Center videos:
 * Reading Spanish Handwritten Records, Lesson 1
 * Reading Spanish Handwritten Records, Lesson 2

If you speak Spanish, the following free online lesson may be helpful to learn how to use the information in these records:
 * Registros Civiles y Parroquiales – Spanish

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following lists indicate potential information given in each type of record. It must be remembered that every record may not provide all the listed information, as record-keeping practices often varied by time and location.

Collection Content
This collection includes civil registration records, censuses, military records, and other miscellaneous records, including nobility records (hidalguías).

For additional details about these records and help using them see Spain, Municipal Records (FamilySearch Historical Records).

Sample Images
Civil Registration

How Do I Search This Collection?
You can search the index or view the images or both. Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the person
 * Approximate date of the event

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the 
 * 1) Select City or Municipality
 * 2) Select Parish
 * 3) Select Record Type and Years to view the images.

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?

 * 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 of each partner to find a couple's birth records and parents' names
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate church records Spain Catholic Church Records (FamilySearch Historical 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

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

 * Remember that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times, so pay attention to other relationships (parents, spouse, siblings, children, etc.) that can confirm whether you have the right person/record
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * A boundary change could have occurred that changed where records were kept. If you are unable to find your ancestor(s) in these civil registers, then try searching in the areas surrounding Cádiz
 * Church records are also a good substitute when birth, marriage, and death records can’t be found or are unavailable
 * Spain Baptisms
 * Spain Catholic Church Records
 * Spain Catholic Church Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * The individual could have emigrated to another country. Search the records of nearby areas or immigration/emigration records:
 * Spain Emigration and Immigration
 * 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

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