Mexico Finding Town of Origin

Sometimes the most difficult part of researching your immigrant Mexican ancestor is locating their hometown. If your Hispanic ancestor came from Mexico to the United States, the following record types might provide that elusive clue to their place of origin.

Important Tips
Before you can begin to search in the records of Hispanic countries you must find that one record that gives the name of his or her hometown. You must also know enough about the ancestor to positively identify him in the records. Dates (even if they are approximate), places, and familial connections are key to helping you decide if a person you find, who has the same name as your ancestor, really is your ancestor.


 * Do you know the name of his parents?
 * Do you know his birth, marriage, or death date or can you calculate an approximate range of years to search for his birth, marriage, or death?
 * Do you know the name of his wife? AND did they marry in the hometown?
 * Do you know the names of any of his siblings?

Documents in the home
Often the document we need to pinpoint the place of origin of our Hispanic ancestor is already found at home. These might include the following:


 * Birth certificates
 * Marriage certificates or licenses
 * Death certificates
 * Obituaries
 * Funeral cards
 * Journals
 * Photographs
 * Letters
 * Family Bible
 * Naturalization papers
 * Citizenship papers
 * Military service records

Other record types that might also provide clues
If you don't find the record you need at home, you may consider a search for any one or several of these types of documents. Often the key to finding the place of origin is to view every document you can find on your ancestor no matter how significant or insignificant you might think it is.


 * Obituaries
 * Catholic Church records
 * Citizenship and/or Naturalization Papers