Vieques, Puerto Rico Genealogy

Guide to Municipality of Vieques family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

History
Archaeological evidence suggests that Vieques was first inhabited by ancient American Indian peoples who traveled from continental America, between 3000 BCE and 2000 BCE.

Vieques is an island off the coast of Puerto Rico. The island has over 400 years of Spanish influence in it's culture.

The island was inhabited by several countries that hoped to claim it as their own: France, Denmark, and Scotland. But in 1811, the Spanish took permanent control of the island.

During the second part of the 19th century, thousands of black immigrants came to Vieques to work on the sugarcane plantations. Since this time, black people have formed an important part of Vieques's society.

Puerto Rico became a territory of the United State in 1898 after the Spanish-American War. After the World War II, the US Navy continued to use the island for military exercises, and as a firing range and testing ground for munitions.

Puerto Rico was struck by Hurricane Maria on September 20, 2017 and the storm caused widespread devastation and a near-total shutdown of the island.

The 2010 United States Census listed the poulation of the island as: 9,300.

Civil Registration
More recent records are protected by privacy laws. However, close relatives can request them for genealogy.
 * Puerto Rico Birth, Death, Marriage Certificates

Online Records

 * Puerto Rico, Civil Registration, 1805-2001, index, incomplete
 * Puerto Rico, Civil Registrations, 1885-2001, index, incomplete
 * Puerto Rico, Civil Registration, 1805-2001, Vieques, browse images
 * — index

Online Records

 * 1645-1969 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Census Records
Search the 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940 census records for information about your Puerto Rican ancestors who were there during that time period. Click here to go to the Puerto Rico Census Page