Spain, Province of Granada, Catholic Pre-Marriage Investigation Files Index - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This is an index of Pre-Marriage Investigation which covers 1556-1899. These may also be the only records available for vital information research before civil registration was implemented in 1871.

Reading These Records
There are several tools that can help you to read the records. If you are having difficulty reading the handwriting you may want to try one of these resources:

Reading Spanish Handwriting online classes:

The Script.byu.edu site has online tutorials, word lists, abbreviations, and many samples of handwriting.

If you don't speak Spanish, you may want to try one of the following resources:

Google Translate is a website where you can type the words in Spanish on the left side of the screen and on the right side of the screen you can see the English translation. It is a machine translation so it may not be perfect but you can get the general idea of the meaning of phrases and sentences as well as individual words.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Marriage records usually contain the following information:


 * Date and place of marriage
 * Groom's name
 * Bride's name
 * Marriage date

How Do I Search This Collection?

 * Your ancestor's given name and surname
 * Estimated marriage
 * Family relationships

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; see the section Citing This Collection for assistance. Save or print a copy of the image
 * 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

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

 * Search the records and indexes of neighboring cities, provinces, and regions
 * 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
 * Or your ancestor may have immigrated to another country. Search the records of nearby areas or Spain Emigration and Immigration
 * New information is constantly being indexed, microfilmed or updated. Periodically check back to see if your ancestor’s records have been added.  You can see if the area you’ve been looking in has been recently updated by going to Historical Records Collections.  Watch for an asterisk for recently added or updated records

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.