Venezuela, Archdiocese of Mérida, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection will include records of baptism, marriage, and also death/burial, and other ordinances from 1654 to 2015 for the parishes under the Archdiocese of Merida.

These parish records have been preserved relatively well. In general they are in good condition to extract genealogical information. Some of the older registers may appear to have some physical damage, therefore, some data may have been lost or may be very difficult to read.

Parish priests performed the baptisms, marriages, deaths, burials, and other holy sacraments in their assigned parish or parishes. All the original parish records were kept in the parish archive. However, the older records were, and currently are, sent annually to the archdiocesan archive to be preserved and centralized in one place. Most of the earlier population were Roman Catholics, therefore, parish records cover 95 to 100% of a city’s population. This collection only includes the parish records that were centralized at the archive of the Archdiocese of Merida (Arquidiócesis de Mérida).

Reading These Records
These records are written in Spanish. For help reading them see: FamilySearch Learning Center videos: If you speak Spanish, the following free online lesson may be helpful to learn how to use the information in these records:
 * Spanish Genealogical Word List
 * BYU Spanish Script Tutorial
 * Reading Spanish Handwritten Records, Lesson 1
 * Reading Spanish Handwritten Records, Lesson 2
 * Registros Civiles y Parroquiales – Spanish

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The information in these records may include the following:

Baptism
 * Date and place of the baptism
 * Name and gender
 * Date of birth
 * Legitimacy
 * Parents’ names, residence, and/or place of birth
 * Name of godparents

Marriage
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Names and ages of bride and groom
 * Marital status
 * Place of birth and residence of the bride and groom
 * Parents’ names and residence
 * Name of witnesses

Death
 * Deceased’s name, gender, and age
 * Marital status/name of spouse
 * Date and place of burial
 * Date and place of death
 * Names of parents

Collection Content
The information found in each record varies by year. Records were made by Catholic priests or their associates, recorded in Spanish, and mostly written on either lined paper or blank paper that contained pre-printed numbers.

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Your ancestor's given name and surname
 * Identifying information such as residence
 * Estimated marriage or birth year

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
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * Compile information for every person who has the same surname as your ancestor; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
 * 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?

 * 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
 * In Latin America, two or three generations are often indicated in church registers, along with their birthplaces or residences. If, however, earlier generations are not listed with the relative or ancestor selected, try searching parishes located within a close proximity
 * A boundary change could have occurred and the record of your ancestor is now in a neighboring state or region, or your ancestor immigrated to another country. Search the Venezuela Emigration and Immigrationrecords of nearby areas *Venezuela Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records are also a good source of genealogical information

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

Venezuela, Arquidiocese de Mérida, Registros da Igreja Católica (Registros Históricos do FamilySearch) Venezuela, Archidiócesis de Mérida, registros parroquiales (Registros históricos de FamilySearch)