El Salvador Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Records
Registro Civil de San Salvador, El Salvador

Record Description
This Collection will include records from 1836 to 1910.

Some of the records appear to have some damage, which have caused some loss of information. The text is in Spanish in a narrative style.

For a list of records by date or locality currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page

The civil registration was not instituted until about 1859; however, some church records were used as civil records prior to this time. The birth records were issued in municipal offices of the civil registration and a copy of the registers was sent to be archived in the Central Archives. This collection also includes the individual indexes. Copies of the registers were archived in the Central Archive in San Salvador. Many of these records appear to have some damage.

The microfilm collection of civil registration records at the Family History Library for El Salvador covers the years 1836-2000. However, the current records available through FamilySearch Historical Records include only births of the city of San Salvador, El Salvador for the years 1867-1910.

The civil registration was necessary in order to keep an official record of the civil events and acts related to the civil state of the citizens.

The civil registration records are a great source for genealogical research.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Records collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.

Digital copies of originals are also housed at local offices of the civil registry archives throughout El Salvador.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
The key genealogical facts found on most birth or birth records include:




 * Names and surnames
 * Date and place of birth
 * Parents' names and surnames
 * Parents' age and place or origin
 * Nationality
 * Date of inscription

How to Use the Record
Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to find your ancestor.

When searching the index it is helpful to know the following:


 * The county where the birth, marriage, or death occurred
 * The name of the person at the time of the event
 * The approximate event date
 * The event place

To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select the "Departamento" category ⇒Select the "Ciudad o municipio" category ⇒Select the "Tipo de registro y años" category which takes you to the images.

Look at the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

Use the locator information found in the index (such as page, entry, or certificate number) to locate your ancestors in the records. Compare the information in the record to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct person. You may need to compare the information of more than one person to make this determination.

When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family.

For example:


 * 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 birth date or age along with the place of birth to find the family in census records.
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate church and land records.
 * Occupations listed can lead you to other types of records such as employment or military records.
 * Use the parents' birth places to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family.
 * The name of the officiator is a clue to their religion or of a residence in the county. However, ministers may have reported marriages performed in other counties.
 * 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.
 * Continue to search the marriage records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the bride and groom who may have married in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * Use the marriage number to identify previous marriages.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

Keep in mind:


 * The information in marriage records is usually reliable, but depends upon the reliability of the informant.
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1900.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one marriage record to another record.

If you are unable to find the ancestors you are looking for, try the following:


 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Search for the marriage record of the marriage partner if known.
 * Check for a different index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties.

To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links:  ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select the "Departamento" category ⇒Select the "Ciudad o municipio" category ⇒Select the "Tipo de registro y años" category which takes you to the images.

Look at the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

Known Issues with This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached Wiki article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to support@familysearch.org. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

Related Websites

 * Iglesia Católica en El Salvador
 * Catholic Church Hierarchy

Related Wiki Articles

 * El Salvador
 * El Salvador Civil Registries
 * El Salvador Civil Registration

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
“El Salvador Civil Registration”, database and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 21 March 2011), entry for Jose Maria Antonio del Carmen, born, 9 April 1880; citing La Libertad, San Juan Opico, Nacimientos 1879-1893, image 50, Ministerio Archivo Civil de la Alcaldia Municipal de San Salvador.