Nicaragua Colonial Records

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Nicaragua

Colonial Records

Spanish Colonization (1522-1821)

Officially named the Republic of Nicaragua, the territory was conquered by Spain in 1522. However, it was not until 1524 that the first Spanish settlements were organized. Independence from Spain was gained in 1821, but soon Nicaragua became part of the First Mexican Empire. When that empire was overthrown in 1823, Nicaragua joined the newly formed United Provinces of Central America, which was later renamed the Federal Republic of Central America. Nicaragua finally became an independent republic in 1838.

Record collection	Years covered	Record type	Language	Who is in the records
Nicaragua Civil Registration, 1809-2013 at FamilySearch — index & images	1809-2013	Births, Marriages, and Deaths	Spanish	Residents of Nicaragua
Nicaragua, Civil Registration, 1809-2011 at Ancestry ($) — index & images	1809-2011	Births, Marriages, and Deaths	Spanish	Residents of Nicaragua
Central America, Colonial Census Records at Ancestry ($) — images	1701-1746	Census	Spanish	Residents of Nicaragua
Central America, Colonial Records, 1607-1902 at FamilySearch — images	1607-1902	Census	Spanish	Residents of Nicaragua
Nicaragua, Diocese of Managua, Catholic Church Records, 1740-1960 at FamilySearch — images	1740-1960	Baptisms, confirmations, marriages, pre-marriage investigations, deaths, and indexes	Spanish	Catholics living in Nicaragua
Costa Rica, Catholic Church Records, 1595-1992 at FamilySearch — index & images	1595-1992	Baptisms, confirmations, marriages, pre-marriage investigations, deaths, and indexes	Spanish	Catholics living in Costa Rica and Nicaragua
Hojas de Servicios Militares de América : Guatemala, 1789-1796 at FamilySearch — images	1789-1796	Military records	Spanish	Members of the Spanish military in Nicaragua
Bienes de difuntos : de Centro América (Capitanía General de Guatemala), 1638-1713 at FamilySearch — images	1638-1713	Probate records	Spanish	Property-owning residents of Nicaragua
Bienes de difuntos : de la Capitanía General de Guatemala, 1551-1821 at FamilySearch — images	1551-1821	Probate records	Spanish	Property-owning residents of Nicaragua
Bienes de difuntos : del Virreinato de la Nueva España, 1572-1819 at FamilySearch — images	1572-1819	Probate records	Spanish	Property-owning residents of Nicaragua
Testamentos, 1610-1781 at FamilySearch — images	1610-1781	Probate records	Spanish	Property-owning residents of Nicaragua
Protocolos de escrituras públicas, 1877-1942 at FamilySearch — images	1877-1942	Notarial records	Spanish	Residents of Nicaragua
Protocolos, 1508-1898 at FamilySearch — images	1508-1898	Notarial records	Spanish	Residents of Nicaragua
Protocolos, 1543-1722 at FamilySearch — images	1543-1722	Notarial records	Spanish	Residents of Nicaragua
Información personal, 1624-1819 at FamilySearch — images	1624-1819	Taxation records	Spanish	Residents of Nicaragua

United States Occupation (1912-1933)

The United States occupation of Nicaragua from 1912 to 1933 was part of the Banana Wars, during which the US military attempted to stop any other country from building a Nicaraguan canal. Nicaragua took on a quasi-protectorate status under the 1916 Bryan–Chamorro Treaty. In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt ended U.S. occupation.

Record collection	Years covered	Record type	Language	Who is in the records
Nicaragua Civil Registration, 1809-2013 at FamilySearch — index & images	1809-2013	Births, Marriages, and Deaths	Spanish	Residents of Nicaragua
Nicaragua, Civil Registration, 1809-2011 at Ancestry ($) — index & images	1809-2011	Births, Marriages, and Deaths	Spanish	Residents of Nicaragua

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