Puerto Rico Descendancy Research
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As families believe they have researched their pedigrees back in time as far as possible, they sometimes choose to gather information on all the descendants of a particular ancestor or even all of their ancestors. This article explains possible steps to take on such a project in Puerto Rico online records.
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Step 1. Find descendants in every possible census record, 1850-1950, online.[edit | edit source]
Census records, widely indexed, are a fast way to identify members of families, their approximate year of birth, and the state where they were born. That information hints where to look for birth, marriage, and death records for more detailed information. One disadvantage is they are 10 years apart. Children born and dying within that 10-year span can be overlooked.
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For more information on census records, see Puerto Rico Census and United States Census.
Step 2: Find birth, marriage, and death records online.[edit | edit source]
Government records, known as civil registration or vital records, were kept in Puerto Rico statewide beginning in 1880, although counties may have kept earlier records. They provide full dates and places. They are sometimes indexed, and can be searched by child or parent names. They are especially useful because they name other family members, For example, marriage records name the parents of the bride and groom. Death records are especially helpful because they name parents, who lived years earlier, even before other records were kept. Coverage in the earlier years can be incomplete however. In some states, church records were gathered to provide earlier certificates.
Births
- 1645-1969: Puerto Rico, Catholic Church Records at FamilySearch; index & images
- 1805-2001: Puerto Rico, Civil Registration at FamilySearch; index & images
- 1885-2001: Puerto Rico, Civil Registrations at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1938-1947: Puerto Rico Births and Baptisms at FamilySearch; index only
- British Armed Forces and Overseas Births and Baptisms at Findmypast - index & images ($)
Marriages
- 1645-1969: Puerto Rico, Catholic Church Records at FamilySearch; index & images
- 1805-2001: Puerto Rico, Civil Registration at FamilySearch; index & images
- 1885-2001: Puerto Rico, Civil Registrations at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- British Armed Forces and Overseas Banns and Marriages at Findmypast - index & images ($)
Deaths
- 1645-1969: Puerto Rico, Catholic Church Records at FamilySearch; index & images
- 1805-2001: Puerto Rico, Civil Registration at FamilySearch; index & images
- 1885-2001: Puerto Rico, Civil Registrations at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- British Armed Forces and Overseas Deaths and Burials at Findmypast - index & images ($)
For more information on birth, marriage, and death records in Puerto Rico, see Puerto Rico Civil Registration.
Step 3: Try to find additional details about descendants in cemetery records online.[edit | edit source]
These records can be especially useful for details about births and deaths that took place before 1880. Frequently, family members are buried near each other. FindAGrave, often lists details, not even listed on the tombstone, but added to the website by family members or researchers.
Cemeteries
- BillionGraves Index - index & images
- BillionGraves Puerto Rico page - photos and GPS locations of grave markers
- Find a Grave Index - index & images
- Find a Grave Puerto Rico Page - photos and GPS locations of grave markers
- Interment index for Puerto Rico
- FamilySearch Places
Jewish Cemeteries
- JewishGen has a database to check for Jewish Cemeteries. For Puerto Rico, look under United States, then Puerto Rico. There are 2 cemeteries with 127 burials.
- Jewish Community Center of Puerto Rico They will help with any research.
Military Cemeteries
- Department of Veterans Affairs Cemeteries - Puerto Rico
- Atlantic Garden Veterans Cemetery
- Interment index for Puerto Rico There is a downloadable file of 299 pages of records of U.S. Veterans Buried in Puerto Rico.
For more information, see Puerto Rico Cemeteries.
Step 4: Explore Historical Images for additional online records about descendants..[edit | edit source]
Records collected and digitized by FamilySearch can all be found through their Historical Images feature.
- Puerto Rico, United States Historical Images, New Version
- Puerto Rico, United States Historical Images, Old Version
Step 5: Search any other online records listed in Puerto Rico Online Genealogy Records.[edit | edit source]
The steps given here are intended to list record sources which can most efficiently identify descendants. Many other online records which might or might not mention descendants are listed in the Puerto Rico Online Genealogy Records page, including immigration records, land records, military records, newspapers, and probate records, and others. These can be records that cover a smaller group within the population, such as men who served in the military, etc.