Spain Finding Place of Origin: Difference between revisions

Spain Finding Place of Origin (view source)

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 [[Spain Genealogy|Spain]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Spain_Locating_Place_of_Origin|Locating Place of Origin]]
-Probably one of the most challenging aspects of Hispanic genealogy research is locating the town or city of origin of an immigrant ancestor. Often in families there are stories passed down that the immigrant ancestors came from a certain place but there is no documentation within the family to prove it. Rather than jump to that place and start looking for the ancestor in Spain it is better to begin your search for the immigrant ancestor’s origins in the records of the country of arrival. Why? Because the immigrant usually lived more of their adult life in the country of arrival and you will usually have greater success finding their origins there. There are many records that may provide you with the elusive place of origin. One of the keys is to be diligent. Try to locate '''ALL''' the records for your ancestor in the country of arrival no matter how insignificant they might seem. They will generally provide you with their home town in Spain and give you a starting point for beginning research in the records of Spain.
+== Important Tips  ==
-== Useful record types  ==
+Before you can begin to search in the records of Spain you must find that one record that gives the name of his or her hometown. You must also know enough about the ancestor to positively identify him in the records. Dates (even if they are approximate), places, and familial connections are key to helping you decide if a person you find, who has the same name as your ancestor, really is your ancestor.
-The following is a list of record types that may name the ancestor’s home town in Spain.
+*Do you know the name of his parents?
+*Do you know his birth, marriage, or death date or can you calculate an approximate range of years to search for his birth, marriage, or death?
+*Do you know the name of his wife? Did they marry before or after coming to the United States?<br>
+*Do you know the names of any of his siblings?
+*Do you know the names of any children born in Spain?
-*Vital records such as: Births of their children, marriages, or deaths
+== Documents in the Home  ==
-*Church records such as: Baptisms of their children, marriages of the immigrant or their children, burials.
-*Newspaper articles such as: Obituaries, or other articles about the immigrant and his family.
-*Citizenship and/or naturalization papers
-*Alien registration forms
-*Military records such as: service records, draft registrations, or pension records Passenger lists
-*Miscellaneous legal and court records such as wills, or deeds
-*Biographies
-*Published genealogies
-*Family and home sources such as: letters, photos, stories, diaries, funeral cards, etc.
-*Social Security records (United States)
-You may also want to view the [[Tracing Immigrants Arrival Records Selection Table]] for more ideas about other records you can use to search for your Spanish ancestors who came to the United States.
+Often the document you need to pinpoint the place of origin of your Spain ancestor is already found at home. These might include the following:
+*Birth certificates
+*Marriage certificates or licenses
+*Death certificates
+*Obituaries
+*Funeral cards
+*Journals
+*Photographs
+*Letters
+*Family Bible
+*Naturalization papers
+*Citizenship papers
+*Military service records
+==Emigration Questions to Ask Relatives==
+Find the oldest living relatives that you can and ask them:
+<br>
+# What do you know about our first ancestor to come from Spain? (open-ended)
+#  Have you ever heard mention of towns in Spain where the family lived?
+#  Do you have contact with any relatives in Spain?
+#  Do you have contact with other branches of the family in the U.S.?
+#  When _____________ came from Spain, did he travel with other family members?
+#  Do you know when _________________ arrived?
+#  Did _______________ever become a citizen?
+#  Did_________________fight in World War I or II?
+#  When they first came, were there already family members here who they joined?
+#  Did_______________ever mention their parents in Spain?
+#  Do you have any old letters or postcards from Spain family?
+#  Do you have any pictures of family members in Spain?
+==Vital Records ==
+Understand that any birth, marriage, or death certificate gives information about other people besides the primary person it is about
+# It is important to remember that a birth certificate for a child might tell it's parents' birthplaces.
+# Marriage certificates might name birth dates and places of the bride and groom. They might also give the names and birth places of the parents of the bride and groom.
+# Death certificates are very important.  Birth and marriage certificates might not have kept by a state during the earlier years of your ancestor's life.  There is a greater chance that your ancestor died after detailed record-keeping began. Death certificates frequently state birth date and place.  They also state the names of parents and their birth places.
+*There are wiki articles giving details on how to find vital records o each state. You can select the state of interest and the record (birth, marriage, or death) from this list: [https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Category:How-To_Articles '''How-To Articles'''].
+*Many records may be online. See [[Online Genealogy Records by Location#U.S. Online Genealogy Records by State|'''U.S. Online Genealogy Records by State''']], for online vital record databases.<br>
+==Cemetery Records==
+Websites such as [https://www.findagrave.com/ '''FindAGrave'''] and [https://billiongraves.com/ '''Billion Graves'''] are making it easier to get information from headstones, which frequently give birth dates, and occasionally give birth places. Each state has additional collections of cemetery records. See [[Online Genealogy Records by Location#U.S. Online Genealogy Records by State|'''U.S. Online Genealogy Records by State''']] for links to other online cemetery records.
+==Obituaries==
+Modern obituaries usually list birth date and place and parents' names. See [[Online Genealogy Records by Location#U.S. Online Genealogy Records by State|'''U.S. Online Genealogy Records by State''']] and select your state for links to online obituary collections.
+==Military Records==
+Draft records for World War I and II ask for birth place, which can be listed as just Spain or in greater detail.
+*{{RecordSearch|1968530|U.S. WW I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918}} Index and images.
+*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=6482 U.S. WW I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918] Indexes and images. ($)
+*{{RecordSearch|1339071|United States, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942}} image browse, alphabetical by state.
+*{{RecordSearch|1861144|United States, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942}} Images with partial index.
+*[https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2498 U.S., Alien Draft Registrations, Selected States, 1940-1946], ($), index and images.
+==Social Security==
+*The application for the Social Security card may also contain a town of birth. These records are available for deceased individuals who died after 1935 when Social Security began.
+**{{RecordSearch|1202535|United States Social Security Death Index}}
+**[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=3693 U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014] ($)
+**[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=60901 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007], Incomplete, ($).
+*The Social Security Applications and Claims Index does not cover every application--it has sort of an eclectic mix of what got included.  If you find your ancestor in the ''Social Security Death Index'' but '''not''' in the ''Social Security Applications and Claims Index'', you can [https://secure.ssa.gov/apps9/eFOIA-FEWeb/internet/main.jsp '''send away for a copy of the application'''.]
+==Census Records==
+*The censuses for 1900 to 1930 ask for the year of immigration and whether or not the person was naturalized. This information can help you find naturalization records or a passenger list.
+*[[United States Census Online Genealogy Records|'''United States Census Online Genealogy Records''']] will give you links to every census. The FamilySearch links lead to a free search, but the search engine is not as reliable.  The other links are for subscription websites, but they can be searched free-of-charge at any [[Family History Centers|'''Family History Center.''']]
+*State census records vary in availability and the type of information they contain, but they are always useful as another source to document an ancestor in a specific locality. See [[Online Genealogy Records by Location#U.S. Online Genealogy Records by State|'''U.S. Online Genealogy Records by State''']] for links to online state censuses.
+==Church Records==
+Just like civil registration records, church baptism, marriage, and burial records can name the birth place in Spain of the parents of a child; the bride and groom and their parents; or the deceased and his parents.  Church records in the United States can be more work to locate, but if you can find the church, particularly a Catholic or Lutheran church in a predominantly Swiss neighborhood,, where your ancestor would have had their children's baptisms performed, or where they married, you might get lucky!
+==Naturalization Records==
+*Naturalization records may also list an ancestor’s birth place.
+*Prior to 1906 any U.S. court could naturalize foreigners. Many pre-1900 records only list “Spain” as the country of citizenship; however, there are notable exceptions, so these records should be checked routinely.
+*The process involved two sets of papers: a '''declaration of intention''' to become a U.S. citizen, and a '''petition''' filed some time later.
+*Beginning in 1906, naturalization records became more detailed, as the responsibility shifted to the Federal government.
+*More information about naturalization records, along with helpful links, is found at  [[Beginning Research in United States Naturalization Records]] and [[United States Naturalization Online Genealogy Records]].
+==Passport Applications==
+*[https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1174 U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925], ($), index and images
+==Passenger Arrival Lists==
+Passenger lists, especially in the 20th century,  may list birth place, last residence in mother country, and name and residence of a close relative in the mother country.  [[United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records|'''United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records''']]
+is a comprehensive list of passenger arrival databases that you can search right now from your computer. There are many, many databases. The following search strategy will make your search more efficient.
+====Suggested Search Strategy====
+# Check the [[United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records#Partner Sites Indexing Multiple Databases|'''partner website indexes,''']] as these cover many, many databases at once. The FamilySearch Historical Records databases is free to search with a free registered account. The other websites are subscription-based but can be searched for free at a [[Family History Center|''' Family History Center''']] near you.  Try to search each partner site because their search engines can often bring up slightly different results.
+# If it is difficult for you to get access to the subscription databases, next try [[United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records#Additional Collections Not Included in Above Partner Site Indexes|'''Additional Nationwide Collections Not Included in Partner Sites'''.]] These websites have a lot of overlap with the subscription websites.
+#Search the [[United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records#'''Immigration by State'''|'''state collection for the first state where your ancestor lived.''']] Focus also on the border states: California, Arizona, Mexico, and Texas.
+==Alien Registration==
+*[http://www.archives.gov/research/immigration/aliens/a-files-kansas-city.html '''Alien Registration Form';'''] If your ancestor lived in the United States between 1 August 1940 and 31 March 1944.  Search the [https://www.archives.gov/research/catalog '''index online'''], by entering the person's name and the term A-File. If you find a catalog entry for the person, then [https://www.archives.gov/research/immigration/aliens/a-files-kansas-city.html#use '''order the full file.''']
+== Catholic Church Records==
+*[[Roman Catholic Church in the United States|Catholic Church records]]
 == Other sources  ==