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== Important Tips  ==
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.


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.
== Useful record types  ==


*Do you know the name of his/her parents?
The following is a list of record types that may name the ancestor’s home town in Spain.
*Do you know his/her birth, marriage, or death date or can you calculate an approximate range of years to search for his/her birth, marriage, or death?
*Do you know the name of the spouse? Did they marry before or after coming to the United States?
*Do you know the names of any of his/her siblings?


*Do you know the names of any children born in Spain?
*Vital records such as: Births of their children, marriages, or deaths
*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)


== Documents in the Home  ==
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:
== Other sources  ==


*Birth certificates
The following are just a few of other resources you may want to consult in trying to locate your immigrant ancestor’s origins in Spain.
*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==
=== General sources  ===
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)
*[http://immigrants.byu.edu/main_page/main_page Immigrant Ancestors Project].
#  Have you ever heard mention of towns in Spain where the family lived?
*[http://pares.mcu.es/MovimientosMigratorios/lang.form?lang=en Portal of Ibero-American Migratory Movements] sponsored by the Spanish government and the Portal de Archivos Españoles. For a list of the sources being used to compile this database click on the tab [http://pares.mcu.es/MovimientosMigratorios/staticContent.form?viewName=presentacion Presentation].
#  Do you have contact with any relatives in Spain?
*[https://familysearch.org/search/collection/show#uri=http://familysearch.org/searchapi/search/collection/1928310 Spain, Consular Records of Emigrants, 1808-1960]. These are records made by Spaniards living abroad who went to a Spanish consulate in their country of arrival to receive services as Spanish citizens. These records include: registration of births, marriages, and deaths of Spaniards living abroad, residence certificates, citizenship, passports, notary public documents, visas for foreigners, and others. To learn more about these records read the article [[Spain, Consular Records of Emigrants (FamilySearch Historical Records)|Spain, Consular Records of Emigrants (FamilySearch Historical Records)]].
#  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?


=== United States  ===


==Indexed Records Created in Spain==
Many of the sources listed above in the section '''Useful record types''' are available in the United States and can be very helpful in finding the name of the hometown of your Spanish ancestor. The following may also be helpful.  
===Make Sure You Found the Correct Entry for Your Ancestor===
{|
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There may be many types of indexed records that cover parts, even large parts of Spain. Searching those indexes by name only can turn up several entries of the same name. '''Never jump to an immediate conclusion that you have found an entry that matches your ancestor'''. Study the information for other clues that verify the match.
|}
*Make sure the person you found in Spanish records '''left Spain'''. Look for them in marriage and death records of the same vicinity. See whether they have children a generation later in the vicinity. These things prove they remained in Spain and would rule them out as your ancestor.
*Match '''any other relationships'''.  If you already know the parents' names, spouse's name, and/or siblings' names, make sure they match the parents' names, spouse's name, and/or siblings' names of the person you are considering in the Spanish records. The parents and grandparents will usually be listed in birth records found in [[Spain Church Records|'''church records''']] or [[Spain Civil Registration|'''civil records''']]. Search for siblings' birth records and any marriage before leaving Spain in the same index.
*Study '''all available entries for that name born at the same approximate time''', not just the first possible match you see.
*Consider the '''coverage of the database''' you are using. Does it cover all of Spain? Or could there be many other records not covered that could hold your ancestor's record. For example, if the database is for just one province, there are 110 other provinces which could have your ancestor's record.
*Make sure the details you have learned about the person after they immigrate have '''no discrepancies''' with the person you found in Spanish records.


===Spain Records Databases to Try===
*{{FHL|152608|title-id|disp=Index of Spanish citizens entering the port of New Orleans between January 1840 and December 1865}}. Charles R. Mauduell, Jr. New Orleans: Charles Midrell, 1966. FHL US/CAN Book 976.335/N1 W2.  
*[https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/GuidedResearch:Spain '''Spain Guided Research''']
*Border Crossing Records if your ancestor went to Mexico and then later crossed into the United States. These records are for the years 1895-1957. Indexes are available on FamilySearch. Indexes and images are available on Ancestry.com, which is a subscription website which you may be able to access at your local FamilySearch center or public library.  
*[[Spain Civil Registration|'''Spain Civil Registration''']], government birth, marriage, and death records could be available from the early 1800s to the early or mid-1900s. These records can name grandparents in addition to parents, and towns for residence and/or birth for both.
*[https://familysearch.org/search/collection/show#uri=http://familysearch.org/searchapi/search/collection/1202535 Social Security Death Index (SSDI)]. If your ancestor is listed in the Social Security Death Index it would be very important to order a copy of their application for a Social Security Card as it should contain their birthplace in Spain. You can order a copy from the [http://www.ssa.gov/online/ssa-711.pdf Social Security Administration]. You can search the SSDI at FamilySearch.  
*There are several [[Spain Church Records|'''Spain Church Records''']] online.
*[https://familysearch.org/search/collection/show#uri=http://familysearch.org/searchapi/search/collection/1968530 World War I Draft Registrations.] All males between the age of 17 and 45 were required to register for the draft in 1917. If your ancestor fit these criteria, you may find his birthplace listed on his draft registration card even if he was not a U.S. citizen but was living in the United States. You can search the indexes and view the images of these records at FamilySearch and Ancestry.com.  
*See [[Spain Emigration and Immigration|'''Spain Emigration and Immigration''']] for records of Spanishs immigrating, including some online digitized records and indexes.
*[http://www.archives.gov/research/immigration/aliens/a-files-kansas-city.html Alien Registrations]. From 1940-1944 all foreigners living within the boundaries of the United States were required to register their presence in the country. Indexes to these records are searchable online from the [http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/ National Archives]. If you find the name of a person who could be your ancestor, write to the National Archives for more information about the person in question before sending for a copy of the records. They will be able to give you more information about the person in question to help you determine if it really is your ancestor.
*See [[Spain Online Genealogy Records|'''Spain Online Genealogy Records''']] for other databases that might hold clues.
*'''Portal de Archivos Españoles (PARES)''': Portal de Archivos Españoles (PARES) is a documentary archive established and hosted by the Spanish Ministry of Education. It offers free access to digitized images of the Spanish Archives. On 10 May 2016, it was updated to PARES 2.0, with more than 33.9 million digital images and 8.6 million document archives. There are a variety of emigration/immigration digitized. <ref>"Portal de Archivos Españoles", in Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal_de_Archivos_Espa%C3%B1oles, accessed 15 May 2021.</ref>
:*[http://pares.culturaydeporte.gob.es/preguntas-frecuentes.html#cla-0-0 '''Frequently Asked Questions''']
:*[http://pares.mcu.es/ParesBusquedas20/catalogo/find?nm=&archivo=10  '''Search''']


==Records of the Country of Destination==
For even more ideas about your ancestor who came to the United States see the article: [[Tracing Immigrant Origins|Tracing Immigrant Origins]]  
* '''Church Records:''' If your ancestor immigrated to a European or a South American/Hispanic country, church records can be detailed enough to identify a former residence or birthplace in the home country. These countries, unlike the United States, had state churches. In many countries, these state churches were used by the country to keep birth, marriage, and death records. Even though your ancestor was born in his former country, he may have married, and certainly died in his new country. Marriage and death records can state birthplace.
*'''Civil Registration:''' Eventually, most governments began keeping birth, marriage, and death records. These tend to be quite detailed. Again, if your ancestor was possibly married and certainly died in their new country, those records can state birthplace.
*'''Citizenship Records:''' If your ancestor became a full citizen, those records probably name birthplace and former residence.
*'''Online Genealogy Records:''' See [[Online Genealogy Records by Location|'''Online Genealogy Records by Location''']] and find the online genealogy record page for your country to see other indexed collections that can be consulted.


==Records to Search Created in the United States==
=== Colonial period in the Americas  ===
===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 Spaniards left their homeland to travel to the Americas during the time that much of the Americas was governed by Spain. Several records are available that may be useful in identifying the ancestor’s hometown in Spain. The sources listed below are generally for the years from 1493 to about 1800.  
*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===
{{FHL|13857|title-id|disp=Guía de fuentes para la historia de Ibero-América conservados en España}}. Madrid: Dirección General de Archivos y Bibliotecas, 1969. FHL INTL Book 980 A3sg 2 vols. Lists of sources for Latin-American history kept in archives in Spain.  
Websites such as [https://www.findagrave.com/ '''FindAGrave'''] and [https://billiongraves.com/ '''BillionGraves'''] 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===
Archivo de las Indias. If you are looking for very early emigrants who left Spain before 1700 you may want to try records in the sections Pasajeros a Indias or Casa de la Contratacion that are found in the Archive of the Indies in Sevilla. Up until about the 18th century all ships from Spain left from Sevilla. Sometime during the second half of the 18th century other Spanish ports began to be used in the cities of Alicante, Malaga, Cartagena, Barcelona and La Coruña. Many of these early records might be found in a general search in the [http://pares.mcu.es/ Portal of Spanish Archives] (PARES) website.  
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===
'''1493-1539.''' This book compiled by Peter Boyd-Bowman contains lists of people living in the new World in the 16th century. {{FHL|52896|title-id|disp=Indice geobiográfico de cuarenta mil pobladores españoles de América en el siglo XVI}}. Bogotá: Instituto Caro y Cuervo, 1964-1968. {52896}  
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. ($)
*[https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1002 U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942], - index & images ($)
*{{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 & images ($).


===Social Security===
'''1493-1519.''' This book also compiled by Peter Boyd-Bowman expands on the previous book of people living in the New World in the 16th century. {{FHL|510839|title-id|disp=Índice geobiográfico de más de 56 mil pobladores de la América Hispánica}}. México: Fondo de Cultura Económica, 1985.  
*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 [[FamilySearch Centers|'''FamilySearch 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.


===Naturalization Records===
'''1509-1599.''' Some records for this time period can be found in: {{FHL|349326|title-id|disp=Catálogo de pasajeros a Indias durante los siglos XVI, XVII y XVIII}}. Sevilla: S.n., 1940-. Part of these records are found indexed online at [http://www.sologenealogia.com/Pasajeros/index.htm SoloGenealogia.com].  
*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 & images ($)


===Passenger Arrival Lists===
'''1509-1701.''' During this time period you may find in the Archive of the Indies Libros o listas de pasajeros. These are indexed in Pasajeros a Indias: libros de asientos {20763}. Madrid: Centro Nacional de Microfilm, 1978.  
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 [[FamilySearch Center|''' FamilySearch 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.''']]


=====Specialized Spanish Immigration Records=====
'''1534-1790.''' Informaciones y licencias are documents requesting permission to travel to the Americas. These records are found in the Archive of the Indies. Try a general search in the [http://pares.mcu.es/ParesBusquedas/servlets/Control_servlet?accion=0 PARES website] for these records.  
*{{FSC|152608|title-id|disp=Index of Spanish citizens entering the port of New Orleans between January 1840 and December 1865}}. Charles R. Mauduell, Jr. New Orleans: Charles Midrell, 1966. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.335/N1 W2.
*Border Crossing Records if your ancestor went to Mexico and then later crossed into the United States. These records are for the years 1895-1957. Indexes are available on FamilySearch. Indexes and images are available on Ancestry.com, which is a subscription website which you may be able to access at your local FamilySearch center or public library.


===Alien Registration===
In a general search of the [http://pares.mcu.es/ PARES] website you might also find colonial government records from Consejo de las Indias, the ruling body over Spanish holdings in the Americas. These may be found under the following categories:  
*[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.''']


=== Church Records===
*Pasajeros a Indias
*[[United States Church Records]]
*Casa de la contratacion
*Contaduria del consejo
*Gobierno
*Ultramar


'''Real Audiencia''' is the name given to geographical colonies and their courts under Spanish rule during the colonial period. These records might contain court or governmental records involving emigrants. The following are the real audiencias in the New World along with the date of their creation:
*Santo Domingo 1526
*Nueva España (Mexico) 1527
*Panamá 1538
*Guatemala 1543
*Lima (Peru) 1543
*Nueva Galicia (Guadalajara, Mexico) 1548
*Nueva Granada (Santa Fe de Bogotá, Colombia) 1548
*Charcas (Upper Peru) 1559
*Quito (Ecuador) 1563
*Concepción (Chile) 1565-1575
*Manila (Philippines) 1583
*Santiago (Chile) 1605
*Buenos Aires (Rio de la Plata) 1661-1671
*Buenos Aires 1783
*Caracas 1786
*Cuzco 1787
Legal documents such as: notarial records, suits (pleitos), processes (procesos), and others may contain copies of sacramental records such as baptisms, marriages, or deaths as evidence in cases. These records may indicate place of origin in Spain.
'''1780-1810. '''If your ancestor came to the Americas as part of the Spanish military you may be able to find his place of origin in military records. An index is available to some military records for this time period in {{FHL|26258|title-id|disp=Catálogo XXII del Archivo de Simancas: Secretaría de Guerra (siglo XVIII); hojas de servicios de América}}. Ricardo Magdaleno, Archivo General de Simancas. Valladolid: s.n., 1958. FHL INTL Book 946 M23e.
Other military records for other countries might be found in the [https://familysearch.org/search/#form=catalog FamilySearch catalog] under the category Military Records. Remember to search at all jurisdictional levels – Country, Department or Province, and City.
'''After 1790''' few passenger lists are found leaving Spain. There are a few health certificates and in some provincial or municipal archives you might find applications for passports. There is no general index to these records.
=== Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines  ===
Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines remained under Spanish control until the 19th century. These colonies were governed by the Spanish government, department of Ultramar. The records for Ultramar for the 19th century are found in the [http://www.mcu.es/archivos/MC/AHN/index.html Archivo Histórico Nacional] in Madrid and have been indexed. Some of these records are searchable by name in a general search of the [http://pares.mcu.es/ParesBusquedas/servlets/Control_servlet?accion=0 PARES] website.
The FHL only has {{FHL|235678|title-id|disp=Inventario de la serie "Oficios de Guerra" de Puerto Rico}}. Madrid: Ministerio de Cultura, 1980.
Spanish soldiers in Cuba and the Philippines. Some of these records can be found indexed on the site [http://www.raicesreinovalencia.com/bases-de-datos Raices Reino de Valencia]. You must be a member of the group to access these records. Membership is free.
=== Latin America  ===
The following are just a few sources for emigrants who left Spain for Latin America.
*One database for emigrants from La Rioja can be found online at: [http://ias1.larioja.org/emigra/emigra/index.html Emigrantes Riojanos a América (1880-1936)].
*''La emigración castellana y leonesa al Nuevo Mundo, 1517-1700''. Maria del Carmen Martinez Martinez. Junta de Castilla y León, Consejería de Cultura y Turismo, 1993. You may be able to obtain a copy of this book through interlibrary loan.
*{{FHL|691905|title-id|disp=La emigración murciana a América durante el siglo XVI: catálogo de pasajeros}}. Lucio Provencio Garrigos. Murcia: L. P. Garrigós, 1993.
*{{FHL|529836|title-id|disp=Patterns of Spanish emigration to the New World (1493-1580)}}. Peter Boyd-Bowman. Buffalo: Council on International Studies, State University of New York at Buffalo, 1973.
*{{FHL|263909|title-id|disp=La emigración española al Río de la Plata durante siglo XVI}}. Richard Konetze. Madrid: Instituto “Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo,” Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 1952.
*{{FHL|1949095|title-id|disp=Emigración navarra del Valle de Baztán a América durante el siglo XIX: inventario de documentos}}. Carlos J. Idoate Ezuieta. Pamplona: Gobierno de Navarra, Departamento de Educación y Cultura, 1989. FHL INTL Book 946 W2i.
For specific countries in Latin America, check the [https://familysearch.org/catalog-search FamilySearch Catalog] for other records using the following topics. Be sure to search at the national, provincial, and city level.
*Emigration and immigration
*Naturalization and citizenship
You may also want to try a keyword search using the terms Spain emigration in the FamilySearch Catalog for other records and items of interest concerning emigrants from Spain.
For more ideas see:
{{FHL|224436|title-id|disp=Tracing Your Hispanic Heritage}}. George. R. Ryskamp. Riverside, CA: Hispanic Family History Research, 1984.FHL INTL Book 946 D27r.<br>
[http://net.lib.byu.edu/fslab/researchoutlines/Europe/Spain.pdf Brigham Young University research outline for Spain] available in PDF form is a collection of articles and useful resources for those conducting genealogical research in Spain.


{{h-langs|en=Spain Locating Place of Origin|es=Identificando el lugar de origen en España}}  
{{h-langs|en=Spain Locating Place of Origin|es=Identificando el lugar de origen en España}}  


[[Spain Genealogy|Spain]]
[[Spain|Spain]]


[[Category:Spain Emigration and Immigration]][[Category:Spain Research Strategies]]
[[Category:Spain]]
[[Category:Finding Town of Origin]]

Revision as of 10:42, 6 February 2013

Spain Gotoarrow.png 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.

Useful record types[edit | edit source]

The following is a list of record types that may name the ancestor’s home town in Spain.

  • Vital records such as: Births of their children, marriages, or deaths
  • 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.

Other sources[edit | edit source]

The following are just a few of other resources you may want to consult in trying to locate your immigrant ancestor’s origins in Spain.

General sources[edit | edit source]

United States[edit | edit source]

Many of the sources listed above in the section Useful record types are available in the United States and can be very helpful in finding the name of the hometown of your Spanish ancestor. The following may also be helpful.

  • Index of Spanish citizens entering the port of New Orleans between January 1840 and December 1865. Charles R. Mauduell, Jr. New Orleans: Charles Midrell, 1966. FHL US/CAN Book 976.335/N1 W2.
  • Border Crossing Records if your ancestor went to Mexico and then later crossed into the United States. These records are for the years 1895-1957. Indexes are available on FamilySearch. Indexes and images are available on Ancestry.com, which is a subscription website which you may be able to access at your local FamilySearch center or public library.
  • Social Security Death Index (SSDI). If your ancestor is listed in the Social Security Death Index it would be very important to order a copy of their application for a Social Security Card as it should contain their birthplace in Spain. You can order a copy from the Social Security Administration. You can search the SSDI at FamilySearch.
  • World War I Draft Registrations. All males between the age of 17 and 45 were required to register for the draft in 1917. If your ancestor fit these criteria, you may find his birthplace listed on his draft registration card even if he was not a U.S. citizen but was living in the United States. You can search the indexes and view the images of these records at FamilySearch and Ancestry.com.
  • Alien Registrations. From 1940-1944 all foreigners living within the boundaries of the United States were required to register their presence in the country. Indexes to these records are searchable online from the National Archives. If you find the name of a person who could be your ancestor, write to the National Archives for more information about the person in question before sending for a copy of the records. They will be able to give you more information about the person in question to help you determine if it really is your ancestor.

For even more ideas about your ancestor who came to the United States see the article: Tracing Immigrant Origins

Colonial period in the Americas[edit | edit source]

Many Spaniards left their homeland to travel to the Americas during the time that much of the Americas was governed by Spain. Several records are available that may be useful in identifying the ancestor’s hometown in Spain. The sources listed below are generally for the years from 1493 to about 1800.

Guía de fuentes para la historia de Ibero-América conservados en España. Madrid: Dirección General de Archivos y Bibliotecas, 1969. FHL INTL Book 980 A3sg 2 vols. Lists of sources for Latin-American history kept in archives in Spain.

Archivo de las Indias. If you are looking for very early emigrants who left Spain before 1700 you may want to try records in the sections Pasajeros a Indias or Casa de la Contratacion that are found in the Archive of the Indies in Sevilla. Up until about the 18th century all ships from Spain left from Sevilla. Sometime during the second half of the 18th century other Spanish ports began to be used in the cities of Alicante, Malaga, Cartagena, Barcelona and La Coruña. Many of these early records might be found in a general search in the Portal of Spanish Archives (PARES) website.

1493-1539. This book compiled by Peter Boyd-Bowman contains lists of people living in the new World in the 16th century. Indice geobiográfico de cuarenta mil pobladores españoles de América en el siglo XVI. Bogotá: Instituto Caro y Cuervo, 1964-1968. {52896}

1493-1519. This book also compiled by Peter Boyd-Bowman expands on the previous book of people living in the New World in the 16th century. Índice geobiográfico de más de 56 mil pobladores de la América Hispánica. México: Fondo de Cultura Económica, 1985.

1509-1599. Some records for this time period can be found in: Catálogo de pasajeros a Indias durante los siglos XVI, XVII y XVIII. Sevilla: S.n., 1940-. Part of these records are found indexed online at SoloGenealogia.com.

1509-1701. During this time period you may find in the Archive of the Indies Libros o listas de pasajeros. These are indexed in Pasajeros a Indias: libros de asientos {20763}. Madrid: Centro Nacional de Microfilm, 1978.

1534-1790. Informaciones y licencias are documents requesting permission to travel to the Americas. These records are found in the Archive of the Indies. Try a general search in the PARES website for these records.

In a general search of the PARES website you might also find colonial government records from Consejo de las Indias, the ruling body over Spanish holdings in the Americas. These may be found under the following categories:

  • Pasajeros a Indias
  • Casa de la contratacion
  • Contaduria del consejo
  • Gobierno
  • Ultramar

Real Audiencia is the name given to geographical colonies and their courts under Spanish rule during the colonial period. These records might contain court or governmental records involving emigrants. The following are the real audiencias in the New World along with the date of their creation:

  • Santo Domingo 1526
  • Nueva España (Mexico) 1527
  • Panamá 1538
  • Guatemala 1543
  • Lima (Peru) 1543
  • Nueva Galicia (Guadalajara, Mexico) 1548
  • Nueva Granada (Santa Fe de Bogotá, Colombia) 1548
  • Charcas (Upper Peru) 1559
  • Quito (Ecuador) 1563
  • Concepción (Chile) 1565-1575
  • Manila (Philippines) 1583
  • Santiago (Chile) 1605
  • Buenos Aires (Rio de la Plata) 1661-1671
  • Buenos Aires 1783
  • Caracas 1786
  • Cuzco 1787

Legal documents such as: notarial records, suits (pleitos), processes (procesos), and others may contain copies of sacramental records such as baptisms, marriages, or deaths as evidence in cases. These records may indicate place of origin in Spain.

1780-1810. If your ancestor came to the Americas as part of the Spanish military you may be able to find his place of origin in military records. An index is available to some military records for this time period in Catálogo XXII del Archivo de Simancas: Secretaría de Guerra (siglo XVIII); hojas de servicios de América. Ricardo Magdaleno, Archivo General de Simancas. Valladolid: s.n., 1958. FHL INTL Book 946 M23e.

Other military records for other countries might be found in the FamilySearch catalog under the category Military Records. Remember to search at all jurisdictional levels – Country, Department or Province, and City.

After 1790 few passenger lists are found leaving Spain. There are a few health certificates and in some provincial or municipal archives you might find applications for passports. There is no general index to these records.

Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines[edit | edit source]

Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines remained under Spanish control until the 19th century. These colonies were governed by the Spanish government, department of Ultramar. The records for Ultramar for the 19th century are found in the Archivo Histórico Nacional in Madrid and have been indexed. Some of these records are searchable by name in a general search of the PARES website.

The FHL only has Inventario de la serie "Oficios de Guerra" de Puerto Rico. Madrid: Ministerio de Cultura, 1980.

Spanish soldiers in Cuba and the Philippines. Some of these records can be found indexed on the site Raices Reino de Valencia. You must be a member of the group to access these records. Membership is free.

Latin America[edit | edit source]

The following are just a few sources for emigrants who left Spain for Latin America.

For specific countries in Latin America, check the FamilySearch Catalog for other records using the following topics. Be sure to search at the national, provincial, and city level.

  • Emigration and immigration
  • Naturalization and citizenship

You may also want to try a keyword search using the terms Spain emigration in the FamilySearch Catalog for other records and items of interest concerning emigrants from Spain.

For more ideas see:

Tracing Your Hispanic Heritage. George. R. Ryskamp. Riverside, CA: Hispanic Family History Research, 1984.FHL INTL Book 946 D27r.

Brigham Young University research outline for Spain available in PDF form is a collection of articles and useful resources for those conducting genealogical research in Spain.

Spain

Family History Library (FHL); now called, FamilySearch Library (FSL)

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