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[[Puerto_Rico|Puerto Rico]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Puerto_Rico_Getting_Started|Getting Started]]  
[[Puerto_Rico|Puerto Rico]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Puerto_Rico_Getting_Started|Getting Started]]  


Getting started with research on your ancestor from Puerto Rico is not difficult. This page is designed to give you a few ideas about how to get started. Begin by following these steps:
= Puerto Rico Getting Started =
=== Where to Start ===
*Write down what you know
:[http://misbach.org/download/pedigree_chart.pdf Pedigree Chart]
:[http://c.mfcreative.com/pdf/trees/charts/famgrec.pdf Family group sheet]
*Gather records you may already have
:[https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Gather_Family_Information Gather Family Information]
*Organize what you know
:[[Organizing Your Files|Organize and file materials]]
*Contact family for any useful information, stories, and records they may have.
*Know the town of origin:
''Probably the most important piece of information you will need to begin research in Puerto Rico is the name of a specific town in Puerto Rico where your ancestor lived.''
:[https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Puerto_Rico_Locating_Place_of_Origin Puerto Rico Locating Place of Origin]
*Ask for help
:[https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Introduction_to_Family_History_Centers Help from Family History Centers]


== 1. Write down what you know  ==
= Puerto Rico Finding Records =


Start with yourself. Begin by writing down what you know about yourself, your parents, and your grandparents. Use the link below to print a pedigree chart you can use to enter the names, dates, and places you may already know. If you do not know exact dates and places, estimate them. Circle any missing or incomplete information, and decide what you want to find first.  
=== Types of Records ===
*Jurisdctions
Places are usually written from smallest to largest:
:Barrios, Municipality, Country
When a church parish is known it is written in this manner:
:Parish, Barrios, Municipality, Country
*Civil registration: The system by which a government records the vital events (births, marriages, and deaths) of its citizens and residents.
*Catholic church records: Baptisms or christenings, marriages, and burials created by Catholic churches.
=== Online Records ===
*The most up to date Puerto Rico online records:
[https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Puerto_Rico_Online_Genealogy_Records Puerto Rico Online Genealogy Records]
*Civil registration records online:The Civil Registration records are located on the municipality level, 
[https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/GuidedResearch:Puerto_Rico  Puerto Rico Guided Research] contains links to civil registration collections.
*Church Records: FamilySearch has Catholic Church records from the Archdiocese of San Juan Historical Archive.
[https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/GuidedResearch:Puerto_Rico  Puerto Rico Guided Research] contains links to Catholic Church collections. <br>
[[Puerto Rico Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|Puerto Rico Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records]] is a wiki article describing the Catholic Church Records collection.


[http://misbach.org/download/pedigree_chart.pdf Pedigree Chart]<br>


Use a family group sheet to record information about family groups. Use one form for each family. You will record the names of the husband and wife at the top of the form and then list each of their children in the order they were born.
= Puerto Rico Quick Start Guide =
 
=== Research Strategies  ===
[http://c.mfcreative.com/pdf/trees/charts/famgrec.pdf Family group sheet]
*Who to search for?
 
If you don’t know the names of the parents, but you know the name of a spouse and/or the names of some of the children:
== 2. Gather records ==
#begin with a marriage search  
 
#search for the birth/baptism record for one of the children
Begin by looking for records that you may already have around your home. Many important clues can be found in the things we already have at home. Here is a list of the types of records that might be of use:
==== Names and Locations Known ====
 
*Puerto Rico: Ancestor's birth, marriage, or death location and names of parents, children, or spouse are known:
*Certificates of births, deaths, and marriages
[https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/GuidedResearch:Puerto_Rico  Puerto Rico Guided Research] contains links to the best record resources
*Funeral programs
==== Names and Locations Unknown ====
*Documents relating to education
*Puerto Rico: Ancestor's birth, marriage, or death location and names of parents, children, or spouse are NOT known:
*Documents about military service
[https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/GuidedResearch:Why_Can%27t_I_Find_the_Record_-_Puerto_Rico_Births Guided Research What else you can try] gives additional guidance and resources to find information for your ancestor.  
*Photographs
==== Finding a locality ====
*Newspaper articles
*Google
*Birth announcements
*Wikipedia (Spanish version works the best)
*Marriage announcements
*Try a keyword search in the FamilySearch Catalog for Puerto Rico Gazetteers
*Obituaries
==== Online resources  ====
*Letters
For other online resources please review the Wiki article [[Hispanic Genealogy Resources Online|Hispanic Genealogy Resources Online]]
*Passports
*Citizenship or naturalization papers
*Family bibles
*Journals
 
== 3. Talk with your family  ==
 
Contact your family and friends. Record any useful information and stories they provide. Ask about copies of birth, marriage, and death certificates as well as journals, letters, photos, and other records that might be available. Find out if they know other people you should contact. Be sure to record any new information.
 
Although sometimes memories can be faulty, you can usually get some great clues as you interview older relatives. It’s also important to remember that many family legends prove to be unreliable but usually there are bits and pieces, or perhaps one small thread in these legends that might prove to be true.
 
For more tips for beginners be sure to read the article [[Getting Started/Intro|Getting Started]]
 
== 4. Preserve and share what you have gathered  ==
 
As you take this genealogical journey remember that your relatives and family friends may also be interested to learn more about their ancestors and heritage. Please share with them the information you find. It may spark more memories and clues that will help you along the way. You can preserve, share, and donate your family history with the help of free software found at [https://familysearch.org/products FamilySearch.org].
 
== 5. Ask for help  ==
 
Visit a local [[Introduction to Family History Centers|FamilySearch Center]] for free personal help and many other valuable services. Center staff may also direct you to other local community resources. Find a center near you online at [https://familysearch.org/locations Find a Family History Center]. You can leave a question on our [[FamilySearch Genealogy Research Groups|Facebook Research Community pages]]. For those who speak Spanish you may feel more comfortable posting in the page [https://www.facebook.com/PuertoRicoGenealogy Puerto Rico Genealogy Research]. If you prefer a page that is predominantly in English, we recommend the [https://www.facebook.com/HispanicGenealogy Hispanic Genealogy Research] page which has been designed for those who have Hispanic ancestry but may not speak much, if any Spanish.
 
== 6. Know the town of origin in Puerto Rico ==
 
Probably the most important piece of information you will need to begin research in Puerto Rico is the name of a specific town in Puerto Rico where your ancestor was from. The article [[Puerto Rico Locating Place of Origin|Locating Place of Origin]] will give you some ideas about what you can do to find this important piece of the genealogical puzzle.
 
If you already know the name of the town or village in Puerto Rico where your ancestor came from, you are now ready to begin looking for records. Please see the article [[Puerto Rico Finding Records|Finding Records]] to help you locate the records of your ancestor’s hometown in Puerto Rico.
 
For more information see the [[Puerto Rico Quick Start Guide|Puerto Rico Quick Start Guide]].
 
 
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[[Category:Puerto_Rico]]

Revision as of 14:46, 21 December 2020

Puerto Rico Gotoarrow.png Getting Started

Puerto Rico Getting Started[edit | edit source]

Where to Start[edit | edit source]

  • Write down what you know
Pedigree Chart
Family group sheet
  • Gather records you may already have
Gather Family Information
  • Organize what you know
Organize and file materials
  • Contact family for any useful information, stories, and records they may have.
  • Know the town of origin:

Probably the most important piece of information you will need to begin research in Puerto Rico is the name of a specific town in Puerto Rico where your ancestor lived.

Puerto Rico Locating Place of Origin
  • Ask for help
Help from Family History Centers

Puerto Rico Finding Records[edit | edit source]

Types of Records[edit | edit source]

  • Jurisdctions

Places are usually written from smallest to largest:

Barrios, Municipality, Country

When a church parish is known it is written in this manner:

Parish, Barrios, Municipality, Country
  • Civil registration: The system by which a government records the vital events (births, marriages, and deaths) of its citizens and residents.
  • Catholic church records: Baptisms or christenings, marriages, and burials created by Catholic churches.

Online Records[edit | edit source]

  • The most up to date Puerto Rico online records:

Puerto Rico Online Genealogy Records

  • Civil registration records online:The Civil Registration records are located on the municipality level,

Puerto Rico Guided Research contains links to civil registration collections.

  • Church Records: FamilySearch has Catholic Church records from the Archdiocese of San Juan Historical Archive.

Puerto Rico Guided Research contains links to Catholic Church collections.
Puerto Rico Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records is a wiki article describing the Catholic Church Records collection.


Puerto Rico Quick Start Guide[edit | edit source]

Research Strategies[edit | edit source]

  • Who to search for?

If you don’t know the names of the parents, but you know the name of a spouse and/or the names of some of the children:

  1. begin with a marriage search
  2. search for the birth/baptism record for one of the children

Names and Locations Known[edit | edit source]

  • Puerto Rico: Ancestor's birth, marriage, or death location and names of parents, children, or spouse are known:

Puerto Rico Guided Research contains links to the best record resources

Names and Locations Unknown[edit | edit source]

  • Puerto Rico: Ancestor's birth, marriage, or death location and names of parents, children, or spouse are NOT known:

Guided Research What else you can try gives additional guidance and resources to find information for your ancestor.

Finding a locality[edit | edit source]

  • Google
  • Wikipedia (Spanish version works the best)
  • Try a keyword search in the FamilySearch Catalog for Puerto Rico Gazetteers

Online resources[edit | edit source]

For other online resources please review the Wiki article Hispanic Genealogy Resources Online

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