Philippines Finding Town of Origin: Difference between revisions

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Philippines

Finding Town of Origin

Finding the Town of Origin

In order to research your family in Philippines, it is essential that you have identified the place where they came from. You must know the city, town, or parish that they came from. it will be difficult to identify the place of origin by going directly to dutch sources. Therefore, you will need to search in United States (or other country of arrival) sources first.

Important Tips

Before you can begin to search in the records of Philippines 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.

Do you know the name of his/her parents?
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 Philippines?

Documents in the Home

Often the document you need to pinpoint the place of origin of your ancestor from Philippines 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:

What do you know about our first ancestor to come from Philippines? (open-ended)
Have you ever heard mention of towns in Philippines where the family lived?
Do you have contact with any relatives in Philippines?
. Do you have contact with other branches of the family in the U.S.?
. When _____________ came from Philippines, did he travel with other family members?
. Do you know when _________________ arrived and which port city?
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 Philippines?
Were they Catholic or some other religion?
Do you have any old letters or postcards from your Philippines family?
Do you have any pictures of family members in Philippines?

Search Genealogies Compiled by Others

Philippines Records Databases to Try

Philippines Civil Registration, government birth, marriage, and death records are available online for many provinces 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.
There are several Philippines Church Records online.
See Philippines Emigration and Immigration for records of Filipinos immigrating, including some online digitized records and indexes.
See Philippines Online Genealogy Records for other databases that might hold clues.

Records of the Country of Destination

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 and find the online genealogy record page for your country to see other indexed collections that can be consulted.

By Country

Filipinos in the United States

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-{{Philippines-sidebar}}{{breadcrumb
+{{CountrySidebar
+|Country=Philippines
+|Name=Philippines
+|Type=Topic
+|Topic Type=Getting Started
+|Getting Started=Finding Town of Origin
+|Content=Acceptable
+}}{{breadcrumb
 | link1=[[Philippines Genealogy | Philippines]]
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@@ Line 7: / Line 14: @@
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-==Finding the Town of Birth==
+==Finding the Town of Origin==
-In order to research your family in Philippines, it is essential that you have identified the place where they came from.  You must know the city, town, or parish that they came from. A few records are indexed, but many records will require going directly to photocopied local records, which are only available by town name.  it will be difficult to identify the place of origin by going directly to dutch sources. Therefore, you will need to search in United States (or other country of arrival)  sources first.
+In order to research your family in Philippines, it is essential that you have identified the place where they came from.  You must know the city, town, or parish that they came from.   it will be difficult to identify the place of origin by going directly to dutch sources. Therefore, you will need to search in United States (or other country of arrival)  sources first.
 == Important Tips  ==
 Before you can begin to search in the records of Philippines 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.
-*Do you know the name of his parents?
+*Do you know the name of his/her 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 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 his wife? Did they marry before or after coming to the United States?<br>
+*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 siblings?
+*Do you know the names of any of his/her siblings?
 *Do you know the names of any children born in Philippines?
@@ Line 49: / Line 57: @@
 #  When they first came, were there already family members here who they joined?
 #  Did_______________ever mention their parents in Philippines?
-#  Were they Catholic?
+#  Were they Catholic or some other religion?
 #  Do you have any old letters or postcards from your Philippines family?
 #  Do you have any pictures of family members in Philippines?
@@ Line 59: / Line 67: @@
-==Records to Search in the Country of Arrival==
+===Philippines Records Databases to Try===
+*[[Philippines Civil Registration|'''Philippines Civil Registration''']], government birth, marriage, and death records are available online for many provinces 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.
-===Census Records===
+*There are several [[Philippines Church Records|'''Philippines Church Records''']] online.
-*Search census records, available for the United States, Canada, England, and other countries. Censuses are often taken every ten years.
+*See [[Philippines Emigration and Immigration|'''Philippines Emigration and Immigration''']] for records of Filipinos immigrating, including some online digitized records and indexes.
-*Try to locate your ancestor in every census during which he or she was alive. This information provides a good framework for further research.
+*See [[Philippines Online Genealogy Records|'''Philippines Online Genealogy Records''']] for other databases that might hold clues.
-*The 1850-1880 U.S. federal censuses sometimes lists an dutch state or province as birth place.
-*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.
-*Censuses  can be accessed online. Links to both free and subscription websites are found at [[United States Census Online Genealogy Records|'''United States Census Online Genealogy Records.''']]
-*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.
-===Vital Records ===
-Vital records, or civil birth, marriage, and death records document important events in an ancestor’s life. Many states have posted statewide indexes on the Internet.  Understand that any birth, marriage, or death certificate gives information about other people besides the primary person it is about
-*1. It is important to remember that a birth certificate for a child might tell it's parents' birthplaces.
-*2. 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.
-*3. 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 of 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>
-<br>
-'''Example: In this Washington State marriage record, the birth town in the Philippines of the bridegroom is given.  Also the names and towns of birth of his parents are listed.'''
-<br>
-[[File:Screen Shot 2018-07-22 at 17.48.20.png|800ox]]
-===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. Every state also has a Cemetery topic page you can search, for example,  [[California Cemeteries]], [[Washington Cemeteries]]. etc.
-===Obituaries===
-Obituaries are an excellent source of biographical information about immigrants. In addition to names and death dates, you can learn about surviving family members, church affiliations, spouses, parents, occupations, burial places, and hometowns in the old country. Even if a place of origin is not given, an obituary may provide additional research clues, such as the date or ship of immigration or traveling companions. Much of this information cannot be found in other sources. For many immigrants, an obituary is the only “biographical sketch” ever written about them. See [[Online Genealogy Records by Location#U.S. Online Genealogy Records by State|'''U.S. Online Genealogy Records by State''']] for links to online obituary collections. If the town of death is known, Google newspapers in that town and contact them to see if they kept archives of their obituaries.
-*[https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7545 '''U.S. Obituary Collection, 1930-2017''']
-*[[Online Genealogy Records by Location#U.S. Online Genealogy Records by State|'''U.S. Online Genealogy Records by State''']]
-===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'''.]
-===Military Records===
-Draft records for World War I and II ask for birth place, which can be listed as just Philippines 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.
-===Passenger Arrival Lists===
+==Records of the Country of Destination==
-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. Study the records of fellow passengers, as frequently relatives and neighbors traveled together.  [[United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records|'''United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records''']]
+* '''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.
-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.
+*'''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.
-====Suggested Search Strategy====
+*'''Citizenship Records:''' If your ancestor became a full citizen, those records probably name birthplace and former residence.
-# 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.
+*'''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.
-# 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 a [[United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records#Immigration Records by Ethnic, Nationality, Political, Religious, or Socioeconomic Groups|'''nationality, religious, or political group collection''']] that applies to your ancestor.
-#Search the [[United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records#'''Immigration by State'''|'''state collection for the first state where your ancestor lived.''']]
-#Read [[Tracing Immigrants Introduction|'''Tracing Immigrant Origins''']] to learn about many other records that substitute for immigration records.
-===Naturalization Records===
+===By Country===
-*Naturalization records may also list an ancestor’s birth place.
+*[[Filipinos in the United States|Filipinos in the United States]]
-*Prior to 1906 any U.S. court could naturalize foreigners. Many pre-1900 records only list “Philippines” 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===
+[[Category:Finding Town of Origin]][[Category:Philippines]]
-*[https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1174 U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925], ($), index and images
-===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.''']
-[[Category:Philippines]]