Spain Nobility

There are two main categories of Spanish nobility records, titled and non-titled nobility. These categories have different collections that document the Spanish nobility.

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Nobility

Non-titled Nobility Records (Hidalguías)

Hidalguía or Hidalgo means 'son of something.' Hidalgo status could be obtained in two ways: 1) inherited - usually from an ancestor that assisted in the reconquest in some way; and 2) Privilege - granted by the Crown.

Hidalgos were not given titles (see Titled Nobility below), there were a few material and financial benefits for obtaining or maintaining the status.

• Immunity from payment of royal taxes, including pechos and derramas. Although they were exempted to royal taxes, they were still obligated to pay local and council taxes.
• Important governmental posts required that they be held by hidalgos, this included officers in the regular Spanish military (until 1831), becoming a member of military orders, or local government positions.
• Exemption from military conscription (reclutamiento y quintas) through 1831.
• Exempt from the forced quartering of soldiers.
• Debts could not be collected by seizure of residences, horses, mules, or personal weapons.

Hidalguía Records

There are several different types of primary and secondary sources for researching hidalguías. The best sources include the following.

1. Hidalgo Censuses (Padrones de Hidalgo) - in many cases these censuses were created to document those that were exempt from paying common taxes (pechos), and those exempt from military conscription (quintas). The censuses were taken locally. These censuses are normally archived in municipal archives. The censuses cover a wide range of time periods between the late 1400s to the early 1800s. The information in these census records is usually limited, but at times can give familial relationships (spouse's name and children's names), and birthplace information. A few examples include:
   • Llanes, Asturias - 1831
   • Almería, Almería - 1731-1831
2. Informaciones genealogicios - These records were created for a hidalgo to prove his nobility status to join a military or faternal order, apply for a particular local government position, or to perform activiites that required proof of hidalguia. These records are generally found in local or municipal archives and the existence of these records vary dramatically, however, generally larger cities have a collection of informaciones genealogicos.
3. Plietos/Expedientes/Probanzas de Hidalguia - These records were also created for a hidalgo to prove his nobility status. These were created for the same reasons the informaciones genealogicos, but also to receive the benefits that come with the hidalguia status. These benefits primarily refer to the immunity and exemptjions from taxes and military conscription. Generally speaking these records are referred to plietos de hidalguía and the originals are archived in two different archives - Archivo de la Real Chancillería de Valladolid and the Archivo de la Real Chancillería de Granada. The plietos de hidalguía archived in these two archives can be difficult to use. The blog Manuel de Genealogía has two blog posts explaining how to use these collections.
   • Plietos de hidalguía del archivo de Valladolid
   • Plietos de hidalguía del archivo de Granada