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Mexico Civil Registration

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Background

Civil registration records (also known as vital records) are important for genealogical research in Mexico. Civil authorities began registering births, marriages, and deaths in 1859 and most individuals who lived in Mexico after 1867 are recorded. Because the records cover such a large percentage of the population, they are extremely important sources for genealogical research in Mexico.

Civil registration records are kept by all the states on a municipio level. The exceptions are the states of Guerrero and Oaxaca, where the records are recorded by the municipio but are archived on a district level, and the Distrito Federal (Federal District), where they are kept in delegations. Because of this, it is difficult to obtain records from these two states and the Federal District. In these three instances, as well as in the rest of the nation, the populace still registered in their local civil registration offices, from which the records were sent to the municipio office, district office, or delegation office.

Coverage and Compliance

The earliest vital records in Mexico were made by the Catholic Church. In the late 1850s the Mexican government recognized the need for accurate vital records. On 28 July 1859, President Benito Juárez, speaking in Veracruz, established the Civil Registration Office (Registro Civil). The new law determined both the standards and information to be recorded. Justices of civil registration were established throughout the republic to implement the process of creating, witnessing, and safeguarding the civil register. Initially, the Mexican populace, accustomed to registering its vital events with the local parish church, opposed the register. It was not until the republic was restored in 1867 that civil registration was vigorously enforced.

Information Recorded in the Records

Births (nacimientos)

Births were usually registered by the infant’s father or by a neighbor of the family within a few days of the event. If you are having trouble locating the birth record, keep in mind that the birth might have been reported months or years later. It is not common but it does happen. A birth record usually includes:

  • Day and time of birth
  • Names of the child and parents
  • Birthplace, which may be different from where it was registered
  • Address of the house or hospital in which the birth took place.

Family information may be included, such as:

  • Parents’ ages, birthplaces, residences, marital status, and professions
  • Number of other children born to the mother (occasionally).
  • Names of grandparents.

Corrections or additions to a birth record may have been added as a note in the margin. These notes might include information about the marriage or death of the child.


Marriages (matrimonios)

Early civil marriage entries simply contained the name of the bride and groom and the marriage date. Gradually more information was entered such as:

  • Ages of the bride and groom
  • Birthplaces
  • Occupations
  • Civil status (if either had been married previously)
  • Residence of bride and groom
  • Names of parents

In current civil marriage records even street addresses are given.

The Catholic Church continued keeping records after the creation of the civil registration in 1859. Therefore two types of records are available for the marriages. Be sure to search both records.

With the separation of church and state in Mexico, formalized by the 1917 constitution, civil authorities determined that for couples to be legally married they had to be married by the state. Because of the close affinity of the Catholic Church and the state authorities, this rule was not always followed, and church weddings were accepted by the state. Normally, however, couples were married by civil authorities prior to a church wedding. On rare occasions they were married civilly after a church wedding.

Deaths (defunciones)

Early civil death records are especially helpful because they might list people for whom there are no birth or marriage records. Deaths were recorded in the town or city where the person died, within a few days of the death. Death records may provide the following information:

  • Name of decedent
  • Date and place of death
  • Birthplace and/or age at death
  • Name of spouse, if married
  • Names of parents, usually if the person was single.
  • Residence of decedent
  • Occupation of decedent
  • Cause of death (in more recent years)
  • Burial information
  • Name of informant (in more recent years)

Divorce Records

Divorce was not legalized in Mexico until after the 1917 constitution. Divorces are not recorded with the civil registration, but rather with the municipio courts. The FamilySearch Library has very few divorce records in its collection. You may obtain information from divorce records by contacting the court of the town or municipio where the divorce took place.

Strategy

To effectively use civil records, follow these steps:

  1. Search for the relative or ancestor you have selected. When you find the person’s birth record, search for the births of his or her brothers and sisters.
  2. Search for the marriage of his or her parents. The marriage record will often give you information that leads to the parents’ birth record.
  3. Estimate the parents’ age and search for their birth records.
  4. Repeat the process for both the father and mother.
  5. If earlier generations are not in the record, search neighboring municipios.
  6. Search the death records for all family members.
  7. Be aware that information found in a death record about the deceased person’s parents, birth date, birthplace, and other information may be inaccurate as the person who gave the information may not have had complete information.


Use extraction forms to understand what information is on a record:<ref>designed by George Ryskemp


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