Church records.

The Roman Catholic Church records are the most important records for genealogical research in Mexico. The vast majority of Mexicans were Catholic and registered in the records of the local parish or diocese, known as registros parroquiales (parish registers). These records include entries for baptisms, marriage information documents, marriages, deaths, and burials. Often two and sometimes three generations are indicated in the registers, with personal information on the family given.
In addition, records may include church censuses, account books, confirmations, and other church-related records. Church records are crucial, since civil authorities did not begin registering vital statistics until after 1859. For civil vital records of births, deaths, and marriages after 1859, see the “Civil Registration” section of this outline.
After 1859, one should search in both church and civil records, since there may be information in one that does not appear in the other. For instance, the church records may only list the godparents, while the civil records may list the grandparents.

General Historical Background
The first Catholic Mass in Mexican soil was in 1518 on the expedition of Juan de Grijalva. Catholic clergy have documented the history of Mexico in their church records since the early exploration of Mexico. Beginning in 1527, there are administrative, judicial, financial, and pastoral documents dealing with the work of the Catholic Church in Mexico City. Some of the earliest recorded baptisms for the Sagrario Metropolitano in Mexico City started in 1536. There are many other parishes that also started at an early period. These include El Sagrario in Mérida, Yucatán, in 1543; El Sagrario Metropolitano in Puebla de Zaragoza, Puebla, in 1545; and Asunción, in Pachuca, Hidalgo, in 1568.
In 1563 the Council of Trent formalized record-keeping practices that were already being followed in much of the Catholic world. Separate record books were to be maintained for baptisms, confirmations, marriages, and deaths or burials, and the format was standardized. Following this format, the Catholic Church was the primary record keeper for Mexico until civil registration started. A large percentage of the populace is listed in these records.
Before Mexico’s independence, most church records included references to the racial distinction. However, at the time of independence, with the Plan of Iguala in 1821, it was declared that all persons were equal citizens of the country; hence, no distinction should be made among the people. The church gradually diminished the use of race distinctions from that time on.
When racial distinctions were made, they may have been determined by the individuals present or arbitrarily by the priest. It is difficult to determine with any accuracy if the racial distinctions were correct.
Several terms were used to describe racial distinctions. These terms are listed here in alphabetical order. Each term represents the percentage of Spanish, Indian, or African blood in each person (e.g. Mulatto = mixture of a Spanish and a African person)
Albarazado = Cambujo and Mulatto
Albino/Ochavado = Spanish and African
Allí te estás = Chamizo and Mestiza
Barcino = Albarazado and Mutlata
Barnocino = Albarazado and Mestiza
Calpamulato = Zambaigo and Loba
Cambujo = Zambaigo and Indian
Cambur = African, Spanish, and Indian
Cambuto/a = Spanish and African
Castizo = Spanish and Mestizo
Chamizo = Coyote and Indian
Chino or Albino = Spanish and Morisca
Cimarrón = African, Spanish, and Indian
Coyote = African, Spanish, and Indian
Jíbaro/Jabaro = Lobo and China /Spanish, Indian, and African
Lobo = Indian, African and Salta atrás
Mestizo = Spanish and Indian
Morisco or Cuarterón = Spanish and Mulatto
Mulato = Spanish and African
Negro fino = African and Spanish
No te entiendo = Tente en el aire and Mulatta
Nometoques = Parts of many, including African
Pardo = Spanish, Indian, and African
Prieto = African and Spanish
Salta atrás/Tornatras = Spanish, African, and Albina
Sambahigo = Cambujo and Indian or Spanish and African
Spanish = Castiza and Spanish
Tente en el aire = Calpamulatto and Cambuja
Torna atrás = No te entiendo and Indian
Tresalvo = Spanish and African
Zambaigo = Lobo and Indian
Zambo = Indian and African
It was not until the late 19th century before other sects such as the Mennonites and other Protestant denominations began to establish themselves in Mexico. Their records are not easy to access. For more information about the various churches in Mexico, see the “Church History”, “Minorities”, and “History” sections of this outline.
Some church records have been lost or have deteriorated due to natural effects such as humidity and insects and more dramatic events such as fires, floods, and earthquakes. Civil and political strife have also caused the destruction of parish books. Some records were destroyed or damaged because of poor storage. However, many records that are considered lost or destroyed have simply been misplaced or misidentified.

Information Recorded in Church Registers
The type and amount of information and detail recorded in church books varied over time. Later records generally give more complete information than earlier ones. The most important church records for genealogical research are baptisms, marriage information, marriage, and burial registers. Other helpful church records include confirmations and church censuses.
Most records were recorded in Spanish. A few Catholic records were kept in Latin and other native Indian languages such as Mayan, Nahuatl, and Zoque. This will occur when the native populace is strong in an area.

Baptisms [bautismos]
Children were generally baptized within a few days of birth. Baptismal records usually give the infant’s place and date of baptism; name; status of legitimacy; and parents’, godparents’, and sometimes grandparents’ names. You may also find the child’s age, racial distinction and the family’s place of residence. If a child died within a few days of baptism, or if a child grew up and married, this information has sometimes been added as a note.

Marriage Information [información matrimonial]
The marriage information document can consist of several parts. It includes an introduction that states the intent of marriage and sometimes the date of the banns, which were opportunities for anyone to come forward and give any reasons why the couple should not be married. The marriage banns were announced on three separate occasions.
The marriage information document also includes personal information on the bride and groom such as their names, ages, marital status, place of residence, parents’ names, and sometimes birthplace and grandparents’ names. If this was a second marriage for one of them, the document gives the name of the deceased spouse and the length of time the spouse had been deceased. If one was from another parish, the documents from that person’s home parish showing good standing are enclosed. These documents can include baptismal records and indicate when the banns were published in another parish.
The marriage information documents may also show a dispensation (that is, exemption from restriction of marriage) for the fourth degree of blood relationship, indicating the that bride and groom were related. If this was the case, genealogical graphs and interesting biographical information about the families involved is included, sometimes giving you a line of ascent up to the common progenitors.
Following this information, two to four witnesses who testified of the good standing of the bride and groom are listed. Information may include the witnesses’ personal information and how long they knew the bride or groom. The witnesses may have been related to the bride or groom.
This marriage information document is sometimes three or four pages long. Generally a note at the end of the document lists the date of marriage if the couple were married or a note indicating they did not marry.

Marriages (matrimonios)
Marriage registers give the brides’ and grooms’ names and the date and place of marriage. Couples were generally married in the home parish of the bride. Marriage registers may also indicate whether the individuals were previously widowed. If they were widowed, the registers may give the name of the deceased spouse and how long the spouse had been deceased. If they were minors it is often noted whether a parent or other party gave permission for the marriage. The records also give the names of the witnesses and often include the brides’ and grooms’ age (typically girls married between the ages of 14 and 20, while men married in their 20s), residence, parent’s names, and sometimes birthplace. Marriage registers may also give the dates on which the marriage banns were announced.

Deaths, Burials (defunciones, entierros)
Burials were recorded in the church record of the parish where the person died. Death registers give the deceased person’s name, date and place of burial or death. Often the person’s age, place of residence, marital status, cause of death, and survivors are given. At times the priest noted if the person died testate, meaning he or she recorded a will. Occasionally the deceased person’s date and place of birth and parents’ names are given if the deceased was a minor. But early death registers failed to record much of this information and are not as complete as later death records. In most death records the women are recorded by their maiden name. In some records, if the woman had a surviving spouse, the spouse was named; if the deceased person was a widow, the deceased spouse may have been named.
If you cannot find a burial record from the late 1800s through 1930, check the civil registration death records.

Confirmation Registers (confirmaciones)
Confirmation records were not consistently recorded. Larger parishes usually maintained a separate book for confirmations, and smaller parishes intermingled confirmation entries with those for baptisms. Confirmations were normally performed by the bishop or his authorized representative when they managed to visit the parish. In some parishes, confirmations were performed every year, but in the smaller parishes where it was difficult for the bishop or his representative to visit, the confirmations would take place once every few years, explaining why records show that several members of the family were confirmed at the same time.
Confirmation entries normally include the name of the parish, the individual, the godparents, and sometimes the parents. The value of the confirmation record is primarily to identify the information found in other vital records.

Other Ecclesiastical Records
Many other records were kept by the Catholic Church that are valuable for genealogical research. These include:
• Censuses and Enrollments (Censos, Matrículas, Padrones). Ecclesiastical censuses and enrollments were taken periodically, sometimes listing complete families living within the parish, with their ages, place of residence, or place of origin. The information listed varies from census to census. There are parish, diocese, and archdiocese censuses, each including the families under their jurisdictions.
• Wills, Testaments, and Intestate (Testamentos e Intestados). These can contain a wealth of information. They may list offices, positions, and titles held by the deceased; their possessions; and names of spouses and children, with their ages and place of residence. These documents go back to the times of the earliest land records (encomiendas).
• Parish account books (libros de fábrica). Inventories of church property.
• Chaplaincies (Capellanías). Records of monetary and property grants to the church.
• Lawsuits (Pleitos). Records of property and privilege claims involving the church.
• Fraternal order books (Libros de Cofradías). Record books of lay societies that assisted in parish activities.

Inquisition Records (Registros de La Inquisicíon)
In 1480, Ferdinand and Isabella established the Inquisition in Spain. Through the Inquisition the Spanish Crown sought to achieve both religious unity and civil control throughout the empire. The Holy Office of the Inquisition was established throughout the Catholic world in order to prosecute heretics and religious criminals.
Because of the long Spanish struggle during the reconquest of Spain from the Moors, the Crown suspected non-Christians of conspiracy or plotting with foreign enemies. Spanish Jews and others of Jewish ancestry, as well as religious and political heretics, suffered from the campaigns of the Inquisition.
Under the Council of the Supreme Inquisition, headed by Tomás de Torquemada, Courts of the Holy Office were instituted throughout the Spanish empire. Those who aspired to serve as officials of the Inquisition were required to submit genealogical proof of their blood purity. Records of the council and the courts are housed in the Archivo Histórico Nacional in Madrid. These records include documents created by the court in Mexico
For information about aspirants to the Inquisition courts of Mexico, see:
Fernándes de Recas, Guillermo Sergio. Aspirantes Americanos a Cargos del Santo Oficio: Sus Genealogías Ascendientes (American Aspirants to Positions in the Holy Office: Their Genealogies). México, D.F.: Librería Manuel Porrúa, 1956. (FHL Book 972 D3fr; microfilm number 283553; computer number 0252908.)
One of the most valuable genealogical sections in the Inquisition records are the trial proceedings, which contain complete family information of the person being tried by the church. These individuals had to demonstrate their pure Hispanic-Catholic origin so they might be freed or have their sentence reduced. Two good references on these trials are:
ÍÍndice del Ramo de Ynquisción (Index to the Inquisition Branch). Archivo General de la Nación en México, D.F., 1978.3 vols in 2 vols. (FHL book Q 972 A5mi; microfilm 1149544 item 1–2, computer number 0071572.)
Inquisición. México. Procesos del Santo Oficio de México 1522–1820 (Proceeds of the Holy Office of Mexico 1522–1820). Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1952–1954. (On 322 FHL films beginning with 0034797; computer number 0207826.)

Locating Church Records
In Mexico, the Catholic Church keeps its records at different levels. The highest level of government in the Catholic Church is the archdiocese (arquidiócesis). There are three divisions under the archdiocese: prefectures (prefecturas), dioceses (diósesis), and apostolic vicarages (vicariatos apostólicos). The parishes (parroquias) are under the jurisdiction of the diocese. The parishes have jurisdiction over both vice-parishes (vice-parroquias) and chapelries (capillas foraneas). Parishes are local congregations that may include smaller villages within their boundaries. A large city may contain several parishes. All these jurisdictions have their own records.
In searching for your ancestors, you must know the town where they lived. You must also determine the parish to which your ancestor belonged. If the person came from a large city that had several parishes, you will need to know in what section of the town the person lived to determine to what parish your ancestor belonged. However, in a large city such as Mexico City or Monterrey you may find that even if you know the home parish there were times when the family would go to the cathedral or the parish of a relative in the same city for the baptism of a child. If you do not find the complete family in the home parish, search the surrounding parishes of the city. If your family lived in a very small village or ranch that did not have an established parish, you will need to check a map to determine which nearby town had a parish.
Parish boundary maps can be extremely helpful when determining what specific parish records to search. They can help you identify neighboring parishes if you need to search through the various parishes in a given region.

Protestantism in Mexico
Before the political reform in 1859, Protestantism could not flourish in Mexico because Catholicism was the only recognized religion. The introduction, implementation, and development of the reform that allowed religious tolerance was only possible because of political changes within the country.
Some Protestant activities did begin before the reform period. For example the Masonic movement first began in 1782 but remained small until 1821, when O’Donojú encouraged the institution. Most of its members were liberals. Dr. Manuel Codorniú began the publication El Sol which had a Scotch- Masonic influence. A York-Masonic group, supported by Joel R. Poinsett, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, was formed to champion the republic’s cause, and in three years there were 102 lodges. The Scotch rite was directed by Nicolas Bravo, and the York rite was directed by Vicente Bravo.
The activities of the Masons, small Protestant groups, minorities, the educated and liberal populace, and others in Mexico, along with the negative feelings associated with the government and the Maximillian period, contributed to the reform and the laws that brought about religious tolerance in Mexico.
From the time of the reform until the constitution of 1917, which was brought about by the revolution, there was a series of laws passed that promoted religious tolerance and curtailed the powers of the Catholic Church. Although the Catholic Church prospered during the period of Porfirio Díaz, the Protestant movement was also allowed to flourish.
In this political environment the Protestant religions began to prosper. The centers of greatest protestant growth were in the Federal District, Veracruz, Puebla, Tamaulipas, Chiapas, Tabasco, Nuevo León, and Coahuila. The Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, Jews, and Latter-day Saints (Mormons), and more recently the Pentecostal and Jehovah Witness religions had success. Following are approximate dates on which various denominations were introduced in Mexico prior to 1911:
1857 Episcopal Church
1861 Lutheran German Congregations
1862 National Baptist Convention
1871 Friends (Quakers) Church
1872 Congregational Church
1872 National Presbyterian Church
1873 Methodist Church
1878 Associated Reformed Presbyterian Church
1879 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)
1893 Seventh Day Adventist Church
1893 Church of God in Mexico
1893 Jehovah Witness
1895 Association of Christian Evangelical Churches
1895 Evangelical Church of Free Brethren
1902 Church of Christ (Instrumental)
1903 Nazareno Church
For additional information about some of the above-mentioned groups, see:
Chastain, James Garvin. Thirty Years in Mexico. El Paso, TX: Baptist Publishing House, 1972. (FHL book 972 K21c; computer number 0253378.)
Foster, H. Mannie. History of the Mormon Settlements in Mexico. Logan, UT: Utah State Agricultural College, 1955. (FHL film 0237849; computer number 0374656.)
Iglesia Nacional Presbiteriana de México. Centenario, 1872–1972 (Century, 1872–1972). Monterrey, N.L.: El Comité, 1973. (FHL book 972 K2i; computer number 011263.)
Tullis, F. LaMond. Mormons in Mexico: The Dynamics of Faith and Culture. Logan, UT: Utah StateUniversity Press, 1973. (FHL book 972 F2t; computer number 459836.)
Liebman, Seymour B. Los Judíos en México y América Central (The Jews in Mexico and Central America). México: D.F. Siglo Veintiuno Editores, 1971. (FHL book 972 F2li; computer number 0164793.)
“Protestantismo” (Protestantism). Enciclopedia de México (Encyclopedia of Mexico). (Ciudad de México: Enciclopedia de México) 1966–1976 vol.10: pp. 433–445. (FHL book 972 A5em; computer number 0149057.)

Church Record Inventories
A church record inventory lists available church records, the years they cover, and their location. Sometimes the inventories include information on which parishes served which towns at different times. Church record inventories are available for some areas in Mexico. Inventories of church records are listed in the Family History Library Catalog under:
MEXICO - CHURCH RECORDS- INVENTORIES, REGISTERS, CATALOGS
MEXICO, [STATE], [CITY]- CHURCH RECORDS- INVENTORIES, REGISTERS, CATALOGS
See the “Church Directories” section of this outline for more information.

Church Records at the Family History Library
The Family History Library has, on microfilm, most of the Mexican church records prior to 1930. This collection continues to grow as new records are microfilmed. The specific holdings are listed in the Family History Library Catalog. You can determine whether the library has records for the locality from which your ancestor came by checking the “Locality” section of the Family History Library Catalog. However, if a record has been destroyed or has not been microfilmed, the Family History Library does not have a copy; you will have to write to the parish for information.
To find church records in the Family History Library Catalog, look under:
MEXICO, [STATE], [TOWN]- CHURCH RECORDS
Search the name of the town where the parish was located, not necessarily the town where your ancestor lived. If the city has more than one parish, the catalog will list all parishes by name.
New records are continually being added to the Family History Library collection from numerous sources. Do not give up if records you need are not yet available. Check the Family History Library Catalog periodically for the records you need.

Records Not At the Family History Library
If the Family History Library does not have copies of the baptism, marriage, or death or burial records you need, you may contact or visit the local parish that has that information. Since Mexico has no single repository of church records, you must contact the appropriate parish. Write your requests in Spanish whenever possible. Information about how to write for genealogical information is given in the Spanish Letter Writing Guide (36245).
When requesting information by mail, send:
• A check or cash for the search fee, which is usually $10.00.
• The full name and the sex of the person sought.
• The names of the ancestor’s parents, if known.
• The approximate date and place of the event about which you want information.
• Your relationship to the person.
• The reason for the request (family history, medical history, and so on.)
• A request for a photocopy of the complete original record.
If your request for information is unsuccessful, search for duplicate records that may have been filed in other archives or civil registration offices.

Search Strategies
To effectively use church records, follow these steps:
1. Search for the relative or ancestor you have selected. When you find his or her baptismal record, search for the baptisms of that person’s brothers and sisters.
2. Search for the marriage of his or her parents. The marriage record will often lead to the parents’ baptismal records.
3. Estimate the parents’ ages and search for their baptismal records.
4. Repeat the process for both the father and mother.
5. If earlier generations are not in the record, search neighboring parishes.
6. Search the death registers for all family members.