|
Latin America Research Outline |
|
Table of Contents
Introduction
Using This Outline
Latin American Search Strategies
Records At The Family History Library
The Family History Library Catalog
Map Of Central America
Map Of South America
Archives And Libraries
Archives In Spain
Latin American Archives
Biography
Family Information
Compiled Biographies
Cemeteries
Locating Cemeteries And Cemetery Records
Census
Church Records
Information Recorded In Church Registers
Inquisition Records
Locating Church Records
Search Strategies
Civil Registration
Information Recorded In Civil Registers
Locating Civil Registration Records
Emigration And Immigration
Finding The Immigrant's Town Of Origin
Locating Emigration Records
Gazetteers
Genealogy
Family Histories
Compiled Genealogies
Major Databases And Collections
History
Historical Chronology
Calendar Changes
Historical Geography
Local Histories
Land And Property
Language And Languages
Language Aids
Maps
Using Maps
Locating Maps And Atlases
Military Records
Types Of Military Records
Locating Military Records
Names, Personal
Native Races
Racial Terminology
Nobility
Untitled Nobility [Hidalgos/Fidalgos]
Titled Nobility [Nobleza/nobreza]
Military And Fraternal Orders[Ordenes Militares And Cofradías/Confraternidades]
Notarial Records
Periodicals
Probate Records
Societies
Other Records
For Further Reading
Comments And Suggestions
NOBILITY Most Latin American families descend from common people, laborers, farmers, and others not necessarily considered nobility. Therefore, most families will not find information about their ancestors in the records of the nobility.
However, some families do have noble ancestry, particularly of the untitled nobility. An abundance of family history information is available for those who descend from Spanish and Portuguese nobility. Archives in Spain and Portugal, as well as in Latin America, hold a vast collection of documents that provide insight into the lives and families of the Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin American nobility.
Spanish hidalgos (or hijos de algo) and Portuguese fidalgos (or filhos de algo), meaning “sons of status,” were untitled nobles by lineage. The Iberian nobility originated during the time of the Spanish reconquest of the peninsula from the Moors (about 700–1492). Those who were leaders or who were especially valiant in the early days of the campaign were awarded hidalgo status. Many original hidalgos came from the northern Spanish provinces of Guipúzcoa and Vizcaya.
In later generations, in order to prove nobility [hidalguía] individuals needed to show their noble lineage back to their great-grandparents. The status of hidalgo did not necessarily mean wealth; indeed, there were those who were laborers and shopkeepers. But hidalgos were entitled to the inherent social and legal rights of the nobility.
Hidalguía records include—
Most national archives in Spain have records relating to hidalgos. The archives of the Chancillería de Valladolid (in Valladolid) and the Chancillería de Ciudad Real (in Granada) have special sections for court records of hidalgos. Hidalgos customarily went before royal chancery courts to establish their nobility. The hidalgos section of the archive in Valladolid is indexed in:
Basanta de la Riva, Alfredo. Sala de los Hidalgos, Catálogo de Todos los Pleitos y Expedientes y Probanzas (The Hidalgo Room, Catalog of Proceedings and Proofs). Madrid: Ediciones Hidalguía, 1955–56. (FHL book 946 D53b.)
Spanish and Portuguese monarchs awarded titles of nobility throughout the history of the peninsula. The honors and titles granted include—
Originally, titles were granted for meritorious service to crown and country. Eventually, titles were sold as a means for raising funds for the Crown. Also, titled nobles could avoid military obligations to the king by paying a media anta, half the annual salary of an officer.
The Council of the Chamber of Castile managed the granting of Spanish nobility titles in Castile until 1708. The Council of the Chamber of Aragon did the same in Aragon until 1707, when the Castilian council took over the management of titles for both councils.
Records of the granting of nobility titles are found in the Archivo General de Simancas in the sections entitled “Grants” [Mercedes], “Privileges” [Privilegios], “Sales” [Ventas], and “Confirmations” [Confirmaciones]. The records in this archive are described in:
Plaza Bores, Angel de la. Archivo General de Simancas: Guía del Investigador (General Archive of Simancas: Researcher's Guide). Madrid: Ministerio de Cultura, 1980. (FHL book 946.23/S1 A3p.)
Records of the titled nobility of Spain are described in:
Atienza, Julio de. Nobiliario Español: Diccionario Heráldico de Apellidos Españoles y de Títulos Nobilarios (Spanish Nobility: Heraldic Dictionary of Spanish Surnames and Titles of Nobility). Madrid: M. Aguilar, 1948. (FHL book 946 D67a; film 1181816, item 1.)
For additional information about Spanish and Latin American nobility, see:
Ryskamp, George R. Tracing Your Hispanic Heritage. Hispanic Family History Research, c1984, pp. 633–682. (FHL book 946 D27r.)
Information about the Portuguese nobility who resided in Brazil from 1808 to 1822 (when the Portuguese royal court had been transferred to Rio de Janeiro) may be found in:
Baena e Farinha, Augusto Romano Sanches de. Diccionário da Casa Real, Médicos, Reposteiros e Porteiros da Real Câmara, Títulos e Cartas do Conselho: Fiel Extracto dos Livros do Registro das Mercês Existentes no Archivo Público do Rio de Janeiro, Desde 1808 até Septembro 1822 (Dictionary of the Royal House, Doctors, Chamberlains, and Doormen of the Royal Chamber, Titles and Letters of the Council: Faithful Extract of Record Books of the Titles Found in the Public Archive of Rio de Janeiro, from 1808 to September 1822). Lisboa: Panorama, 1867. (FHL book 946.9 D5s; film 0599686, item 2.)
After Brazil gained independence from Portugal in 1823, a Brazilian monarchy was instituted that lasted until 1889. The nobility was a significant feature of Brazilian society throughout the nineteenth century. For more information see:
Cunha, Rui Vieira da. Estudo da Nobreza Brasileira (Study of the Brazilian Nobility). Rio de Janeiro: s.n., 1966. (FHL book 981 D55e; film 0962230, item 5.)
Records of the Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin American nobility may be found in the Family History Library Catalog under:
During the era of the Crusades (1100–1450), military orders of chivalry were established among the Spanish nobility. The orders were organized to provide a fraternal religious life and were dedicated to the reconquest of Spain and the protection of pilgrimages to the Holy Land. These orders functioned under the direction of the Pope, independent of other ecclesiastical or civil authority. However, as the orders grew in wealth and power, they came into conflict with the Spanish Crown. By 1587 most of the orders fell under the control of the monarch. The original purpose of the orders was defeated, and the orders became honorary in nature.
Membership in the military orders was restricted to persons of hidalgo status. To prove this status, a person was required to submit a documented genealogy of the previous three generations of his family. These records are now housed mainly in the Archivo Histórico Nacional in Madrid. (The records of the order of San Juan de Jerusalén are collected in the Archivo de la Corona de Aragón.)
Latin American members of Spanish military orders are listed in:
Lohmann Villena, Guillermo. Los Americanos en Las Ordenes Nobilarias (1529–1900) (Americans in Military Orders (1529–1900)). Madrid: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Instituto Gonzalo Fernándes de Oviedo, 1957. (FHL book 980 D5L.)
For information about Portuguese military orders in colonial Brazil, especially during the campaigns of the Dutch War, see:
Franco, Francisco de Assis Carvalho. Nobiliário Colonial: Fidalgos da Casa Real e Cavaleiros do Hábito das Ordens Militares Com Serviços Prestados no Brasil, Principalmente na Guerra Holandesa (Colonial Nobility: Nobles of the Royal House and Knights of Military Orders with Service Offered in Brazil, Principally in the Dutch War). São Paulo: Instituto Genealógico Brasileiro, 1942. (FHL book 981 D5f; film 0823692, item 4.)
Public notaries and scribes in Latin America recorded a great variety of legal documents. Spanish law governed the maintenance of these notarial registers [protocolos The types of records found in notarial books include—
Notarial records are more difficult to use than other records because of their varied nature, length, and complexity. But they offer detail and information not available in other sources and may provide important clues about the family, residence, and economic status of an ancestor.
Notarial books remained in the possession of the notary until he was relieved of duty or died. Occasionally the books were retained by the family of the notary and passed down from generation to generation. More frequently the records were passed on to the notary's successor or deposited in the local notarial archive or general state or provincial archive. Thus, notarial registers can be found in local, state, and provincial archives, and may also be found in national archives. The records are usually listed under the name of the notary.
For additional information about notarial records, see the following books:
Platt, Lyman De. Genealogical Historical Guide to Latin America. Detroit: Gale Research Co., c1978, pp. 7–9. (FHL book 980 D27p.)
Ryskamp, George R. Tracing Your Hispanic Heritage. Riverside, Calif.: Hispanic Family History Research, c1984, pp. 431–495. (FHL book 946 D27r.)
Notarial records may be found in the Family History Library Catalog under:
A periodical is a magazine, newsletter, or journal published on a regular basis. Many Latin American historical and genealogical societies publish periodicals containing family history studies and information about the societies. (See the “Societies” section of this outline.) These periodicals often contain the following:
Collections of genealogical periodicals are often available in local libraries. Issues can also be obtained from the publishing societies. Some of these publications are indexed. Occasionally special issues contain indexes for the previous year or period of years.
An example of a Latin American periodical is:
Revista Genealógica Latina (Latin American Genealogical Journal). São Paulo: Federação dos Institutos Genealógicos Latinos, 1949–. (FHL book 981 B2g; films 0,599,860–862; 0,599,699; 0,973,037.)
This journal features articles about records, genealogical research, and Latin American genealogy. The text is in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, or German.
An example of a periodical published in the United States is:
Hispanic Genealogical Journal. Houston: The Hispanic Genealogical Society of Houston, 1981–. (FHL book 976.41411 B2hg.)
This journal includes articles on Hispanic genealogical research. It also includes indexes and transcriptions of original records.
Some of these historical and genealogical periodicals have been collected by the Family History Library and are available on microfilm or microfiche. If you know the title of the periodical you want, look for it in the Author/Title section of the Family History Library Catalog. If you do not know the title of a periodical, you can check the Locality section of the catalog by looking under one of the following:
Wills [testamentos A will usually indicates the executors of the estate. Typically the executors were the spouse or the children of the deceased, along with an associate of the family or a prominent member of the village or town, such as the parish priest. The will may name the heirs of the deceased.
Death records often show whether a deceased person left a will. Wills were typically left by those who had some degree of prosperity and who were concerned about the distribution and inheritance of their possessions. Most people did not leave a will, usually because they lacked sufficient means to justify a will or its expense.
In Latin American countries, wills sometimes appear with death records recorded by the Catholic church. Parish priests who recorded deaths within the local parish occasionally used some of the pages in the register to record the wills of the deceased. Some parish death records include specific sections for recorded wills.
Sometimes the entries in the Locality portion of the Family History Library Catalog indicate that death records include wills. When there are many wills recorded in the death records, or when the wills are recorded in a specific section of the parish death register, a specific entry is found in the Family History Library Catalog under:
A number of Latin American historical and genealogical societies exist that may help you with your research. In most countries, groups have been organized to research family and local history and to preserve cultural heritage. They collect historical documents of local interest, publish periodicals, and may promote special genealogical projects.
Membership in some societies is based on lineal descent from ancestors who—
These societies are generally involved in educational, cultural, social, and other programs to preserve the documents and memories of the past. They often maintain libraries and museums that may help you in your research.
Whenever possible, you should contact those societies that exist in areas or countries where you have a research interest. You may find it helpful to join one of these societies and support their efforts. Your local library should be able to help you locate the historical or genealogical society you need.
There are many societies in the United States dedicated to Hispanic and Latin American genealogy. For example:
Bentley, Elizabeth Petty. The Genealogist's Address Book. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1995. (FHL book 973 D24ben 1995.)
Records about Latin American historical and genealogical societies, or about periodicals published by these societies, may be found in the Family History Library Catalog under:
Previous Document Next Document
©1998, 2001 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.
No part of this document may be reprinted, posted on-line, or reproduced in any form for any purpose without the prior written permission of the copyright holder. FamilySearch is a trademark of Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Untitled Nobility [Hidalgos/Fidalgos]
] and purity of blood reports [limpiezas de sangre]. These reports served as proof of nobility so that the hidalgo might join a noble fraternal order or obtain a government position. These reports are available in local municipal archives in Spain and Portugal, as well as in archives in major Latin American colonial capitals such as Mexico City and Lima. For information about how to contact these archives, see the “Archives and Libraries” section of this outline.
Titled Nobility [Nobleza/Nobreza]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
Spanish Records
Portuguese and Brazilian Records
[COUNTRY] - NOBILITY
Military and Fraternal Orders
[Ordenes Militares and Cofradías/Confraternidades]
Return to top of page
NOTARIAL RECORDS
or notarios] by establishing forms for the information entered. The practice of keeping notarial records persisted in Latin American countries after they gained independence from Spain. At this point, indexing the records became more common.
].
].
].
].
].
[COUNTRY], [STATE or PROVINCE], [CITY OR TOWN] - NOTARIAL RECORDS
Return to top of page
PERIODICALS
Records at the Family History Library
[COUNTRY] - GENEALOGY - PERIODICALS[COUNTRY] - HERALDRY - PERIODICALS[COUNTRY] - SOCIETIES - PERIODICALS
Return to top of page
PROBATE RECORDS
] are documents created before a person's death that relate to the distribution of the estate to heirs or creditors, as well as to the care of any dependents. Wills may contain an abundance of interesting family information that is perhaps not available elsewhere.
Records at the Family History Library
[COUNTRY], [STATE or PROVINCE], [CITY or TOWN] - PROBATE RECORDS
Wills were also recorded by public notaries in Latin America and are found in notarial record books [protocolos]. For more information about notarial records, see the “Notarial Records” section of this outline. Wills recorded in notarial records may be found in the Family History Library Catalog under one of the following:
[COUNTRY], [STATE or PROVINCE], [CITY or TOWN] - PROBATE RECORDS[COUNTRY], [STATE or PROVINCE], [CITY or TOWN] - NOTARIAL RECORDS
Return to top of page
SOCIETIES
Hispanic Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 810561
Houston, TX 77281-0561
Publishes: Hispanic Genealogical Journal
Institute of Genealogy and History for Latin America
For additional societies and information, see:
P.O. Box 169
Fairview, UT 84629
[COUNTRY] - SOCIETIES[COUNTRY], [STATE or PROVINCE] - SOCIETIES[COUNTRY] - SOCIETIES - PERIODICALS[COUNTRY], [STATE or PROVINCE] - SOCIETIES - PERIODICALS
[FamilySearchTM: Research Guidance
Version of Data: 6/9/2001]