Mexico, Durango, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection of parish records from Durango includes records for the years 1604-1985.

Reading These Records
Example: These records are in Spanish. For assistance with the Spanish language, see the section For Help Reading These Records.

What Can These Records Tell Me?

 * Baptism
 * Marriage
 * Death

Collection Content
Baptismal records generally include the following information:


 * Date of death and/or burial
 * Event place (most always the parish saint name)
 * Name of the deceased person
 * Parents and/or spouse, if the person was married
 * Age of the deceased person
 * Place of origin and/or residence of the deceased
 * Legitimacy
 * In some registers the race

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Your ancestor's given name and surname
 * Identifying information such as residence
 * Estimated marriage birth or death date

To search the collection by index: Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to find your ancestor.

View the Images
(Choose one or the other of “View the Images”) View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select City or Town
 * 2) Select Parish
 * 3) Select Record Type and Years to view the images.

Search the collection by image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

For Help Reading These Records
These records are in Spanish. For help reading the records, see the following resources:
 * Mexico Language and Languages
 * Spanish Genealogical Word List
 * BYU Spanish Script Tutorial
 * FamilySearch Learning Center videos:
 * Reading Spanish Handwritten Records, Lesson 1
 * Reading Spanish Handwritten Records, Lesson 2
 * Reading Spanish Handwritten Records, Lesson 3

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use the information to find more. For instance, use the age listed in the record to estimate a year of birth, if that is yet undetermined
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth to find the family in 1930, Mexico National Census
 * Compile information for every person who has the same surname as your ancestor; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?
New information is constantly being indexed, microfilmed or updated. Periodically check back to see if your ancestor’s records have been added. You can see if the area you’ve been looking in has been recently updated by going to Historical Records Collections. Watch for an asterisk for recently added or updated records.
 * Consult the Mexico Record Finder to find other records.
 * Check for variants of given names, surnames, and place names. Transcription errors could occur in any handwritten record; also, it was not uncommon for an individual be listed under a nickname or an abbreviation of their name. Click here for a list of Spanish name abbreviations
 * Try looking through records in the surrounding localities. Sinaloa is to the west, Chihuahua to the north, Coahuila to the northeast, Zacatecas to the southeast, and Nayarit to the south.

Known Issues with This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org]. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.

"Mexico, Durango, Catholic Church Records, 1604-1985." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : accessed 14 June 2016. Parroquias Católicas, Durango (Catholic Church parishes, Durango).
 * Collection Citation:

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