Spain, Province of Cádiz, Municipal Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Record
España, Provincia de Cádiz, Registros Municipales

Record Description
This collection includes civil registration records, censuses, military records, and other miscellaneous records, including nobility records (hidalguías), for the cities and towns of the province of Cádiz, Spain for the years 1784-1956.

The records are in Spanish; see the section "For Help Reading these Records" for access to translation helps.

The collection is being published as images become available.

This collection includes civil registration, census, military and hidalguías (nobility) records in the cities and parishes of Arcos de la Frontera, Bornos, Cádiz, Espera, Gilbratar, Jerez de la Frontera, Medina Sidonia, Puerto de Santa María, Puerto Real, Rota, San Fernando, Tarifa, Vejer de la Frontera, Villamartín.

For additional details about the history of these records and help using them, see the wiki article Spain, Municipal Records (FamilySearch Historical Records).

Record Content
The information in each record varies by year.

Civil Registration
Civil registration includes birth, marriage, and death records.

Birth records generally include the following information:


 * Child's name and gender
 * Place and date of birth
 * Parents’ names
 * Parents' country of birth (if not more specific)

Marriage records may include the following:


 * Names and ages of groom and bride
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Birthplaces of groom and bride
 * Marital status of groom and bride
 * Names and ages of groom’s parents
 * Names and ages of bride’s parents
 * Who performed the marriage
 * Names of witnesses

Death records usually include:


 * Deceased's name, and age (keep in mind that death records for women may be filed under their married name)
 * Date and place of death
 * Date and place of birth
 * Marital status/spouse's name
 * Names of parents
 * Birthplaces of parents
 * Name of informant
 * Burial date and place

Census Records
Censuses usually contain the following information:


 * Names of household members
 * Ages
 * Birth dates of each household member
 * Relationship of each household member to the head of the household
 * Residence
 * Nationality or place of origin

Military Records
Draft registrations generally include:


 * Name and age of draftee
 * Birth date and place
 * Closest relation and residence
 * Date and place of registration
 * Names of parents
 * Current military position (e.g., soldier or reserve)

Nobility Records
Proofs of nobility may include the following:


 * Name of principal noble
 * His ancestry as far back as required by law to prove such nobility
 * Immediate family members living and deceased
 * His residence
 * His titles and recognitions
 * Titles and recognitions of noble blood ancestors

How to Use the Record
Some record sets have indexes; these indexes were created at the end of the year. Copy errors could have been made in the index, so you want to find the actual record to verify the information is correct. Using the index is a helpful way to find the actual record.

See the sections below for tips and uses for searching and finding the record of your ancestor in this collection and using the information in the record.

If you are unable to find a record for your ancestor in this collection, see the corresponding section below.

When searching: As you are searching, it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor’s given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence and age, and family relationships.

Search the Collection
To search 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 look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

To search by image: To search the collection, you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select the "City or Municipality" ⇒Select the "Parish" ⇒Select the "Record Type and Years" which takes you to 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 wiki articles:
 * Spanish Genealogical Word List
 * Reading Spanish handwritten records
 * Script tutorial for Spanish

Using the Information

 * Use the marriage date and place as the basis for compiling a new family group or for verifying existing information.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth of each partner to find a couple's birth records and parents' names.
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate church records Spain Catholic Church Records (FamilySearch Historical Records).
 * Use the parents' birth places to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family.
 * The name of a marriage officiator is a clue to their religion or area of residence in the province. However, ministers may have reported marriages performed in other provinces.
 * Compile the marriage entries for every person who has the same surname as the bride or groom; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Use the marital status (whether a divorce or death dissolved a marriage) to identify previous marriages.
 * Witnesses often were relatives of the parents.

Tips to Keep in Mind
Remember that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.

When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

For death records, the information in records is usually reliable, but depends upon the knowledge of the informant.

Regarding marriage and death records, name changes, shortened names, or nicknames may have been used by your ancestors, so pay attention to other relationships (parents, spouse, siblings, children, etc.) that can confirm whether you have the right person/record.

Continue to search the marriage records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the bride and groom who may have married in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.

Continue to search the indexes and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have lived in the same area or a nearby area.

Unable to Find your Ancestor?
A boundary change could have occurred that changed where records were kept. If you are unable to find your ancestor(s) in these civil registers, then try searching in the areas surrounding Cádiz.

Church records are also a good substitute when birth, marriage, and death records can’t be found or are unavailable.


 * Spain Baptisms
 * Spain Catholic Church Records
 * Spain Catholic Church Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Or your ancestor immigrated to another country. Search the records of nearby areas or immigration/emigration records:

Spain Emigration and Immigration

Known Issues with This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached Wiki 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.

Related Websites

 * Researching Spanish Ancestors
 * Hispanic Genealogy Directory
 * Galicia Genealogy Websites Website is in English.
 * Hispanic Genealogy Blog is written in English.
 * Blog de Genealogía Hispaña Blog is written in Spanish.
 * Genealogía Española-España GenWeb Website is in Spanish.

The following is a link to a research outline for Spain: Spain Research Outline It contains information about tracing a family through local records, a letter-writing guide for genealogical requests and their Spanish translations, Spanish and Latin word lists, a list of archives and genealogical societies, and a list of books available at the Family History Library.

Related Wiki Articles

 * Spain Baptisms (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Spain Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Spain Deaths (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Spain, Catastro de Ensenada (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Spain, Consular Records of Emigrants (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Spain, Records of Widows and Orphans of Spanish Officers (FamilySeach Historical Records)
 * Spain Archives
 * Spain Census
 * Spain Civil Registration - Vital Records
 * Spain Military Records
 * Cádiz
 * Spain

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually.

Collection citation:

Record citation (or citation for the index entry):

Image citation: