Guatemala, Ciudad de Guatemala, Census, 1877 (FamilySearch Historical Records)

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Guatemala
Ciudad de Guatemala
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Guatemala, Ciudad de Guatemala, Census, 1877
CID1648736
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This article describes a collection of records at FamilySearch.org.
Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
Flag of Guatemala.svg.png
Flag of the Republic of Guatemala
GT Locator Map Guatemala City, Guatemala.png
Location of Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
LOC Guatemala in Central America and the Caribbean.png
Location of Guatemala
Record Description
Record Type: Census
Collection years: 1877
Language: Spanish
Title in the Language: Catastro y Censo General de la Ciudad de Guatemala de 1877
FamilySearch Resources
Related Websites


What is in This Collection?

This collection of census enumerations of the city of Guatemala was taken in 1877.

The census enumeration pages are written in Spanish on ledger-style forms with columns. The genealogical information found in the census includes: name and surname, age at the time of the census, marital status, occupation, origin, gender, literacy and religion. The census is divided by canton.

This census covers only the city of Guatemala, which at the time contained the majority of the country’s population. The census was taken by regular citizens, therefore, there may be some errors in the spelling or data, as they recorded the information while the questions were answered verbally. The census enumerations are handwritten on ledger-style, legal-sized forms. The column headings at the top of the page are printed on the forms.

The census was taken to identify the living population, their education, origin, and social groups.

The census is a reliable source for statistical information. Some of the genealogical information that is not found in other records can be used to help research the exact vital data. Some data found in the census may also not be in the vital records.

Reading These Records

These records are written in Spanish. For help reading these records see the following guides:

If you speak Spanish, the following free online lesson may be helpful to learn how to use the information in these records:

To Browse This Collection

You can browse through images in this collection by visiting the browse page for Guatemala, Ciudad de Guatemala, Census, 1877.

What Can These Records Tell Me?

Census enumeration schedules generally contain the following information:

  • Complete locality including the canton, street, house number, block number, and parish name
  • Given name and surname of each individual living in each house or property
  • Name of the head of household
  • Age of each individual
  • Marital status or civil status
  • Occupation of each individual
  • Birthplace of each individual
  • Gender of the adults: male or female
  • Gender of the children: boys or girls
  • Whether an individual knows how to write
  • Mental or physical disabilities
  • Religion
  • Race: whites, Indians (natives), mixed (mulatto)

Collection Content

Sample Image

  • 1877 Census record

How Do I Search This Collection?

You can search the index or view the images or both. Before using this collection it is helpful to know:

  • Your ancestor's given name and surname
  • Identifying information such as residence
  • Estimated marriage or birth year
  • Family relationships

Search the Index

Search by name by visiting the Collection Page.
  1. Fill in the search boxes on the Collection Page with the information you have
  2. Click Search to show possible matches

View the Images

View images in this collection by visiting the Browse Page:

  1. Select Department
  2. Select City
  3. Select Parish
  4. Select Canton
  5. Select Record Type and Years to view the images.


Tip
 More images are available in the FamilySearch Catalog at Guatemala, Ciudad de Guatemala, Census, 1877. Some catalog records link to multiple references. In this case, click on a reference to find a camera icon to see images.

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.

What Do I Do Next?

Census records are especially valuable to quickly identify a family group, their residence, and the birthplace for each person along with their ages, which may help to search for other record types. These records can provide information about persons where church and civil records may be incomplete. However, use the information with caution, since it may contain inaccuracies. The informant (perhaps a member of the family or a neighbor) may have not known the facts or deliberately falsified the information.

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

  • Use the age, residence and names of the parents to locate other church and civil records
  • 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

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

  • 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
  • Civil registration records are also a good source of genealogical information. You should obtain copies of both church records and civil registration, when possible, since they do not necessarily provide the same information. For example, baptismal registers sometimes provide the names of the fathers of illegitimate children when the civil registration does not
  • There may be more than one person with the same name
  • You ancestor may be using a nickname or alias
  • Your ancestor may have immigrated to another country. Search the records of nearby countries or immigration/emigration records
  • Hispanic Genealogy Research community on Facebook is a page sponsored by FamilySearch and here you may also post a question or upload an image of a document for further assistance.
  • Investigación Genealógica en Guatemala is another FamilySearch research community page on Facebook where you can post questions and upload images of documents. The majority of the posts on this page are in Spanish but you are welcome to post on the page in English. Be sure to click like on the page on

Record Finder

Consult the Guatemala Record Finder to find other records

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.

Collection Citation
"Guatemala, Ciudad de Guatemala, Census, 1877." Database with Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Archivo General de Centro America, Guatemala (Central American Archives, Guatemala).
Record Citation:
When looking at a record, the citation is found below the record.
Image Citation:
When looking at an image, the citation is found on the Information tab at the bottom left of the screen.

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How Can I Contribute to the FamilySearch Wiki?

We welcome user additions to FamilySearch Historical Records wiki articles. We are looking for additional information that will help readers understand the topic and better use the available records. We also need translations for collection titles and images in articles about records written in languages other than English. For specific needs, please visit WikiProject FamilySearch Records.

Please follow these guidelines as you make changes. Thank you for any contributions you may provide.


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