Module 2 — Filiaciones and Service Records

What filiaciones (enlistment records) contain, field by field — name, birthplace, parents' names, physical description, occupation — where they are held, and how to request them.

Intermediate

Part of the Spanish Colonial Military Records course.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this module, you will:

Know every standard field in a filiación and its genealogical significance
Understand what the physical description fields record and how to interpret them
Know the difference between a filiación and an officer’s hoja de servicio
Know where filiaciones are held and how to begin searching for one

2.1 What Is a Filiación?

A filiación (plural: filiaciones) is the enlistment record created when a man joined the colonial militia. It was intended to serve two purposes: to document the individual for military administration, and to allow the military to identify deserters by their physical description. For genealogists, it is a windfall: a standardized biographical document that records family information that appears nowhere else in the colonial record system.

Filiaciones were created throughout the militia system, from the late 17th century onward, with the most consistent production during the 18th and 19th centuries following the Bourbon reforms. Every man who formally enlisted in the provincial militia — white or Pardo — should in principle have a filiación. In practice, survival is uneven.

2.2 The Fields of a Filiación

A standard filiación contains the following fields. The Spanish term appears in quotation marks as it would appear in the document.

Identification

Nombre (name): The soldier’s full name, including both surnames in the Spanish pattern (paternal surname + maternal surname). Aliases (alias or por otro nombre) are noted when known.

Naturaleza (origin/birthplace): The municipality and sometimes the specific barrio where the soldier was born. This is one of the most valuable fields for genealogists. “Natural de Rincón” means born in Rincón. “Natural de Mayagüez, barrio Río Hondo” is even more specific.

Vecindad (residence): Where the soldier currently lived at the time of enlistment, if different from his birthplace.

Filiación (parentage, in the narrow sense): The names of the soldier’s father and mother, including the mother’s maiden surname. This field is often labeled “hijo de” (son of) followed by the father’s name and “y de” followed by the mother’s name. Some records also note whether the parents were living or deceased at the time of enlistment.

Estado civil (marital status): Single (soltero), married (casado), or widowed (viudo). If married, the wife’s name and often her parents’ names are recorded.

Oficio (occupation): The soldier’s trade or occupation before military service. Common entries include labrador (farmer), jornalero (day laborer), carpintero (carpenter), sastre (tailor).

Physical Description

The physical description (señas particulares or filiación física) was the primary identification tool before photography. Fields include:

Estatura (height): Recorded in feet and inches of the old Castilian measure, or later in centimeters. Typical entries read “5 pies, 4 pulgadas” (about 5 feet 4 inches by modern measure).

Pelo (hair): Color and texture. Common entries: negro (black), castaño (brown), rubio (blond), cano (gray), liso (straight), rizado (curly).

Ojos (eyes): Color. Common entries: negros (dark/black), pardos (brown/hazel), azules (blue), verdes (green).

Cejas (eyebrows): Color, often matching hair.

Barba (beard): Color or ninguna (none) for younger men.

Color (complexion): This field requires careful reading. In colonial-era Puerto Rico it was not simply about skin tone but carried racial classification meaning. Common entries include blanco (white), pardo (brown/mixed), moreno (dark), trigueño (wheat-colored, olive-toned), negro. The entry in this field and in the unit designation together can indicate whether your ancestor served in the white militia or the Pardo Militia.

Nariz (nose): Shape descriptors such as regular, chata (flat), aguileña (aquiline/hooked).

Boca (mouth): Usually regular or noting specific features.

Señas particulares (distinguishing marks): Scars, birthmarks, tattoos, missing fingers, etc. This field can be genealogically useful if other records mention an identifying feature.

Service Data

Fecha de filiación (date of enlistment): Day, month, and year the record was created.

Regimiento/Batallón/Compañía: The unit the soldier was assigned to.

Edad (age): Age at enlistment. Note that ages in colonial records are often approximations and may not match a baptismal record precisely. A two- to five-year discrepancy is common; over five years warrants attention.

Research note on age discrepancies: If a filiación gives an age that conflicts sharply with a baptismal record, do not immediately discard either source. Men sometimes underreported age to meet enlistment minimums; others overreported to seem more experienced. Evaluate both records using the Three-Layer Framework before drawing conclusions.

2.3 Officer Service Records: Hojas de Servicio

Officers (capitán, teniente, alférez, sargento mayor) had a more elaborate document called a hoja de servicio (service sheet). These were compiled annually and contain:

A complete career history: every unit, promotion, campaign, and period of service
The same biographical data as a filiación (naturaleza, parents, marital status)
Evaluations by superior officers (calificaciones): noting conduct, valor, physical fitness, and theoretical military knowledge
Family data: wife’s name and family; children’s names and ages in some cases

Hojas de servicio are held at the Archivo General Militar de Segovia, filed alphabetically by surname within the officer class. If your ancestor reached any officer rank — including non-commissioned officer (sargento, cabo) — there may be a hoja de servicio in addition to or instead of a filiación.

Pardo Militia note: Pardo Militia officers also had hojas de servicio, filed separately from white militia officer records at Segovia. The unit designation (Pardos y Morenos) in the file header identifies them.

2.4 What Filiaciones Cannot Tell You

Knowing the limits of filiaciones prevents over-reliance on a single source:

No event dates: Filiaciones record the enlistment date, not the soldier’s birth date, marriage date, or death date. For those events, you still need church or civil records.
Children not routinely listed: Unlike census records, filiaciones typically do not list children’s names. The wife’s name may appear, but children are usually absent unless the soldier was claiming family hardship for a discharge request.
Accuracy not guaranteed: The age, birthplace, and even name may be inaccurate if the soldier gave false information at enlistment.
Not every militiaman has one: Survival is incomplete. Absence of a filiación does not confirm that a man never served.

2.5 Where Filiaciones Are Held

Archivo General Militar de Segovia

The primary repository for Puerto Rico colonial military filiaciones is the Archivo General Militar de Segovia in Segovia, Spain. This archive holds the bulk of the official militia records sent to Spain during and after the colonial period.

At Segovia, filiaciones are organized by unit (regiment, battalion, company) and within units by surname. Finding aids are available at the archive itself; some partial indexes exist in published genealogical literature on Puerto Rico.

Access: Segovia does not offer online access to individual records. Researchers can visit in person (by appointment) or submit a research request remotely. Module 4 covers the request process in full detail.

Archivo General de Puerto Rico

The Archivo General de Puerto Rico (AGPR) in San Juan holds militia records that were retained on the island, particularly for locally organized units. Holdings include some filiaciones, muster rolls, and administrative correspondence for 18th- and 19th-century companies.

AGPR also holds some Pardo Militia records that were maintained separately on the island rather than sent to Segovia.

Access: Physical visit to San Juan is required for most AGPR holdings. Staff can respond to written research inquiries. See Module 4 for contact information.

What’s Next

Module 3 covers muster rolls and inspection records: how to use them alongside filiaciones to reconstruct a soldier’s service timeline.

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