Puerto Rican Genealogy Resources
A curated collection of archives, databases, and tools for researching Puerto Rican ancestry.
Getting Started & Research Guides
New to Puerto Rican genealogy? These guides will help you plan your research and understand what records are available.
Archives & Official Repositories
Digital Collections & Databases
Genealogical Societies & Organizations
| Resource |
Description |
| Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Genealogía (SPG) |
Genealogy society based in San Juan, Puerto Rico. SPG hosts monthly conferences, workshops, and cultural visits. Events are shared on their Facebook group and YouTube channel. Members receive two annual editions of Hereditas, a journal featuring genealogical research articles, parish record compilations, and municipal archive transcriptions. |
| Puerto Rican Genealogy Northwest |
Groups.io mailing list for Puerto Rican genealogy researchers. |
| National Genealogical Society – Genealogy Courses |
Self-paced online genealogy courses for beginners through advanced researchers, covering research methods, documentation standards, DNA, land records, and specialized topics. |
| Asociación de Corsos de Puerto Rico |
Organization dedicated to preserving and researching Corsican heritage in Puerto Rico. Particularly useful for researchers tracing Corsican ancestry in the Ponce area. The group has published books useful for Corsican lineage research. See also: Facebook Group. |
Researching Spanish or Latin American ancestry? See the full directory: Spanish-Language Genealogy Societies — covering societies in Spain (including the Canary Islands), the Caribbean, and Latin America, with verified links.
Blogs & Educational Resources
| Resource |
Description |
| Looking4MyRoots |
Our companion blog with research tips, case studies, and Puerto Rican genealogy articles. |
| BoricuaGenes Blog |
Blog by Luis Rivera documenting Puerto Rican genealogy and genetic ancestry research, exploring Taíno, African, and Spanish roots with practical guides and church record resources. See also: Getting Started. |
| Genealogías e Historia del Suroeste de Puerto Rico |
Blog by César A. Zapata Lozada dedicated to genealogical research and local history of southwestern Puerto Rico, featuring parish records, colonial documents, and family lineages from towns like San Germán, Cabo Rojo, and Lajas. |
| Latino Genealogy and Beyond |
Blog by Dr. Ellen Fernandez-Sacco exploring Caribbean genealogy with emphasis on Puerto Rico and the diaspora, integrating African, Indigenous, and colonial ancestry research with broader historical narratives. See also: Puerto Rico Link Collection. |
| Puerto RiKin |
Genealogy blog focusing on Puerto Rican kin and research strategies. |
| Family Locket |
Blog by Diana Elder (AG®) and Nicole Dyer, a mother-daughter team of professional genealogists. Features the “Research Like a Pro” methodology, DNA genealogy guides, record analysis tutorials, and practical tools for organizing and documenting family history research. |
| Hijos de Coamo |
Extensive resources focused on Coamo and Puerto Rican genealogy research. |
| Genealogía Nuestra |
Blog by Ana Bayala covering Puerto Rican genealogy research, with church records and census records organized by municipality. Includes direct pathways to FamilySearch Caribbean record sets and practical guides for researching Puerto Rican ancestry. See also: Unlocking Church Records for Mayaguez: New 19th-Century Baptismal Transcriptions. |
| ▶ Getting Started with Puerto Rican Genealogy |
Video presentation by Luis Ariel Rivera — an introduction to researching Puerto Rican records and resources. Watch on YouTube |
DNA & Genetic Genealogy
| Resource |
Description |
| AncestryDNA |
DNA testing with the largest database for matching relatives. |
| 23andMe |
DNA testing with health reports and ancestry composition. |
| Family Tree DNA |
Specialized DNA testing including Y-DNA and mtDNA for deep ancestry. |
| GEDmatch |
Free tools for comparing DNA results across different testing companies. |
| Resource |
Description |
| WikiTree |
Free collaborative family tree with Puerto Rican ancestry projects. |
| Geni |
World Family Tree project for connecting with distant relatives. |
| Stephen P. Morse One-Step Tools |
Search tools and utilities for genealogical research. |
Historical Maps & Geography
| Resource |
Description |
| David Rumsey Map Collection |
Historical maps including Puerto Rico through different time periods. |
| Library of Congress Maps |
Historical maps of Puerto Rico from the Library of Congress collection. |
| PastMaps |
Overlay historical maps of Puerto Rico onto modern maps — useful for locating historical barrios, older place names, and areas whose boundaries have changed. Note: free usage is limited. |
Have a Resource to Add?
Know of a valuable resource that should be included here? Contact us with your suggestion!
Note: Inclusion of external links does not constitute endorsement. Always verify information from multiple sources.
