A curated collection of archives, databases, and tools for researching Puerto Rican ancestry.
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Guide Free
New York Public Library: Puerto Rican Genealogy Guide
Comprehensive starting guide with record types, research strategy, and links. Great for beginners.
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Includes research strategy, key record sets, and historical context. Developed by NYPL librarians with expertise in Puerto Rican and Caribbean genealogy. Also covers resources held at the NYPL itself.
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Guide Free
Library of Congress: Puerto Rico Genealogy & Local History
Research guide pointing to vital records, historical maps, and catalog listings at the Library of Congress.
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Guide Free
FamilySearch: Puerto Rico Genealogy Wiki
Free, structured guide on civil, parish, and census records specific to Puerto Rico. Explains what records exist and how to use them.
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Guide Free
BoricuaGenes: Getting Started
10 practical tips for beginning your genealogical journey with Puerto Rican roots.
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Guide Free
Latino Genealogy & Beyond: Puerto Rico Link Collection
Curated list of external links and learning resources for Caribbean and Puerto Rican research.
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Archive Free
Archivo General de Puerto Rico
Official repository for Puerto Rican historical records, including colonial documents and government archives.
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Archive Free
Registro Demografico de Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico's vital records office for birth, marriage, and death certificates from 1885 to present.
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Archive Free
U.S. National Archives (NARA)
Federal records relating to Puerto Rico, including census, military records, and naturalization files.
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Archive Guide Free
Legacy Tree Genealogists: Know Before You Go
Practical guidance for researchers planning an in-person visit to Puerto Rico's key genealogical archives.
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Written by Luis Ariel Rivera for Legacy Tree Genealogists. Covers what to expect when visiting the Archivo General de Puerto Rico and the Registro Demografico, including hours, access policies, and what to bring.
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Archive Free
PARES: Portal de Archivos de España
Spain's national archive portal with free access to colonial-era documents relevant to Puerto Rican research, including records from the Archivo General de Indias.
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PARES provides free access to digitized documents from Spanish state archives, many predating Puerto Rico's civil registry. See also the FamilySearch guide to using PARES for genealogy research. A dedicated how-to guide for Puerto Rican researchers is coming soon.
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Digital Collection Free
Biblioteca Digital Puertorriquena (UPR)
Digital library from the University of Puerto Rico with historical documents, photographs, and publications.
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Digital Collection Free
FamilySearch — Puerto Rico Collections
Free access to digitized church records, civil registry, and vital records from Puerto Rico. No subscription required.
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Includes civil registration (1885–2001), Catholic church records (1645–2021), and census records. Coverage varies by municipality. Create a free account at familysearch.org to access most collections.
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Society Free
Sociedad Puertorriquena de Genealogia (SPG)
Genealogy society in San Juan hosting monthly conferences, workshops, and the Hereditas research journal.
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Events are shared on their Facebook group and YouTube channel. Members receive two annual editions of Hereditas, featuring genealogical research articles, parish record compilations, and municipal archive transcriptions.
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Society Free
Puerto Rican Genealogy Northwest
Groups.io mailing list for Puerto Rican genealogy researchers across the U.S. Northwest.
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Society Subscription
National Genealogical Society — Genealogy Courses
Self-paced online courses for beginners through advanced researchers, covering research methods, DNA, and documentation standards.
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Society Free
Asociacion de Corsos de Puerto Rico
Organization preserving Corsican heritage in Puerto Rico. Especially useful for researchers tracing Corsican ancestry in the Ponce area.
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The group has published books useful for Corsican lineage research. See also their Facebook group.
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Society Directory Free
Spanish-Language Genealogy Societies
Directory of genealogy societies in Spain (including the Canary Islands), the Caribbean, and Latin America, with verified links.
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Blog Free
Looking4MyRoots
Our companion blog with research tips, case studies, and Puerto Rican genealogy articles.
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Blog Free
BoricuaGenes Blog
Documents Puerto Rican genealogy and genetic ancestry research, exploring Taino, African, and Spanish roots with practical guides.
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Blog Free
Genealogias e Historia del Suroeste de Puerto Rico
Genealogical research and local history of southwestern Puerto Rico: San German, Cabo Rojo, and Lajas. By Cesar A. Zapata Lozada.
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Blog Free
Latino Genealogy and Beyond
Explores Caribbean genealogy with emphasis on Puerto Rico and the diaspora, integrating African, Indigenous, and colonial ancestry research.
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Written by Dr. Ellen Fernandez-Sacco. Integrates broader historical narratives alongside genealogical methodology. See also the Puerto Rico Link Collection.
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Blog Free
Puerto RiKin
Genealogy blog focused on Puerto Rican kin and research strategies.
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Blog Free
Family Locket
Features the Research Like a Pro methodology and DNA genealogy guides from professional genealogists Diana Elder (AG) and Nicole Dyer.
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Blog Free
Hijos de Coamo
Extensive resources focused on Coamo and Puerto Rican genealogy research.
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Video Free
▶ Getting Started with Puerto Rican Genealogy
Video introduction to researching Puerto Rican records by Luis Ariel Rivera. Hosted on YouTube.
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DNA Subscription
AncestryDNA
DNA testing with the largest database for matching relatives. Subscription required for full tree and record access.
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DNA Subscription
23andMe
DNA testing with health reports and ancestry composition analysis. Subscription required for ongoing health feature access.
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DNA Subscription
Family Tree DNA
Specialized DNA testing including Y-DNA and mtDNA for researching deep ancestry lines. Testing kits are purchased separately.
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DNA Tool Free
GEDmatch
Free tools for comparing DNA results across different testing companies. Upload your results from any provider for cross-platform matching.
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Maps Free
David Rumsey Map Collection
Historical maps of Puerto Rico across different time periods. High-resolution scans are freely available and searchable.
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Maps Free
Library of Congress Maps
Historical maps of Puerto Rico from the Library of Congress collection, including colonial-era cartography.
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Maps Free
PastMaps
Overlay historical maps onto modern maps to locate historical barrios and older place names. Free usage is limited.
