Historical Overview

Ceiba, founded in 1838 after separating from Fajardo, is a coastal municipality on Puerto Rico's northeast coast. Named for the native ceiba tree, it falls under the Diocese of Fajardo-Humacao and is served by the parish of San Antonio de Padua. Parish records date to approximately 1838, offering researchers documentation across baptisms, marriages, and burials, while civil registration begins in 1885. Researchers tracing Ceiba families before the 1838 separation should consult Fajardo records for earlier entries.

Coat of Arms

Image: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Features a central ceiba tree as the primary charge, a cross and lilies in the chief area, and sugar-cane stalks flanking the shield. The ceiba tree represents the town name and indigenous landscape identity; the cross and lilies emphasize Christian and patronal symbolism; the sugar-cane stalks reflect the historical agricultural economy.

Barrios

Genealogical records often identify individuals by barrio. Ceiba has 8 barrios:

• Ceiba barrio-pueblo
• Chupacallos
• Daguao
• Guayacán
• Machos
• Quebrada Seca
• Río Abajo
• Saco

Neighboring Municipalities

Also check records in neighboring municipalities:

• Fajardo — Santiago Apóstol
• Naguabo — Nuestra Señora del Rosario

Historical Maps

Historical maps help identify barrios, boundaries, and communities as they existed in the past. Maps from the 18th and 19th centuries are preferred.

Ceiba (2026)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, TIGER/Line Shapefiles

Genealogy Toolkit

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Civil Records

Began in 1885

Covers births, marriages, and deaths.

⬇ Search Civil Records

Parish Records

Parish: San Antonio de Padua

Records from 1838

⬇ Search Catholic Records

Diocesan Archive

Diocese: Diocese of Fajardo-Humacao

For sacramental records not available digitally, contact the diocesan archive directly.

Diocese Website

Digital Archives

• FamilySearch: Ceiba Civil and parish records
• Puerto Rico, Catholic Church Records, 1645–1969 Digitized Records Islandwide Catholic church-record collection including baptisms, marriages, burials, and confirmations. Includes Ceiba parish records from San Antonio de Padua.
• Puerto Rico Civil Registration, 1885–2001 Digitized Records Civil registration births, marriages, and deaths for all Puerto Rico municipalities including Ceiba, beginning 1885.
• City Cemetery in Ceiba, Puerto Rico — Find a Grave Cemetery Index Find a Grave memorial page for Ceiba's main city cemetery. Useful for verifying death dates and burial information.
• FamilySearch: Puerto Rico Genealogy Complete records guide

Further Reading

• U.S. Census Bureau: Ceiba Municipio Profile — U.S. Census Bureau Census Data Authoritative 2020 Census profile for Ceiba, including official barrio list, population data, and geographic boundary information.
• Municipio de Ceiba — EnciclopediaPR contributors Encyclopedia Entry Authoritative municipal history of Ceiba documenting its separation from Fajardo in 1838, geography, and historical context for genealogical research.
• Ceiba, Puerto Rico Church Indexes, 1840–1978 — Hijos de Coamo Research Guide Parish register index guide for Ceiba covering approximately 1840–1978. Points to parish-level coverage and advises checking Fajardo records for years when Ceiba was attached to Fajardo.