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Puerto Rican Genealogy Conectando Raíces, Celebrando Herencia

Fajardo

Founded 1772 East, Puerto Rico Municipality of Origin

Historical Overview

Founded in 1772 from the Loíza jurisdiction, Fajardo grew into the dominant port and commercial center of eastern Puerto Rico, earning the titles 'Metrópolis del Este' and 'Ciudad de los Cariduros.' Its strategic harbor made it a hub for maritime trade and military defense, with parish records dating to 1774 capturing families from the neighboring islands of Vieques and Culebra as well as the early settlements of what would become Ceiba (1813) and Luquillo (1797). Researchers tracing eastern Puerto Rico families should note that Fajardo's Sardinera and Cabezas barrio records frequently document maritime workers, sailors, and immigrant arrivals at the regional port.

Coat of Arms

Coat of arms of Fajardo, Puerto Rico

Image: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The shield features a sloop representing the Port of Fajardo's maritime trade, a lighthouse symbolizing the Faro de las Cabezas de San Juan, scallop shells as symbols of Santiago Apóstol (St. James, the town's patron saint), and border elements representing the Cariduros, the brave residents who defended the coast against British and pirate attacks.

Barrios

Genealogical records often identify individuals by barrio. Fajardo has 9 barrios:

  • Cabezas
  • Demajagua
  • Florencio
  • Naranjo
  • Pueblo
  • Quebrada Fajardo
  • Quebrada Vueltas
  • Río Arriba
  • Sardinera

Daughter Municipalities

The following municipalities separated from Fajardo. Residents recorded events before their founding year in Fajardo's parish:

Neighboring Municipalities

Also check records in neighboring municipalities:

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.

Fajardo

Fajardo (2026)

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

Genealogy Toolkit

Civil Records

Began in 1885

Covers births, marriages, and deaths.

⬇ Search Civil Records

Parish Records

Parish: Santiago Apóstol

Records from 1774

⬇ 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

Padrones and Municipal Censuses

The following image groups were created by the Gobierno de Puerto Rico and digitized by FamilySearch. They are not name-indexed, so you browse them like a book. A free FamilySearch account is required. To learn how to read and work through them, see Padrones and the Image Search, or scan the island-wide set in the Padrones Browser.

Padrón de Jornaleros (day-laborer register) (14)

Registers of landless day laborers compelled to carry a libreta under the Régimen de la Libreta, 1849 to 1873. They name the worker, his age, his barrio, and often the hacienda that employed him.

Municipal Population Census (19)

Population counts compiled by the municipal government, separate from the island-wide enumerations. Detail varies widely by municipality and year.

Further Reading

  • U.S. Census Bureau: Fajardo Municipio Profile — U.S. Census Bureau Census Data Authoritative 2020 Census profile for Fajardo, including official barrio list, population data, and geographic boundary information.
  • Notas para su Historia: Fajardo — Mario A. Rodríguez León, O.P. Local History Primary historical text for Fajardo covering the town's founding, early families, and ecclesiastical history. Physical copies held at the Archivo General de Puerto Rico. Essential for tracing founding families.
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